Internal Brewsletter - May 1st, 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 Tyler! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Halifax Donair. The Halifax Donair is an eastern canadian classic, featuring thinly sliced meatloaf, chopped onions and tomatoes, and a sweet garlicky sauce, all wrapped in a pita (kinda like a gyro).
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Check back next week
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 5/3
Tequila Gose // Inspired by classic margarita flavors, this unique spin on a tart German-style gose ale was brewed with fresh zest and juice from limes and oranges and then gently seasoned with hand-harvested sea salt from Jacobsen Salt Co. Fermented with German kölsch yeast and lactobacillus, this gose then matured in freshly emptied tequila barrels for 2 years in our wild cellar. // 5.00%
Key Takeaway: Our take on a classic margarita using a German sour gose, aged in Tequila barrels for two years.
Tasting Notes: Blue Agave • Saltwater • Siesta
Format: Draft Only
Series: Cellar
Beer Style: Gose aged in Tequila Barrels
Gose is a historic beer style invented in Goslar, Germany, in the 13th century. It is an outlier among German beers, as it defies der Reinheitsgebot by containing more than just hops, water, yeast, and malted barley. It is allowed an exemption due to its status as a historic regional specialty. They typically contain coriander and salt, are fermented with brewers yeast and Lactobacillus, and must contain at least 50% malted wheat in their grain bill. A gose is generally lemon sour, salty, and herbal in nature.
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 beers are: C.B.C. IPA and Noyster
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Future Focus: Hygher // Hazy IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: May 10th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Future Focus is an experimental IPA brewed with an eye on tomorrow, allowing us to trial new products and brewing methods. This batch features a hybrid I22 Capri yeast from Imperial with Citra, Citra Incognito, Nectaron, Talus, and El Dorado hops to amplify juicy and tropical fruit-forward notes.
The Beer Walker // IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: May 10th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed for our longtime friend and first customer, Gary, "The Beer Walker." We loaded this West-Coast IPA with vibrant Simcoe, Strata, and Centennial hops, paired with a lush malt base that balances with a pleasant dryness.
Vital Vibe // West Coast IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: May 17th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Bring on the west coast vibes with this bright and approachable IPA. Featuring a harmonious pairing of hops, it shines with notes of melon, kiwi, and pear with a crisp, snappy finish.
Oregona // IPA
Series: Synergy
Releases: May 24th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Named for a historic sternwheeler, and made to benefit the Friends of Historic Butteville. We collaborated with The Oregon Hophouse to feature 2b, McKenzie, and Anchor hops; all varieties from their breeding program.
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: Gose
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Gose (goes-uh) is an interesting style historically because it flies in the face of one of the most famous laws of all time and does it with pride.
Most of us are familiar, at least to some degree, with the Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law adopted in 1516. This law states that the only ingredients allowed in German beer are water, barley, and hops. This law is so old that it was written before the discovery of yeast.
Touted as the first food safety law, the Reinheitsgebot today is basically just a tool for marketing teams, and it basically was that way in 1516 as well. The law was more about branding German beer superior to foreign beer than keeping folks safe. It also outlawed the use of wheat in beer. Pale malts had not yet been invented, and all beer was pretty dark by today's standards. The only thing that lightened the color, body, and flavor of beer was the use of wheat. The aristocracy told the public that the ban was to ensure that there would be enough wheat to make bread to feed the people. The truth was that they never stopped making wheat beer for themselves; it was just reserved for an elite few. The uber-rich only drank “white beer,” which is why the name has stuck to this day. Weissbier means white beer, and it was a symbol of elitist gatekeeping for centuries.
In the dead center of Germany, in the Harz Mountains, lies a village called Goslar. It is smaller than Corvallis. Through Goslar runs the River Gose. The brewers in the city got water from this river, and it is slightly saltier, with 28 ppm sodium and 45 ppm chloride. That’ll come into play later.
Since the 13th century, the brewers of Gose have spontaneously fermented their beer, brewed with always over 50% malted wheat, and added coriander to the boil. It created a very light, salty, herbal, sour beer famous for its refreshing character. It became super popular in the nearby large city of Leipzig, and brewers there tried to replicate it. Finding something missing from their attempts, Leipzig brewers traveled to Goslar, tasted the brewing water, and discerned that salt should be added to get the correct effect.
Voila, 800 years later, salted Gose from Leipzig is still the gold standard for the style. It was so successful culturally and economically to the region that when Wilhelm IV banned the use of anything other than water, barley, and hops to be allowed in beer, the people of central Germany demanded an amendment to the Reinheitsgebot supplying space for exemptions for regional specialties such as Gose. Wheat beer was a product reserved for the elite upper crust, except, notably, for Gose.
The thought of salty, sour beer has inspired us to once again release our Tequila Gose this week as a draught-only offering. Inspired by the spirit of Central German brewers sticking it to the man as much as it’s inspired by a classic Cadillac Margarita, try this one when it hits our taps this Friday. Look for hearty Tequila notes from the barrels it was aged in and a sturdy salinity, a hint of lime, and very subtle coriander.
From the Executive Chef
New Dessert today: Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake
Silky lemon cheesecake swirled with zippy house-made lemon curd, topped with fresh whipped cream and market berries.
May Food Specials start today
Pub Specials
Loco Moco - Coconut rice with rich mushroom gravy, a quarter-pound seasoned beef patty, and a sunny side up egg. Topped with house truffle hot sauce and green onion. $15.99 PROCEDURE
Smoked Salmon Spread - House-smoked salmon with cream cheese, red onion & capers, served with fresh cucumbers, lemon-black pepper marmalade, fried capers, and house-baked sea salt crackers. $14.99 PROCEDURE
Chickpea Salad Sandwich - Mashed & spiced chickpeas, dulse seaweed, celery, onion & pickles in a creamy vegan dressing, romaine lettuce & fresh tomato and sunflower seeds on lightly toasted artisan bread. $13.99 PROCEDURE
Tap Room Specials
Shrimp Hushpuppies - Oregon bay shrimp hushpuppies, habanero-dill remoulade. $12.99 PROCEDURE
Huli Huli Chicken Sandwich - Huli Huli marinated and grilled chicken breast, creamy jalapeno-mango slaw & sriracha mayo on a toasted brioche bun. $16.99 PROCEDURE
PUB UPDATES
We are running an EMPLOYEE ONLY Group Ride 4 pack sale! $8.40 (with deposit) for a 4 pack. Single cans cannot be purchased with this same discount.
Just a reminder: during Family Weekend we will run a modified menu to help streamline the kitchen–be sure to review this menu before your next shift. We will also turn off the ability for guests to add themselves to the waitlist online to ensure that we are able to keep tables full and keep the flow moving.
For the next few weeks we will be featuring 2 Towns OutCider which is an unfiltered cider with a sweeter finish and fuller body. This is just a plain apple cider, no additional fruits or flavors. Once Mill A restocks their keg supply, we will switch back. The keg is currently on tap and menus will be updated on Friday, so please verbalize this change to guests in the meantime.
The host iPad has been fixed to properly show the server rotation up on the top of the screen. When we are not on a wait, we should utilize this rotation to ensure we are seating sections evenly. The server who needs to be sat next will be at the front, and the server who was most recently sat will move to the back.
With the nicer weather on the horizon, we are bringing back the Anne Amie Rosé of Pinot Noir. This is a small run production, so we will only have 6 total cases which means we may swap out for another rosé mid-summer.
Anne Amie is a winery located in Carlton, OR that focuses on sustainable wine production and is LIVE Certified (LIVE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing through third-party certification and educational programming) and Salmon Safe (the Salmon-Safe farm certification program is focused on management practices in six primary areas: riparian area management, water use management, erosion and sediment control, integrated pest management and water quality protection, animal management, and biodiversity conservation).
Tasting and aroma notes can be found below–for those looking for a more traditional and crisp rosé with balanced acidity, this will be their best friend.
Aroma
rose petals, citrus, white strawberry, lavender, slate, floral
Flavor
strawberry, citrus, ripe cantaloupe, kiwi, savory
Finish
dry, mineral, focused and long
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Communication Awareness— Whether it’s tables that we’ve sat, breaks that we are running, items that are 86'd, or soup changes, let’s make sure we are on top of our communication game this weekend! Also, remember to slow down around corners, call your safety calls (corner, behind, hot, sharp), and be aware of your surroundings to avoid accidents or injuries.
FOH: Pre-bussing, Emptying Silverware Trays, & Clearing Bus Tubs Often– With it being a busy weekend, we are more likely to run out & get low on dishes. Please make it a priority to pre-bus tables and clear the server stations for the dishwasher.
LINE: Busy Weekend Preparedness- Eat your Wheaties, take your vitamins. It's gonna be BUSY BUSY this weekend!! Also make sure you are up to date with menu changes and procedures so we are prepared to kick butt this weekend!!
PREP: Label Awareness Continued! Complete labels every time--taster circled, add your initials if you back something out and taste if needed, pull old labels, etc.
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.
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We are running an EMPLOYEE ONLY Group Ride 4 pack sale! $8.40 (with deposit) for a 4 pack. Single cans cannot be purchased with this same discount and the 25% off employee discount also cannot apply. There is a separate button under packaged beer for the employee 4pks.
If glass breaks into the dishwasher, the dishwasher must be fully drained, inspected for broken glass pieces, and then refilled before washing anything else.
Please keep shared working spaces organized and tidy! This helps from misplacing things, breaking things, and being able to maximize the space.
We are still experiencing issues with online togo orders not printing or firing in Toast. For now, online togo orders will be turned off. We may see an increase in phone togo orders for the time being!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Be ready for the busy weekend! Have a positive attitude, communicate, and be flexible! Please keep on top of checking sling for any updates that may come up!
ALL: Menu Changes and Specials! Make sure you are aware of the new monthly specials, dessert, and menu changes. We have swapped out the spinach dip for the tuscan white bean dip.
BOH: Read up on the new menu item recipes and procedures. This includes the huli huli chicken sandwich, shrimp hushpuppies, and lemon ricotta cheesecake.
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
TBD in May - Summer Gardening Q&A! Learn how to start a summer garden or ask questions about your current garden! Family-friendly, free seeds or starter plant with a drink purchase!
TBD End of May Trivia!
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.
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
Cody Oakland - He's always interested in learning something new, and willing to help out a coworker.
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:
Quinn Roth (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Avoid shortcuts - While it may be tempting to save yourself five minutes to finish faster, each step in a process exists for a reason. Although that reason may not be apparent, many safety precautions exist because not following them can and probably has led to a serious injury or worse. Cutting corners because it's more convenient creates dangerous working conditions for yourself and those around you.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! for adams elementary - May 14th
This month, we’re partnering with Adams Elementary to donate a portion of food sales from both Block 15 locations on May 14th.
The purpose of the Adams Parent Association (APA) is to support the education of students at Adams Elementary School by creating an inclusive community through fun events and raising funds that will benefit the education of all students.
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!