Staying Fit
Carl and Lori A. Churchill, owners of Alpha Coffee.
Niki Chan
The history of coffee in the USA has strong patriotic overtones and the drink has always been linked to military service.
After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when colonists dumped tea into the harbor, coffee became a national symbol of pride and defiance. It’s been a love (and addiction) ever since, as well as a staple military ration — starting with the Civil War and leading all the way up to the Global War on Terror.
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But while the United States was leading the world in pretty much everything else, we arguably lagged woefully behind in coffee until Starbucks took off in the 1990s, sparking a love affair with mocha lattes, baristas and gourmet coffee.
Soon, high-end coffee found its way into military culture. Black Rifle Coffee founders Evan Hafer and Mat Best are two of the most well-known faces of the caffeine warrior Java culture.
But there are also dozens of smaller veteran-owned coffee brands across the country. Here are five of our personal favorites:
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Aerial Resupply Coffee
Founded by disabled Army veteran Mike Klemmer, Charlottesville, Virginia.
What makes it special? “Our brand is about support. Period. It’s not about extreme marketing or tying the brand to a political ideology,” Klemmer told AARP Veteran Report. “Support doesn’t care about any of that — it just shows up when it needs to.”
Taste Factor: RC has 5 primary roasts, Lifeline Light Roast, Fire Watch Medium Roast, MOAB Double Caffeinated Medium Roast, Spectre Dark Espresso Roast, and 15W40 Dark Italian roast. They mainly use 100 percent Colombian Supremo beans. “It’s not bitter, and doesn’t have that acidic feeling from different types of beans.”
Got Your Six Coffee
Founded by Navy Veteran Eric Hadley, Springfield, Missouri.
What makes it special? Six years old, GY6CC is active on the ground, showing up for first responders in times of need and supporting numerous charities as well as troops stationed overseas.
“We’re a coffee company with a purpose,” Hadley told AARP Veteran Report. “That purpose is to help those who serve. We are dedicated to ending veteran homelessness, eliminating the veteran suicide rate, to helping those who serve to transition [to civilian life] and deal with PTSD, and to ensuring that those who watch over us have the tools they need.”
Taste Factor: Range of roasts to suit just about any palate. Unusual flavors include Maple Bourbon and Absent Without Caffeine (AWOC).
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