Champagne Velvet Proper Kitchen & Bar Opens Sunday, May 17 in Castle Rock
The I.C. Brewhouse in Castle Rock closed on November 10, 2025, and the building at 2355 Mercantile St is being rebuilt as Champagne Velvet Proper Kitchen & Bar — a new concept from Indiana craft-beer veteran Upland Brewing Company. The Castle Rock location opens Sunday, May 17, 2026. Reservations are live now via OpenTable.
The Centennial I.C. Brewhouse closed the same day and reopened as Champagne Velvet Tap House & Kitchen at 6460 S Syracuse Way, Centennial on November 16, 2025, per the @cvtaphouse launch announcement. The Castle Rock location is the second of the two to open.
What changed
I.C. Brewhouse operated both the Castle Rock and Centennial locations until November 10, 2025, when both shut down for renovation and rebrand. The closure announcement was made on Instagram and confirmed by Indiana Beer News on Facebook, which reported the locations would be managed by Champagne Velvet.
Per local writer Jenn Zuko (Zuko's Musings on Substack, Nov 17, 2025), the new ownership is "an actual restaurant company, not a builder" — a notable upgrade in operator pedigree for the Mercantile St space.
The two rebrand names — and their opening timelines — are distinct:
| Old location | New name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| I.C. Brewhouse — 2355 Mercantile St, Castle Rock | Champagne Velvet Proper Kitchen & Bar | Opens Sun, May 17, 2026 |
| I.C. Brewhouse — 6460 S Syracuse Way, Centennial | Champagne Velvet Tap House & Kitchen | Open since Nov 16, 2025 |
Who's behind it
The operator is Upland Brewing Company, the Bloomington, Indiana craft brewery founded in 1998. Both restaurants — the open Centennial Tap House and the upcoming Castle Rock Proper Kitchen — operate under Upland.
Champagne Velvet is Upland's flagship lager — and it's the name carrying both new restaurant concepts.
The 1902 pilsner backstory
Champagne Velvet was first brewed in 1902 by Walter Bruhn, the son of German immigrants, at the Terre Haute Brewing Company in Indiana (Brew Ledger; Indiana Historical Society). Marketed as the "beer with the million-dollar flavor," it became a regional Hoosier staple until the original recipe was largely dormant for decades.
Upland Brewing revived the recipe in 2013 as part of the brewery's 15th-anniversary celebration (InsideHook; US Patent). The Castle Rock restaurant takes its name from that revived flagship pilsner.
The menu
Upland previewed the full Proper Kitchen & Bar menu on Instagram (@cvproperkitchen). Champagne Velvet beer is baked into multiple signature items — the Million Dollar Reuben uses CV-braised corned beef and CV sauce; the Petite Filet comes with Champagne Velvet beer mac and cheese; the salmon is braised in CV. The 1902 Burger is named for the year Walter Bruhn first brewed the lager.
Bites — $11 to $20
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Parmesan Truffle Fries — crisp brewery fries, white truffle oil, parmesan & black garlic aioli | $11 |
| French Onion Dip — house-made onion dip & potato chips | $11 |
| Chicken Liver Pâté — onion fig jam & charred bread | $12 |
| Onion Fig Jam Flatbread — lavash, onion fig jam, goat cheese, arugula, balsamic glaze | $14 |
| Spinach Artichoke Dip — spinach, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, garlic, parmesan cream, charred bread | $15 |
| Pork Belly Bites — crispy pork belly, Dijon sorghum glaze, walnut gremolata | $17 |
| Blue Crab Cakes — house-made, mustard remoulade | $20 |
| Prince Edward Island Mussels — Champagne Velvet garlic cream sauce, pork belly, pearl onions, brewery fries | $20 |
Salad & Soup — $7 to $24
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| French Onion Soup — caramelized onions, roasted beef broth, swiss cheese, charred bread | $7 |
| Caesar Salad — romaine, creamy Caesar, parmesan, house-made garlic rye croutons, parmesan crisp | $16 |
| Roasted Beet Salad — arugula, red beets, goat cheese, candied walnuts, beet chips, balsamic vinaigrette | $17 |
| Baby Iceberg Wedge — smoked blue cheese crumbles, crispy prosciutto, pickled red onions, candied walnuts, hardboiled egg, blue cheese dressing | $19 |
| Salmon Niçoise — spring mix, arugula, Atlantic salmon, green beans, fingerling potatoes, egg, niçoise, olives, cherry tomatoes, red wine vinaigrette | $24 |
Add-ons: Steak +$9 | Salmon +$8 | Chicken Thigh +$6
Burgers & Handhelds — $17 to $19
All burgers come on a toasted sesame seed bun with brewery fries. Substitute plant-based patty +$3.
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Pork Belly & Pâté Sandwich — chicken liver pâté, pork belly, pickled red onions, red wine vinaigrette, toasted baguette, house-made chips | $17 |
| 1902 Burger — white cheddar cheese & pork belly | $18 |
| Crispy Chicken Thigh Sandwich — pickled cucumber, fresh cabbage slaw, sriracha mayo, sesame seed brioche, brewery fries | $18 |
| Brie Burger — brie, caramelized onions, black garlic aioli | $19 |
| Gorgonzola Burger — smoked blue cheese crumbles, arugula, balsamic onion jam | $19 |
| Million Dollar Reuben — Champagne Velvet braised corned beef, swiss, CV sauce, sauerkraut, marble rye, brewery fries | $19 |
Entrées — $25 to $39
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Chicken Solano — pan-seared chicken thigh, sun-dried tomato cream sauce, wilted spinach, pesto potato purée | $25 |
| Maple Leaf Duck — pan-seared duck breast, yukon purée, wilted spinach, port gastrique | $29 |
| Champagne Velvet Braised Salmon — Atlantic salmon filet braised in CV, fingerling potatoes, wilted garlic spinach, blistered tomatoes | $31 |
| Petite Filet — 6 oz filet mignon, wilted garlic spinach, Champagne Velvet beer mac and cheese, balsamic glaze | $36 |
| Steak Frites — 10 oz NY Strip, smoked blue cheese butter, crisp brewery fries | $38 |
| Grilled Pork Chop — 14 oz pork tomahawk, yukon purée, chili garlic green beans, balsamic glaze | $38 |
| Grilled 12 oz T-Bone — roasted onion vierge, yukon purée, spiced garlic spinach | $39 |
The space
Photos previewed on Instagram show a complete interior overhaul from the casual brewhouse aesthetic. Navy panel walls, tall drapes, floor-to-ceiling windows, dark hardwood booths, Chesterfield-style tufted leather banquettes, marble bistro tables, a curated gallery wall with framed art, and a forest-toile wallpaper feature in the bar area.
The main bar carries the Champagne Velvet pilsner and a full liquor program — house wood paneling, lit liquor shelves, beer taps, and stemware behind the bar.
Now hiring (7 roles, May 2026)
Upland is actively recruiting for the Castle Rock location via Paycor. Confirmed openings as of May 11, 2026:
- Assistant General Manager — $52,000–$57,000/yr (apply)
- Executive Chef / Restaurant Manager (apply)
- Restaurant Service Manager (apply)
- Cook — $18/hr (apply)
- Bartender (3 openings) (apply)
- Server — $11.79/hr + tips (apply)
- Host / Support Staff (4 openings) (apply)
Browse all open Castle Rock jobs: Castle Rock job listings.
Visit
Champagne Velvet Proper Kitchen & Bar
2355 Mercantile St, Castle Rock, CO 80109
Opens: Sunday, May 17, 2026. Reserve a table on OpenTable.
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Careers
Photos via @cvproperkitchen on Instagram. Centennial sister-location open status confirmed via @cvtaphouse.
Sources: I.C. Brewhouse Instagram closure announcement, Nov 7, 2025; Indiana Beer News (Facebook), Nov 10, 2025; @cvtaphouse "NOW OPEN" launch announcement, Nov 14–16, 2025; Jenn Zuko, "Popination Transformation" (Zuko's Musings), Nov 17, 2025; drinkcv.com/properkitchenbar coming-soon page; @cvproperkitchen Instagram menu preview + Sunday-May-17 opening + reservations announcement (May 13, 2026); Brew Ledger — Upland Brewing Company history; InsideHook — Champagne Velvet; Indiana Historical Society; Upland Brewing Paycor career portal.
More new openings in Castle Rock
Other recent openings worth knowing about:
- Izumi Sushi — authentic Japanese sushi at 115 Third Street downtown, opened May 11, 2026
- Griddled Crêpes & Paninis — opened May 8, 2026 at the Outlets at Castle Rock
- Bar Hummingbird — upscale cocktail bar at the Promenade, next to The Brinkerhoff
- Starbird Chicken — opened April 27, 2026 at the Promenade at Castle Rock
- Badger & Bloom Boba — boba shop at the Outlets at Castle Rock