Beer drinkers will find a new brewery in a familiar location this spring when Milieu Fermentation opens in the former Ursula Brewery space at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
Founded by Rob Bessett — the award-winning former head brewer at both Ursula and Loveland’s Verboten Brewing — and Andrew Bergeron, who works as a financial and budget analyst, Milieu (the name is stylized with lower-case letters) will specialize in lagers and hoppy beers.
“With my background and personal passion for barrel aging I’m excited to get a fair amount of spon, mixed culture, stout and barleywine into oak” as well, said Bessett via email. Bessett was heavily involved in Verboten’s barrel-aged beers, which are frequent award winners.
“There are plans for a seasonally released saison and lots of highly fruited acid-forward beers,” he added. “The alternative fermentations and non-alcoholic options will then round out the remainder of the draft list. The idea is to have an option for everyone who comes through our doors.”
Bessett and Bergeron chose the word “milieu” because it “represents the place, time, and circumstances in which our socialization occurs,” Bessett wrote. “In other words: the vibe.”
The former Ursula Brewery, at 2101 N. Ursula St., closed in December after nine years, with owner Scott Procop saying it was time for him to sell so that he could focus on his family restaurant, Cedar Creek Pub, which is across the street from the brewery.
Bessett and Bergeron said they are currently “in the process of renovating and redesigning the space and anticipate opening our doors to the public in late spring 2024.”
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