Internal Brewsletter - June 12th, 2024
General
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - Every Other Thursday
Next tasting is this Thursday, 6/13/24 @ 4pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub.
Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share bring it in.
First beer is on us for anyone attending.
Beach Clean Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
RSVP to let us (Kelsea & Shelby) know you’re coming!
Fresh Flow Hangout - July 1st
Come cool off by the river on July 1st! The marketing team needs some Fresh Flow content and would love staff support and hang-out time. We want this to be a fun time and create enthusiasm around Fresh Flow, too!
Timing-wise, this will be around 12 - 3 pm to hit a nice light on our side of the Willamette. This will probably be around Willamette Park, so it's close for folks to attend. We will contact you via Sling or phone before the hangout.
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 James W! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Pretzel Nachos.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 6/14
Ice Knife //
Description: Brewed with cutting-edge hop technologies, CO2 extracted Salvo™ and cryogenically frozen Strata CGX™. This West Coast IPA amplifies the most vibrant factions of sticky & pungent hop characters with a razor-sharp hop showcase of bright citrus peel oils & dense resin. // 7.00%
Key Takeaway: Crosby's new CGX (cryo-processed hop pellets) pack a considerable punch in this west-coast IPA, featuring Comet and Strata.
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit Juice • Pine Resin • Razor's Edge
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Releasing Friday 6/14
TC Mango Picoso //
Description: Turbulent Consequence is our turbid mashed, extended boiled, lambic-style ale spontaneously fermented and matured in our underground wild cellars. This blend was conditioned with Ancho, Guajillo, Habanero peppers, lime zest, mango, and sea salt. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: A new and exciting direction with a very traditional style. The inspiration behind this one came from the mango, chili, and lime Mexican candy, Locochas.
Tasting Notes: Spicy • Tropical Fruit • Sensational
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Lambic
Lambic is a type of beer originally brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium southwest of Brussels and in Brussels itself since the 13th century. Types of lambic beer include gueuze, kriek lambic, and framboise. It differs from most other beers in that it is fermented through exposure to wild yeasts and bacteria, as opposed to carefully cultivated strains of brewer's yeast. This process gives the beer its distinctive flavor: dry, vinous, and cidery, often with a tart aftertaste.
UPCOMING PACKAGED wine release
Pinot Noir 2021 Pigage //
Description: Biodynamically grown Pinot Noir traditionally crushed by foot stomping and macerated with their stems. Free run must fermented and conditioned in neutral oak barrels. // 13.00%
Key Takeaway: Crushed via traditional foot stomp or pigage. Allowed to ferment and macerate in the vessel it was crushed in alongside its stems. Free run to neutral oak barrels for conditioning. A single-barrel blend.
Tasting Notes: Black Currant • Musk • Rustic
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
AVA: Van Duzer
Vineyard: Johan Vineyards
Vineyard Management: Biodynamic
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 6/14
Ice Knife // West Coast IPA
TC Mango Picoso // Lambic Ale with Mango, Chili, Lime, and Sea Salt
Pinot Noir 2021 Pigage
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: Oregona
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Caves Saison No. 003 // Farmhouse Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: June 21st
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Created for our sister restaurant, Caves Saison uses a solera method starting in our oak foeder. A fraction of volume is removed when peak character is reached, then new beer is added and allowed to mature, repeating again, gradually increasing complexity with age. Batch 003 spent eleven months in the foeder molding it into a lovely, fruit-forward young mixed-culture saison.
R&D Batch // American IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: June 21st
Format: Draft Only
Description: This draft-only Research and Development batch focuses on a new hop product called SubZero Hop Kief ®️, a cryogenic dry hopping liquid made from New Zealand-grown Rakau hops. Let us know what you think!
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 this Thursday, June 13th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Ice Knife
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Hop growers use many different techniques and technologies to process their crops. Originally, brewers only had dried whole-cone hops to choose from, and even drying the hops was a technological jump at one point in time. Now we have all sorts of distillates, powders, pellets, syrups, and many other forms to choose from.
This week we’re packaging Ice Knife, which is a West Coast IPA that uses some of the most cutting-edge hop tech available. One product is Crosby’s CGX cryogenic hop pellet. The hop product is so concentrated that we can use half of the pellets that we would normally use which is better for efficiency and environmental impact. The other cool product we use in Ice Knife is Salvo, which is a syrupy hop distillate in which the alpha acids have been removed. This allows us to use hops solely for their aroma, with no added bitterness.
The combination of these two products, along with a really complimentary blend of hop pellets in the dry-hop and the boil, creates a unique and very enjoyable experience. Ice Knife has been recieved really well in its prior releases, and we are very excited to bring it back. When telling folks about this beer, it’s safe to say that it’s about as technologically advanced as an IPA can get at this point. Give one a try, and let me know what you think.
From the Executive Chef
Limited Menu for Grads/Dads weekend
We will be running a limited menu, like we did for spring family weekend, this Friday-Sunday for graduation and Fathers Day! We will remove fish & fries, Korean rice bowl, grilled turkey & cheddar and the shawarma salad.
Menu Changes 6/19
Shrimp & Curry Noodle Bowl-Replaces Kimchi Rice Bowl
Warm coconut-red curry noodles with snap peas, red bell pepper, sweet onion & summer squash. Topped with grilled wild gulf shrimp, cilantro & crushed peanuts. $17.99
Pimento BLT (Replaces Meatloaf)
Smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, mayo and house sharp cheddar pimento cheese, served on fresh-baked & toasted artisan bread. $14.99
PUB UPDATES
With it being a busy weekend (and leading up to the busy weekend) HOSTS–Please remember to suggest folks grab a drink at Caves when we are on a long wait. There are copies of Caves menus in the Host stand for guests to look at. You can say something along the lines of “While you are waiting, feel free to grab a drink at our bar, or head next door to our sister Restaurant Caves.” If you do send someone to Caves, it can be helpful to make a note in their guest details so that you know where to find them.
Just a reminder: when the Men’s or Women’s softball teams come in, they get 2 pitchers OR 2 Crowlers comped per our sponsorship agreement. You’ll discount these using the Manager Comp button, not the Manager Amount or Item Off button.
On the note of discounts, Manager Comp should only be used when we are anticipating discounting an item when the customer walks through the door (i.e. softball team, visiting brewery, beer/wine trade with a winery, etc). This should only be used with manager approval. Manager Item/Amount Off should be used when we are damage-controlling a table or when we want to thank someone for a kickass job/say thank you.
The two hanging planters above the Brewer’s Bar should be watered with the other indoor plants that we water. We’ve noticed that these have been missed nearly every single time as they keep drying out and looking sad. Please make sure these are hit when you water plants. If you are unsure of which plants these are, please ask a manager.
When coming into the Corral section, please make sure to check your table signs and flip them if they say to order from the bar to prevent any confusion for guests. Also, we should be wiping these cards down as we wipe tables, and thoroughly wiping each side of the cards when bringing them in at night.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Teamwork & Communication Awareness!! We have a busy weekend ahead of us, so let’s be sure that we are communicating 86’d items, calling our safety calls, pre-bussing, & communicating with your LEADS/FLOATS/LINE LEADS if you have any questions or in need of assistance. If able, and a coworker is in the weeds, keep an eye on the ways you can assist in their section/station–Let’s go Blockstars!!
FOH: Silverware Awareness! Since we are low on silverware let’s all be consistently running the plastic 1/3 pan of dirty utensils to the dish to be washed! Also be sure when scraping plates to be careful not to accidentally toss any utensils or bullets into the compost/trash… we need those!!
LINE: Busy Weekend Preparedness! Let's keep our stations clean, organized, and up-stocked in order to make things easier while we are busy. Let’s also do what you can to be flexible to support other co workers & together we will crush it this weekend!!
PREP: Clean Dishes Awareness! Make sure dishes are fully sprayed off before they go in the dishwasher, and that you aren't accidentally spraying debris under the dishwasher door. If dishes are coming out dirty, drain and clean out the dishwasher, and check the jets for blockages.
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
Reminder that when taking cash for a transaction, it is extremely important to fully close out the tab in the moment to make sure that cash is accounted for and the tab isn't left to think it is a walk-out! Please also make sure the correct change is being given and put tips in the tip jar right away.
It is important that we are continuously collecting feedback on food items, beer, drinks, etc.! It is a great way to interact with customers when pre-bussing or checking in, make sure to pass it along to a manager and ride it on the feedback sheet in the kitchen (can be both good or bad)
As we get into summer and business ramps up, it is important to remember that we are going to be interacting with a lot of different people from all over, and a lot that have never experienced the Taproom before. It is on us to make sure we show them a great time, provide top-tier service, and make them feel welcome and want to come back. We all have a lot going on outside of work, but when at work we need to make sure we are really giving our best to each other and our customers.
Along with that, I really do extremely appreciate all the hard work everyone has been putting in lately! You all have been great to each other covering shifts, helping out, and being super supportive of each other, and I love seeing that! The Taproom wouldn’t be what it is without all of you wonderful people, thanks for being rock stars! -Madie
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Positive customer interactions! Please make sure we are always trying to give every customer that comes in a warm, inviting, and welcoming environment and lead interactions with positive intentions. Customers can see and feel our attitudes which can affect their experience!
ALL: Graduation! OSU graduation is this Saturday. Please give yourself a few extra minutes getting to work and be ready to rock and roll the busy weekend! We are going to crush it!
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
Grads and Dads 6/10-6/17
Online: All merch will be 25% off and free shipping for orders over $50
In person at the TR:
Merch will be 25% off
6/14-6/17 Cellar Stash sale - curated list of bottles $10 and 20% off if you buy 4 or more.
Beer School Thursday, June 27th 5-7pm
Join us for our Beer Education Class hosted every other month by our Brewery Team at our South Town Production Facility and Taproom! Each class will explore a beer style’s history, our brewing techniques to create a Block 15 beer and finish with a tasting flight. In this educational experience, we will cover a staple style to any PNW brewery, the India Pale Ale. Come with questions and a note book, and get ready for beer school!
Tickets available on our website! Limited to 16 people
Tunes n Brews!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! First one is Wednesday July 3rd
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.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
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
Weekend TR crew FOH and BOH! - You all absolutely crushed it this weekend with the big frisbee crews that came in. Everyone had great attitudes, did whatever was needed, made sure folks were taken care of well and the kitchen hardly had ticket times over 25 minutes during our huge rushes. Thank you all for being amazing!!
Brewery Team - Lots of hard work has gone into making sure the space looks clean and organized. Good work, all!
Madie Briese - Madie is a great manager with a true sense of hospitality. I appreciate the welcome vibe that she projects when she's behind the bar, and her professionalism when dealing with bigger issues.
Cora Priest - She's had a great first week in the prep kitchen! Welcome to the team.
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:
Diego Jaramillo (Caves FOH)
James Gottlieb (Pub FOH)
Makenna White (Caves FOH)
Isaieh Heiken (Caves/TR FOH)
Chloe Rosas (Caves FOH)
Welcome back!
Karina Smith (Pub FOH)
Sam White (Pub BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Being aware of your surroundings is paramount to avoiding workplace injuries. It is important to look for spills or items on the floor that could be tripped over and keep emergency exits clear and uncluttered so they are accessible in the event of an emergency.
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
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
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!