Internal Brewsletter - April 3rd, 2024
General
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 Tivey! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Fried oyster po'boy.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
Marketing
Corvallis Half Marathon
For those of you who want to run, we have our registration codes now! Please send me an email (kelsea@block15.com) with the title “Sign me up!” and I’ll shoot the code to you.
Again, this will be held on April 6th on OSU’s campus. For those of you who want to test out your legs for the big day, Bryce, Danny, Matt B., and I threw together a running group called “Next Wednesday Running Club”. Some Wednesdays are hit or miss, but we are MAKING CLUB T-SHIRTS on 4/3 (today) at the Southtown Taproom at 5ish. See you there!
-Kelsea
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES
No new releases this week, but some of our perpetuals are back!
COMING UP ON DRAFT
No new releases this week, but some of our perpetuals are back!
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday
This week’s beer is: Alpine Ibex
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
DAB Lab: Hop Sauce // West Coast IPA
Series: DAB Lab
Release Date: April 12th
Highlight: The next beer in our returning DAB Lab program uses a new hop product from Yakima Chief Hops. Called YCH 702, it’s designed for use on the hot side of brewing to amplify survivable compounds and aromatics in the finished beer. If you were wondering, DAB stands for “Dank A$$ Beer.” This series has historically been used to experiment with new and cutting-edge hop products, which tend to find their way into our other beers if we like how they operate.
CBC IPA // West Coast IPA
Series: Synergy
Releases: April 19th in-house and at the Craft Brewers Conference in Las Vegas, NV, April 21st-24th, at Crosby’s booth
Highlight: This draft-only beer was made to showcase Crosby’s CGX product line, a cryogenic technology that separates lupulin from whole-hop cones to deliver concentrated lupulin pellets jam-packed with resins and oils. CBC IPA (or “Crosby Block 15 Collab” IPA) uses Estate Grown Comet CGX, which carries aromas of tropical/fruit, citrus, and floral.
Pink Boots Collab // West Coast IPA
Series: Synergy
Releases: April 19th
Highlight: We’ll be brewing this beer on March 29th at the Tap Room with the Willamette Valley Pink Boots chapter, which J Pascoe, one of our Brewers, is co-leader of. This year’s collaboration will focus on a bright West Coast-style IPA made with Chinook, Nelson, and potentially El Dorado hops.
Sol Fresco // Mexican Lager
Series: Perennial
Releases: April 19th
Highlight: Sol Fresco is one of our seasonal lagers, which balances gentle corn sweetness, light hop bitterness, and aroma with a crisp, clean finish. And it’s Lagered by the Sun.
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!
Beer 101: Oregon Beer Awards
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Every year, we submit beer to a competition held in Portland called the Oregon Beer Awards. It’s held at Revolution Hall, and is a fun gathering of industry folks. Representatives from every arm of our industry, from floor sealers to hop farms to beer festivals, act as sponsors and presenters. Drinks are had, tuxedo t-shirts are donned, and everybody has a pretty good time.
In 2019, we were informed that we had won a medal for being the best medium-sized brewery of the year. We had not entered and were as surprised as anyone.
In the years since we have entered every year and won a handful of times.
Silver medals:
Stout and Porter Category - Favorable Fortune, 2022
Red Beer Category - Charmed Life, 2023
Gold Medals:
Medium Sized Brewery of the Year, 2019
Excellence in Brewery Operations, 2020
Imperial IPA Category - Sticky Hands, 2020
Fruited Mixed Culture Beer Category - Framboise White, 2020
Excellence in Brewery Operations, 2021
Regional Brewing Company of the Year, 2023
Best Labels and Branding, 2023
These awards mean a lot to us for a few reasons. First, many breweries only win medals in one category. This list tells me that we make really good hop-forward, malt-forward, fruit-forward, and wild beers. The ability to do a lot of different styles at the gold medal level is an accomplishment I’m really proud of. We have also received recognition for our organization as a whole, which gives me a lot of confidence in our operation and our future in the industry.
The second reason we like the OBAs is that they’re judged by our peers. Our own Ian Hutchings and Matt Williams went to Portland last month to sit on some judging panels, and we’ve also sent folks to judge in the past.
The last reason that I love these awards is that they really bring our community of brewers in the region together. It’s awesome to see breweries that brew into 5-barrel systems beat much much larger breweries, and it’s great networking. Many great collaborations have been set up over a beer at the OBAs.
Winning a medal is great for our company. It offers exposure and drives sales of that product. It’s also just a really great feeling to be recognized for hard work.
This year we have submitted the following beers:
Sticky Hands
Deep Seek
Nebula
Illuminated
Group Ride
Super Nebula
Super Nebula, Breakfast with Willett
Kriek
So wish us luck, and if you’d like, watch the live stream. It’ll be on air at the link below on Thursday, April 4, from 6 to 8 p.m.
From the Executive Chef
April’s Monthly Specials!
Specials go live TODAY at both locations! Read up on the deets so you are prepared to sling some awesome new food!
Sol Fresco Beer & Food Pairing
April 19th, with the release of Sol Fresco, we will be running a paired special for the tap life of the beer!
Potato & Green Chile Flautas
Creamy, spicy potato and green chili fried flautas, served with salsa borracha, sour cream, queso fresco, radishes and smoked chili oil. $12.99
PUB UPDATES
We have some brand new carpet tiles in the front dining area! In order to keep these in good condition, please make sure that we have a small rug at the top of the employees stairs that lead to the breakroom, a long mat through the 6-10 area, and that the long mat along the front set of stairs comes past the entrance to the bar/kitchen area so that greasy shoes don’t eat up the carpet immediately.
This is the last week of Blood Orange lemonade (this will 86 the Sparkle Motion once we run out)! Next week we will be switching to Blueberry Lavender and will bring back the Don’t Panic which featured Gin, Blueberry Lavender, Lemon, Prosecco, and a spritz of Absinthe.
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. Deep Dive 3/13/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We will have Gloria, Deep Seek, and Joy all back on draft this week!
New cocktail launching this Friday! This will replace the Paloma. "Horizon Sun": Buffalo Trace, vermouth, blood orange mix, cherry liqueur, bitters!
Please make sure we are checking in with every table throughout their visit and engaging with them and pass along any feedback you may receive.
When 86ing an item, make sure you take it out in the system in all the spots it could live and write it on the whiteboard! For example: If you 86 a soup, make sure it is out under soups in appetizers and as the side option for sandwiches/burgers too!
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
Upcoming Events
April 9th CEC tabling 5-7 for the Dine Out
April 22nd - Opening full summer hours and Earth Day
Bike tune-up event with Bike n Hike! Date TBD
Bakery Highlight
Ciabatta/Tuscan Chicken Sandwich! Read more about the Tuscan here
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
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.
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
Mallory Brown - for being the Queen of the West Side
Danny Perston - for being on top of his game at all times.
Elise Pietromonaco - for being a wealth of knowledge behind the bar
Travis Smith - Travis has been working so hard during his prep shifts and always finds a solution to our kitchen/food problems. You rock !
Rachel Zmolek - I love having her energy around the pub!
Cody Byers - He has the most interesting doughnut ideas. I love that he's experimenting with fun flavors and open to crowdsourcing ideas.
Kailey Flather - Thanks for being the bakery's number one fan and hyping up our products! You are helping the taproom sell so much dessert!
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
It's going to start getting warmer out, remember to stay hydrated while working and if you’re working any shifts outside, make sure to apply sunscreen on a regular basis.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10am - 1pm
Tuesday: Tap Room 1- 4pm
Thursday: Pub 1 - 4pm
Friday: Tap Room 10am - 1pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine out for Corvallis Environmental Center - April 9th
Our next Dine-out will be on April 9th with the Corvallis Environmental Center (CEC)! They will also be tabling at our Taproom from 5-7 p.m., so come by and say hi! A portion of our food sales will go directly to CEC to help fund their efforts in our community. Let our customers know that they are playing a part in helping the community on April 9th!
About CEC:
Corvallis Environmental Center (CEC) is a community-based educational nonprofit that has prioritized partnerships to implement programs to address community needs since 1994. CEC's mission is to create a healthy, sustainable community. We do this through pre-K through 8th environmental education, Farm to School programs, youth leadership development, teacher training, and food security.
CEC’s programs include after-school programs, summer camps, NaturePlay preschool in Avery Park, and classroom education and field trips in partnership with school districts in Benton and Linn Counties. We offer family programs and events, including summer concerts and a fall film festival, and operate a 1-acre demonstration and education garden in Starker Arts Park known as SAGE. The food grown at SAGE is donated to those in need through our social service partner agencies.
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!