Internal Brewsletter - November 27th, 2024
General
Holiday Party
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our South town Tap Room. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
New seasonal Cocobell
Brand new cocobell flavor running alongside December monthly’s, dropping on 12/4! Introducing the Peppermint Bell, layers of white chocolate cake filled with a candy cane speckled filling, topped with dark chocolate ganache and a peppermint swirl. Crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top at service (the bits will stick to the swirly).
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday, November 29th
Hop Pen Pals //
Description: Dear Behemoth, Thank you for designing this lighter-bodied NZ IPA that bursts with peeled pineapple and mandarin oranges from your Southern Hemisphere hops. Enclosed is a WC recipe for your brewing enjoyment. - Your friends, The Block 15 Brewers // 6.70%
Key Takeaway: This is our second collaboration with our friends from Behemoth Brewing in Aukland, New Zealand. We decided to do a recipe swap, sending them a West Coast American IPA, and they reciprocated with a New Zealand IPA. We're excited to work with a bunch of ultra-new school Southern Hemisphere hops for an authentic NZ IPA.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple • Citrus Candy • No Worries
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy, collab with Behemoth Brewing
Beer Style: New Zealand IPA
Lighter in body and ABV, these beers are sessionable. Lots of hop character without much bitterness and a lot of tropical and white wine hop aroma from exotic NZ hops like Riwaka, Rakau, Pacific Jade, Pacific Sunrise, Superdelic, Nectaron, Motueka, and more.
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Vital Vibe // West Coast IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: December 7th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: We’ve harmonized Citra and Mosaic with Krush, the new king of aura. Experience the bass of citrus and stone fruits amplified by the highs of tropical fruits. Pour up and discover your Vital Vibe and that B15 feeling.
Barrel ‘97 // Wild Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: December 7th
Format: Draft Only
Description: We descended into our subterranean wild cellar to hand-select the three barrels used in this unique wild red wheat farmhouse blend.
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 is: Fluffhead
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
This is on pause because of Thanksgiving - The next meet up will be December 5th!
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, and 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.
Beer 101: New Zealand IPA
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We’ve talked before about the different variations of IPA, the three that we usually focus on are American, West Coast, and Hazy or New England IPA. There are, however, even more variations within the industry that are less focused on or have become less popular in the recent past. Brut IPA, English IPA, Black IPA, Belgian IPA, and Rye IPA all have different attributes and characteristics that set them apart from the pack, and a recent arrival on the scene (in the US) is New Zealand IPA.
New Zealand has a long, proud brewing history. They also have completely different soil chemistry than most of the world and an opposite growing season due to their location on the planet. This causes the same hops that we grow here to present differently when grown there. It also allows them to grow hops that we simply can't recreate without their unique terroir. They are secluded from the rest of the world, and are free of many of the diseases and pests that affect other growing regions, allowing them to have the world's strongest, largest organic hop program. They simply don't need to use as many chemical pesticides as the rest of us.
This is all to say that New Zealand produces hops that are different from anywhere else in the world. Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, Superdelic, Riwaka, Rakau, and Motueka are a few of the unique hop varieties that are only grown in New Zealand and have amazingly novel characteristics like lollipop, white wine, mojito, and lychee. The fact that their hops are so different has driven them to produce an IPA that is completely different to complement them.
The New Zealand IPA is a famously balanced, lighter in body and ABV version of the style we know and love. Usually around 6% and charged with NZ hops, this beer presents completely differently than the IPA that we are used to. It also usually has a less pronounced bitterness with a crisp, clean finish. Luckily, we have good friends at Behemoth Brewing in Auckland who sent us a recipe for a legit NZ IPA to help us get our foot in the door on the development of our own recipe.
Hop Pen Pals hits the shelves this week, and I hope you give it a try. As I said, it’s completely different from almost any other beer we’ve ever made. The weight, mouthfeel, hop characteristics, and finish are unique to our portfolio, and I’m excited about how it turned out. As always, give ‘er a shot and let me know what you think!!
From the Executive Chef
Pub Menu updates begin today
Bucatini & Meatball Parma Rosa (Replaces Pesto Pasta)
Bucatini pasta, house-made creamy fontina-tomato sauce, parmesan, basil, and a jumbo beef & pork meatball. $17.99
Bucatini is hollow, long pasta that is a little thicker than a traditional spaghetti noodle.
Alabama Slammer (Replaces Grilled Turkey & Cheddar)
Smoked & pulled chicken, house dill pickles, banana peppers and our horseradish-based Alabama White BBQ sauce on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun. $17.99
December Monthly Specials
December Monthly Specials come out the 4th! Be sure to freshen up and read the attached info sheet! They will also be posted in their respective kitchens for reference!
TAP ROOM - TR DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Coconut Curry Chicken & Rice
Tender coconut curry chicken breast, spicy serrano cucumbers & shallots, peanut ginger sauce & cilantro over a bed of coconut rice. $13.99
French Dip Sandwich
Tender roast bottom round, tangy horseradish cream, melted provolone cheese on a toasted house baked baguette. Served with a side of warm jus. $18.99
PUB - PUB DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Tahini Baba Ganoush
Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip with fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots and house baked flatbread. $11.99
Mushroom & Beef Stroganoff
Stout braised Oregon beef chuck with The Mushroomery chanterelle, shitake & porcini mushrooms and sweet onions in a savory sour cream sauce, with radiatore pasta & fried parsley. $19.99
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
Thinly sliced & grilled mortadella, arugula-hazelnut pesto, melted provolone cheese, banana peppers and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. $16.99
Allergen Cheat Sheet
New and updated allergen cheat sheet lists have been printed and posted in all 3 kitchens! Caves is in the back hallway, TR’s is on the clipboard in the kitchen and the pubs is in the front of the food bible! These are a great tool for assessing allergen needs for guests quickly. If a super specific question is asked and it is not stated on the sheet, a manager can still check recipes etc. to get the answer for you. Please let me know if you have any questions or see something that should be added.
PUB UPDATES
We have a new cider replacing the 2 Towns OutCider since they have stopped producing it. Details are below! This will likely move over either this weekend, or early next week and we will reprint menus at that time.
Style: Semi Dry Cider
Cidery: Yonder - Wenatchee, WA
Name: Vantage
ABV: 6.5%
Tasting Notes: Peach. Red Berries. Subtle Spice. (though there is no actual “spice” in this cider, just the nature of the yeast and apples)
Price/Pour: $6.50 / 16oz
We are switching from Prickly Pearadise to a Spiced Apple Cosmic Crisp this Friday!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Caves Updates
Our Belgian Dinner is sold out! If folks missed out on this opportunity, let them know to sign up for our newsletter and keep their eyes peeled for the Bourbon Dinner in February.
Events
Pups on the Patio at the Tap Room - December 7th
Belgian Beer Dinner at Caves - December 10th
SOLD OUT - woo!
Santa’s Folly at Caves - December 14th
HIGH FIVEs
Garrison Schmidt - He's been killing it with great writeups for the brewsletter and supporting the brew team with what they need.
Makayla - Thank you for staging the new Fresh Pow merch! It looks great.
I am thankful for my friends at Block 15. High fives to everybody.
High five to James B for being so handsome but acting like just a regular guy
Ian Hutchings - Ian wears a lot of hats and puts in tons of work behind the scenes to keep things running around here. He's not afraid to take on the dirty work when it is necessary. His hard work doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Matt Williams - Thank you for offering to help move the coaster boxes to the mezzanine!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Manny Rebollo - Distro Driver
Kim Smith - Tap Room Server
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Last week!
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
