Internal Brewsletter - March 4th
General
Employee Provision - Submissions Needed!
A weekly special served at the Pub, with ideas sourced from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Kira and Salem ! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Creamy Roasted Chicken Pot Pie !
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas! Remember, if your provision gets selected, you can order one for free!
-This Week’s Releases-
Selection Series // West Coast IPA // 7.0%
Our latest Selection Series release features four single-hop West Coast IPAs brewed on the same base recipe, allowing each hop variety to shine on its own. Each beer showcases hops selected during our annual Yakima hop selection trip, highlighting unique aromas and flavors from specific farms across the Pacific Northwest.
Each Selection (Sourced) - Tasting Notes :
Strata (Crosby Hop Farm, Woodburn, OR) — Currant • Red Jolly Rancher
Mosaic (Jackson Hop Farms, Wilder, ID) — Blueberry • Mango
El Dorado (CLS Farms, Moxee, WA) — Pineapple • Watermelon
Citra (Van Horn Farms, Moxee, WA) — Lemonade • Orange Peel
Availability: On draft and cans to-go + Distributed to our network in Oregon & SW Washington
Series: Orbital Series
What is the Selection Series?
Each fall during hop harvest, our team travels to Yakima to evaluate hops from multiple farms through a blind tasting process. The hops we select become the foundation for beers throughout the year. The Selection Series highlights these picks with a set of single-hop West Coast IPAs brewed on the same base recipe to showcase each variety’s unique character.
Upcoming Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sol Fresco // Mexican Lager
Series: Perennial
Releases: 3/13/26
Availability: On draft and cans to-go + Distributed to our network in Oregon & SW Washington
Ancient Grove // Amber Ale
Series: Orbital
Releases: 3/13/26
Availability: On draft and cans to-go + Distributed to our network in Oregon & SW Washington
Block Pearl // Oyster Stout
Series: Pub Life/Synergy
Releases: 3/13/26
Availability: On draft only + Distributed to select locations around Oregon
Crowler/Package Sale for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers, and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer(s) is/are:
Punch Out and Prost!
Beer Education
REMINDER - BRRT IS AT PUB DURING TAPROOM RENOVATION
Barrel Room Roundtable - Thursdays at 4 pm
This week’s topic: Off Flavor Workshop, DMS threshold testing
BEER 101
By Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Selection Series
It’s that time of year! Our brew team is currently wrapping up packaging one of our favorite releases of the year, Selection Series. Each year, we travel to Yakima, in the heart of Washington’s hop country and the densest hop cultivation region in the world, to select the best lots of our most used hops. Not all breweries, especially of our size, get the opportunity, and it is one of the reasons that our beer stands out in the crowd. We choose hops not only to get the most interesting, aromatic, and delicious hops that we can, but also to play defense against bad lots that can lead to off and undesirable characteristics. It is an important exercise that we take seriously, and we are excited to showcase it each year when the new lots finally arrive.
This year, we chose Citra, Strata, El Dorado, and Mosaic to showcase, and we’re finally ready to release the mixed four packs out to the world. Here are three of my tasting notes on the final products and which farm they came from.
Mosaic: Jackson Hop Farms, Canyon County, Idaho. Blueberries, lemonheads, dragonfruit
Strata: Crosby Hop Farms, Woodburn, Oregon. Red Jolly Rancher, Currant, Pineapple
El Dorado: CLS Farms, Moxee, Washington. Citrus rind, pineapple, mango
Citra: Van Horn Farms, Moxee, Washington. Lemonade, orange zest, peach.
Be sure to try each and compare them. These are single-hop beers that share an otherwise identical recipe. That is a great opportunity to really experience each of these legendary hops in their purest forms. Talk about them with other folks around your same tasting level, and with folks who seem to have more advanced palates. Drinking beer with folks who have more advanced palates is the absolute best way to develop your own. Feel encouraged to really engage with customers who are trying flights and see which are their favorites, what distinct aromas and flavors they can discern, etc.
New this year, this week we brewed SELECTION SERIES: CONFLUENCE, an amalgamation brew that uses all four selection series hops in one meticulously designed beer. Our Director of Brewery Operations, Matt, used his almost 20 years of production brewing knowledge to write this recipe himself. I’m really looking forward to tasting it. I know that a lot of consideration and care went into it.
This is a really fun project that takes a lot of work on our side, so please have fun with it and use it to your advantage, so that all of that work is really worth it!
Marketing Updates
By Holly Amlin, Marketing & Creative Manager
Selection Series 2026
Please encourage people to vote! The link is on the handout, on our table tents, and on our website:
Events List:
Check back in next Week!
From the Executive Chef
By Sarah Farey, Executive Chef
Pub monthly specials will launch on Wednesday 3.4!
Japanese Pork Katsu & Rice
Panko breaded and fried pork cutlet served over a bed of steamed coconut basmati rice with our Japanese curry sauce, shredded napa cabbage, and quick citrus pickled cucumbers. 17.99
Dairy Free. Tempeh can be subbed BUT the curry sauce DOES contain chicken stock!!!
Honey-Chili Shrimp Po Boy
Sweet & spicy grilled wild Gulf shrimp, shredded lettuce, sweet onion, fresh tomato & chipotle-lime remoulade on a house baked sesame baguette. 16.99
Dairy free
Sweet Potato & Romesco Dip
Creamy sweet potatoes, romesco, almonds & cream cheese dip served chilled with veggies and toasted bread. 11.99
Vegetarian. Dip is gluten free, and DOES contain almonds!
Romesco is a rich, smoky sauce originating from Catalonia, Spain. It consists of roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, tomatoes, almonds, garlic and olive oil.
Grilled Turkey Cheddar Sandwich
Roasted turkey breast, grilled onions, Tillamook Cheddar cheese and house-made honey mustard on toasted artisan bread. $15.99
Can be dairy free if cheese is held.
This is a throwback to a Block 15 original!
Bakery
Notes from Lindsey Henriksen, Bakery Manager
Check back next week !
Pub Updates
By Kira Sciarrotta, General Manager
New cocktail replacing the Tiger Shark!
Spring Breeze
In a Tulip glass, combine:
+ 1 Scoop of Ice
+ 2oz Spring Breeze Batch
+ 0.75oz Super Lemon
+ 2oz Prosecco
Stir to combine. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.
Let’s make sure to push the last of the Bourbon Pomegranate Spritz, as it will not be on menus!
Now for a few regular reminders/announcements:
Safety calls! LOUD AND PROUD. We’ve had some really close calls lately, so please make sure to be diligent around every corner and through every door.
I also want to encourage everyone to move through the restaurant like you would driving a car on the road. Moving on the right side and passing on people’s left sides!
Simple Green Awarness. We’ve seen some refilled bottles (awesome!) filled with 100% Simple Green (not awesome!). It’s a very aggressive chemical so we want to make sure to dilute it - about 1-2 fingers width at the bottom of the bottle and the rest with water!
Bathrooms should be getting multiple checks throughout the day/your shift - not just for shift change! If you’re clocking out, remember to check that the bathrooms are stocked and cleaned up before checking out with people.
Hosts! Your first impression to guests at the Host Stand are people’s immediate first thought about us. That’s a lot of weight on your shoulders, but I want to remind you that first impressions really matter and we should be ready to make people’s day from their first moment in our establishment.
To go along with this, be careful with the word “just.” For example, “just one today?” Instead use, “one today, perfect! Follow me this way.” We’d never want to accidentally offend anyone with our choice of verbiage.
With nicer days on the horizon, please remember to wipe down the outside tables as the closing server to help out the openers in the morning!
Tap Room Updates
Caves Updates
By Aidan Welch, General Manager
We have received our keg of Duchess de Bourgogne! This is a fantastic Belgian Flanders red produced by Brouwerij Berhaeghe, characterized by its sweet-and-sour flavor profile reminiscent of balsamic vinegar, cherries, and dark fruit. (And yes I’m bias as it is by far my favorite “sour” ever) Swing by to at the very least to come get a taste of this awesome brew!
As we get into our spring season this month, keep an eye out for our new spring wine selection as well as a new cocktail crafted by our very own AGM, Luke! 🙂
For our Caves staff, make sure we are hitting up the outside tables with not only a good cleaning, but also making sure entry way is leafblown and dusted for those pesky cobwebs
When we have our guests dining outside, please ensure we are using the outdoor space heaters ONLY when the outside tables are being used, and we are shutting those off when our customers leave
You all are crushing it these busy weekends! Keep up the fantastic work! 🍻
High Fives
YAYY to supporting eachother!! Keep the high fives going <333 - Soph
Kira- I really appreciate what Kira has done as GM! She keeps things moving efficiently and it is not unnoticed how much work she has put in so far! We <3 Kira!
Max- Bodega baddie Max slayed the last few busy weekends. He’s really got that WAP (Wisdom and Patience). His attitude is up and it has stuck. PERIOD.
Sophia & Megan- Their dessert presentation is unlike anything I’ve ever seen
Ellie- Ellie has been killing it extra lately which is not unnoticed! Thanks for being a Blockstar.
Lily Smalling- She is always so fierce and warm and welcoming and also kicks ass in the kitchen! She helps in so many ways and reachers to servers and managers in a way that I highly respect. She’s the queen!
Donlon- Donlon has a lot going on with school but still shows up ready to rock. Thanks for all you do to keep things going! We<3 Donlon.
Tilly- I love working with Tilly because she is so fun and helpful! Customers have been raving about her lately so shout out for that #hospitality !!!
Uncle Danny- For busting ass getting brewers trained and living through Mardi Gras
Cedar- For taking initiative with pub 5S and being altogether a force for positivity in our company
Cedar- Cedar has been putting in the work to make the pub more organized! She completed reorganized the server station upstairs at the pub and the cabinet downstairs as well! It looks really great now!
Julia Wren- Works so hard everyday! Always doing big tasks without being asked and wants to learn all the new projects. She is a great addition to the prep team and we love having her!
Emma Krubmah- She is such a strong force in the kitchen! Works GREAT with everyone around her, awesome energy and never lets the busy shifts get to her. She is the definition of a Blockstar! Give this girl a high five!
James, Travis & Jon- Thank you guys for being awesome leaders! And fun to work with!
Staff Section
Check back next week !
Charitable Programs
Dine Out! for CHS Robotics - March 19th
This month, we’re partnering with the Corvallis High School Robotics Team! All day on the 19th, a portion of food sales at the Pub will be donated to help fund their season.
Each January, the team receives the year’s competition rules — and from there, they have just two months to design, manufacture, assemble, program, and test a fully competition-ready robot before heading into events. By April, the season wraps — but the work to fund it continues year-round.
The money we’re donating supports more than just a robot. It goes towards registration fees, parts and raw materials, travel expenses, and competition costs. As well as supports hands-on engineering, problem-solving, teamwork, and the next generation of innovators.