Local Colorado Springs beer finally lands inside COS Terminal 1
Bristol Brewing Company brings its Colorado Springs craft tap list into the post-security concourse at City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) Terminal 1. The brewery started in 1994 on South Tejon Street, and the airport outpost is meant to mirror the hometown lineup you see around town bars. Expect Bristol’s flagships to anchor the board, with seasonal rotations depending on what’s brewing back in the main facility.
You’ll find Bristol Brewing Company past security in Terminal 1, on the main concourse used by American, Delta, Southwest, and United. Draft pours at similar Colorado airport brewpubs usually run around $9–$12 for a full pint, so plan on that range here until the exact menu posts. Food at these sister locations tends to skew bar-friendly: burgers, sandwiches, wings, and shareable snacks you can finish in under 30 minutes before boarding.
If the airport follows Bristol’s downtown lineup, expect familiar names like Laughing Lab Scottish Ale and Mass Transit Ale on tap, both typically around 5–6% ABV. That’s strong enough that one pint can feel like plenty at altitude when you’re flying out of COS’s 6,000+ foot elevation. Canned options usually travel better on a tight connection, so plan on a 16 oz can if you’re grabbing something to sip slowly at the gate.
Hours at new COS concessions usually track with the first and last bank of departures, roughly 5:00 a.m. to the final evening push around 9:00–10:00 p.m., though exact Bristol Brewing Company times will likely tighten once they see traffic patterns. Morning flights might see more emphasis on coffee and breakfast burritos, with the full beer lineup pouring closer to late morning and the 11:00 a.m. crowd.
Practical tip: COS stays small, but lines can spike around the 6:00–8:00 a.m. and 3:00–5:00 p.m. departure waves; budget 10–15 extra minutes at Bristol Brewing Company during those peaks if you want a draft poured and a burger in hand before boarding starts about 30–35 minutes pre-departure.