Internal Brewsletter - January 18, 2023
GENERAL
We’re all out of Employee Sale old label Fluffhead. Thanks to everyone who bought some!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - CANS
Releasing Friday
Scientifical // Don your lab coat and enjoy this supercritical display of dankness. We layered waves of Nugget Salvo, Galaxy, Amarillo, and CTZ hops on a delicate malt base to scientifically flavoirze this IPA. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: New-Age West-Coast IPA with old school hops. Nugget has been around a while, but using it as Salvo (a new hop extract) has allowed us to access all its best characteristics.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple. Pine Resin. Working Hypothesis.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Scientifical // IPA
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Blue Truck // American Premium Lager
Love Potion #9 // Stout with Cocoa nibs, raspberries, and natural flavors
Highland Hymn // Scotch Ale
Ice Knife // IPA
Sticky Hands: The Kine // Imperial IPA
Super Nebula // Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs
Super Nebula Breakfast with Williams // Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Coffee Beans, and Maple
Super Nebula Xocolatl // Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Chills, and Spices
Kriek // Oud Bruin Matured in Second-use Bourbon Barrels with Cherries
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale - Squirrel Stash
BEER EDUCATION
Weekly Tastings of new releases and some classics is continuing:
Tuesdays at 2pm at the Taproom
Thursdays at 11am at the Pub
Beer 101
ADVANCED HOP PRODUCTS
We use a number of different advanced hop products at Block 15, and our willingness to constantly experiment and innovate with how to apply those products is one of the things that has set Block 15 apart from other breweries. Sticky Hands’ use of critical CO2 extract set it apart from other Oregon IPA’s and we continue that kind of innovation today.
Advanced hop products are any form of hops that have been processed beyond just pelletizing. When hops are harvested they are delicate and prone to mildew and degradation very quickly. To avoid this, they are kilned to dry them quickly but preserve their delicate aroma and flavors. Once they are dried, they are run through a pelletizing mill where they are compacted before packaging. This is how most of the hops we use come to us.
On top of that, we use several forms of advanced products, such as CO2 extract, Cryogenic concentrated hops and hop oils. These products are made from individual hop varieties and are designed to provide flavor and aroma consistent with the hops they are made from.
CO2 Extract
We use CO2 extract widely in our IPAs. These products are created using supercritical CO2, which is in a liquid form, to extract alpha acids (essential to create bitterness), beta acids (antimicrobial), and essential oils (all of the flavor and aroma compounds we want). Some CO2 extracts are further processed to remove alpha or beta acids. We have several beers coming out throughout this winter that feature Salvo, a newer extract that doesn’t produce bitterness but is loaded with essential oils for a high-impact flavor addition. Scientifical is the first beer being released with this product. Most of these products are solid at room temperature, and must be heated prior to use which limits where in the process they can be added. Deep Seek is a beer where we are using a co2 extract, only intended for use in the kettle, in the fermenter in a novel way to drive unique flavors in that beer.
Cryogenic Hops
In this process, kilned hops are frozen with liquid nitrogen and sifted to remove non-flavor imparting vegetal material from the flavor-rich lupulin glands, then pelletized for ease of use. They are roughly twice as potent as normal pellets. Several hop processing and distribution companies now make a cryogenic product; Hopsteiner makes Lupulin Pellets, Yakima Chief makes Cryo, Barth Haas makes Lupomax, and Crosby makes CGX. Ice Knife, the new IPA we’re releasing next week is our first beer with CGX, the newest of the cryogenic products.
Hop Oil
Sometimes made from whole leaf hops, sometimes from CO2 extract, hop oils, like Salvo, add no bitterness to the beer, but are loaded with essential oils that impart bright, fresh hop flavor. These products are liquid at room temperature and can be added later in the process, often just before packaging. We commonly use Glacier Hop Ranch’s Hopzoil, Oast House’ Fusion Terpenes, and Hopsteiner’s Steam Distilled Hop Oil. Joy gets a good dose of Hopzoil.
Hop processing is an industry undergoing constant innovation with new products releasing constantly. One of the more recent products is fresh hops that have been frozen with liquid nitrogen to preserve them longer. Along with a constant stream of new hop varieties there is no shortage of products for us to continue to experiment with as we continue to strive to be an innovator in the industry.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
New cocktails replacing Currant Mood and Fresh Pots! this week:
Pink Moon - Tequila, mezcal, hibiscus simple, lime, Q grapefruit soda, Burlesque bitters.
Bittermen’s Burlesque bitters are bitters made with hibiscus, açai berry and pepper. It is sweet, spicy and a little bit tart.
Continental Breakfast - Turkish Coffee liqueur, Chila 'Orchata (cinnamon cream liqueur), and hot coffee topped with a sweetened Xocolatl Mole infused cream.
Bittermen’s Xocolatl Mole bitters are made with cinnamon, cacao, and spices.
Infused cream will have: heavy cream, creme de cacao, vanilla, and Xocolatl Mole bitters to balance the sweetness.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Let’s make sure that the barrel furniture stays outside until at least 30 minutes before close. With it inside, the front entryway can be very crowded and we want to make sure that it is open and looks nice for our guests, which at peak time can be between 7 and 9. Thanks!
CAVES UPDATES
Please keep the back hallway organized and clean!
We’ll be removing the Smoked Oysters from the menu
We’re adding Smoked Olives with Citrus Zest to our Gather Hour menu.
Look forward to some awesome specials for Bourbon Month - starting February 2.
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Bourbon Month
Please encourage guests to sign up for our newsletter if they’d like to participate in some of the more limited events.
This can be done on the Bourbon Month HUB and our Newsletter sign up page.
Table tents are now up at both locations with a QR code that leads to the Bourbon Month HUB.
Bourbon Month Brunch Lottery closes on 1/20. Selections will be made on Monday, 1/23!
Brewers Tasting event on 2/3
Newsletter announcing ticket sales for the Brewers Tasting is scheduled for Monday, 1/23.
Limited tickets! 16 people total
Ticket cost includes 6 bottles (of the new Bourbon Month beers + a vintage bottle), food pairings, and Bourbon Month merch
Last details for the event will be solidified later this week!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Jess Andrew - For making positivity seem effortless. She always seems to be putting a smile on someone's face while also working incredibly hard.
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome to the team to the following folks!
Jarrod Johnson (Distro)
SAFETY TIPS
Use the buddy system to lift heavy or awkward objects. A full keg weighs about 134 lbs and is awkward. Even the strongest person can throw out their back moving one. Two people are always required to move kegs.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT
Check back next month!
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!