Internal Brewsletter - July 17th, 2024
General
Lagered by the Sun!
What is it?
Lagered by the Sun represents Block 15’s commitment to sustainable brewing practices. Emphasizing community involvement, this program pays homage to three key areas: sourcing local and regional ingredients, utilizing solar energy in the lagering process, and implementing mindful brewing practices that extend to the shelves and taps.
“Lagered by The Sun encompasses many of our efforts to brew sustainably while creating unique craft beer that genuinely represents our place and the PNW. This has been an exciting project several years in the making as we studied and tested materials and techniques that have culminated in our Lagered by The Sun offerings matching the quality we strive for every day.” Says Co-Owner Nick Arzner.
Why is Lagered by the Sun so lit right now?
It’s summertime, which means it’s also a great time to enjoy a lager. Our customers have been going crazy over our perpetual Gloria! Pilsner and our newest addition, Green Truck American Light Lager. It’s a great talking point to mention that these beers are part of our Lagered by the Sun Program. Both use NW hops and malts and are brewed using solar energy located on our Southtown production facility (the TR!).
Chris King Visit
This August, we will be releasing a collaboration beer with a company located in PDX called Chris King Precision Components. They manufacture bike components in PDX that are serviceable and last for years. This collaboration encompasses the craft of two very different products from companies who share the same audience and company vision of craft, sustainability and community.
Learn more about them: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Last week, we hosted their team on the brew day of the beer, called Buzzworks NW Pilsner. They wanted to invite us to their location to get a tour from their team as well. I put together a form for the two dates that work for them. Submit a date that works and we’ll get something on the books! - Kelsea
Block 15 Sponsored Softball Team
Come watch their last game!
Tuesday, 7/23 @ 5:45 pm at Porter
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Simon! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Summer Artisan Plate!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Releasing Friday 7/19
Turbulent Consequence, Peche //
Description: Turbulent Consequence is our turbid mashed, extended boiled, lambic-style ale spontaneously fermented and matured in our underground wild cellars. Peche is made up of select 18-month-old barrels that are blended onto 1000 pounds of mixed Suncrest and Elberta peaches and aged an additional 8 months. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: Lambic-style ale aged on one of the traditional five belgian brewing fruits, peaches. Our fruit was sourced from Olson Family Farms in Salem, Oregon.
Tasting Notes: Peach Juice • Sweet Tarts • Overripe
Format: Bottles and Draft
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Lambic Ale Matured in Oak Barrels with Elberta and Suncrest Peaches
Lambic brewing is a historically significant, pro-level brewing style that we at Block 15 are proud to help keep alive and fresh in the 21st century. Before the Industrial Revolution, Belgian breweries were taxed based on the volume of their brewery mash tun, so in order to get as much beer as possible out of each mash, they would pack it to the gills with grain. This led to a process called the turbid mash, where the mash was much thicker than in other standard brews. They would use a series of rinses, running wort to the kettle, then back through the grain, to extract the most from their grain. They then used a coolship, like ours downstairs at the pub, to cool the wort, inadvertently exposing it to wild microorganisms. These spontaneously inoculated beers would then spend some time in barrels, fermenting until they were perfect to blend. They also used aged hops as a necessity, which, as another happy accident, were higher in beta acids (anti-spoilage) and lower in alpha acids (bittering compounds) and allowed the beer to remain stable while aging without becoming overly bitter. This combination of attention to detail and artistry created the style of beer we now make and celebrate as one of the most difficult to brew and master styles in existence. We release many traditional versions of this beer, including Peche, but we also throw in a new variation of tradition here and there. Look for a balanced acidity with plenty of spontaneous funk and a touch of warm vanilla from the French oak in which it matures.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 7/19
Turbulent Consequence, Peche // Lambic Ale Matured in Oak Barrels with Elberta and Suncrest Peaches
Horchata //
Description: Decadent and refreshing, this Horchata cream ale is a brewer's take on a classic Horchata. Brewed using fresh cinnamon and nutmeg, this cream ale captures the unique and iconic flavors of the classic Mexican beverage. // 5.60%
Key Takeaway: Our take on bringing Horchata to the beer scene, this cream ale was brewed using lactose, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to combine the best parts of these two iconic beverages. This beer is the first in a series brewed on our Pub system from a recipe submitted by one of our brewers. Horchata comes from J Pascoe, who developed the recipe initially while completing the Brewing and Fermentation Science Certificate Program at the University of The Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. With the opportunity here, J had the chance to develop the idea further, and can't wait for everyone to try it.
Tasting Notes: Nutmeg • Cinnamon • Summer
Format: Draft Only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: Cream Ale
Cream Ale is another truly American invention. Developed in the 1800s, it’s closely related to pale lager. Though it’s fermented with ale yeast, it’s conditioned cold, like a lager. A touch of lactose is added during the brewing process, which lends a delicious, creamy mouthfeel and gives the beer its name. Look for a light, dry beer with a touch of hop character and a unique mouthfeel.
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 beers are: R&D 2156 at the Taproom, Summer Knights Kolsch for Both Locations
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Animal Cookies // Hazy IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: July 26th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed for the hop-loving animal inside of you, this can is packed with sticky, pungent hops. Unleash a swirling circus of pineapple, tangerine, mango, pine, and dank herb hop characters.
Dark Surroundings // Porter with Okinawa Sweet Potatoes and Japanese Chestnuts
Series: Synergy
Releases: July 26th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Brewed for the Fuji to Hood collaborative beer fest. Our partner this year was Black Tide Brewing, located in Kesennuma, Japan. This American Porter features caramelized Okinawa Sweet Potatoes in the mash and was conditioned on roasted Japanese chestnuts.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, July 25th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Don't Forget Deep Seek!
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We release some really exciting IPAs. Many of our fans come in looking for the newest, flashiest IPA to experience fresh when they’re at our establishment. This is amazing, and while I appreciate those folks immensely, I want to take this time to reiterate just how awesome Deep Seek, one of our year-round beers, really is.
We spent countless hours and turns on the brewhouse honing Deep Seek to be the best example of West Coast IPA that it could be. As a prominent West Coast brewery known for its fresh AF IPAs and our place as an innovator in the industry, we take our namesake style seriously. Focused on balance, drinkability, and explosive hop delivery, Deep Seek is truly a world-class example of the style.
Any regular IPA drinker will recognize its rightful place on our list of perpetuals, and I’d love to see how much we can move. Feel free to suggest a sample to folks, and don’t be afraid to brag about how much time and energy we’ve spent on making it as much of a banger as it is. It’s an uncommonly good IPA, and I want the world to know! Especially if someone is from out of town or hasn’t tried our beer before, but even if they’re a regular who only drinks one beer, help me get the word out. Deep Seek is the perfect West Coast IPA.
From the Executive Chef
Check back next week!
PUB UPDATES
When cashing someone out and handing them the handheld, please remember to ask them if they requested a printed copy of their receipt. This is one of our most often missed steps in service and can result in a guest waiting at the table for a number of minutes just to get their receipt.
Another reminder that the two plants hanging above the Brewer’s Bar in front of the window are part of our plants that need to be watered each week. A few times now these have been caught just as they were completely dried out and close to dying. Please make sure to water these when watering the rest.
We have a new handheld vacuum that can be used on the stairs each morning and in the booth benches for special cleaning projects. Please be gentle with it so we can keep it around, and empty it when it’s full.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Slow Down & Safety Calls Awareness!! We have been rocking with business lately, but we still need to be slowing down, consistently using our corner calls, and keeping eyes forward when moving through spaces for safety purposes. We are a busy and fast paced restaurant and need to be giving time to each other to safely move through work spaces. Everyone has had great hustle, and everyone has been working very hard but remember to take a deep breath and please slow down & while making safety calls.
FOH: Pre-bussing Awareness! We should be prioritizing “full hands in, full hands out” if you are checking in on a table. If they have dirty dishes in front of them, we should be grabbing them. If you are hosting, food running, or moving through someone else’s section, keep an eye for dishes that you can pull from the table.
Line: Garnish Station Awareness! Lets focus not only on the amount of garnish we do throughout the day but also quality–especially the basil and radish as these two items are left out during service and will wilt if not prepped before a push!!
Prep: Dishwashing Awareness! Keep the dishwasher running! If you are dropping off dishes, push a load through. If something is cool enough to back out, let's do that earlier in the day so we don't have a huge stack of sheet pans and other dishes at close.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Clarification: Dogs are welcome in the taproom with their humans for re-ordering, cashing out, starting a tab, etc. They are not allowed to stay inside the taproom for any extended amount of time or at a table to eat unless a service dog.
There is one more batch of Blood orange concentrate left, after that it will be 86ed. The concentrate needs to be saved for the Horizon Sun cocktail as we are switched to Prickly pear for lemonades.
Please make sure we are watching our conversations while on the clock. There should be absolutely no gossiping, smack talking, or lengthy personal conversations happening while on the floor whatsoever.
We will be swapping out our taster flight cards for some new and improved ones this weekend! These new ones have spots for you to set the taster glass on top of and a place to put the beer name below.
Piroshky Piroshky will be on site on Thursday from 4-6pm in the parking lot handing out their online pick-up orders.
Please make sure when restocking beer to-go that no partial 4pks are being put behind full 4pks. Partials should always be at the front.
We are fully out of Shooting Star Rose and will be switching back to the Airlie Rose in the next week or so.
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Beer Education! It is extremely important to make sure we are staying up to date on beer education and specifically staying informed on beer releases. It is an expectation that everyone working behind the bar knows what beers are out and how to describe them and key aspects about them. One sheets live in the binder behind the bar and the brewsletter is a great resource for information. (edited)
ALL: Staying organized! It is important to make sure we clean up after ourselves, put things away properly, and maintain shared spaces to ensure efficiency and respect for each other and the Taproom.
Upcoming Events
Tunes, Brews & BBQ!
First 4 Wednesdays of July from 6 - 8:30 pm
7/17 lineup:
Band: Brutal Bridges Band
BBQ: Alabama Chicken Hindquarters, loaded potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon $15.99
Dessert: Mango Lime popsicle
Tour ‘N Taste
July 25th between 5:30 - 6:30 pm
2 tour times available: 5:30 & 6 pm from the brew staff, a first taste of Animal Cookies, and a small-bite pairing of Roasted Tomato, Feta, & Hot Honey Tartlet from Sarah.
We’re charging $5 this time around to encourage reservations. Tickets can be purchased for either the 5:30 or 6:00 tour slot on our website, through the event page or our online store under Experiences.
Each time slot is limited to 15 people. 21+ only.
If we don’t sell out, walk-ins are welcome.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Elise Pietromonaco - for caring as much as she does. She’s the best!
Levi Stalder - Thank you for being a real one, and making sure your team is well taken care of and supported.
Emma Bartlett - She is always giving 100% and stays focused on the job. We appreciate your hard work!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to wash your hands frequently.
Hands must be washed: before preparing foods or putting on gloves, after touching human body parts (other than clean arms or hands), after using the toilet,after caring for or touching an animal, after coughing, sneezing, using a tissue or handkerchief, using tobacco, eating or drinking, after engaging in any activities that might contaminate the hands, like taking out garbage, handling soiled utensils or equipment, handling cleaning chemicals, during food preparation when switching from working with raw meats and fish to ready-to-eat foods.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week!
WHAT’S UP ON INSTA??
FEEDBACK
Hey friends! If you find yourself sitting at home, or out and about and something pops into your mind that you would like to pass along to the team, feel free to use this form! Please be mindful of keeping feedback or suggestions constructive and positively worded!