Internal Brewsletter - March 22, 2023
GENERAL
Employee Provision: This is 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 Cedar! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Brie Sandwich (brie, capicola, arugula and pear on artisan bread).
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - BOTTLES
RELEASING FRIDAY 3/24
Hypnosis // Brewed with English malts and matured a year in freshly emptied cognac barrels. Hypnosis is rich, warm, and velvety with innuendos of red flame raisins and marzipan. // 12.50% ABV
Takeaways: Barleywine aged in French cognac barrels, perfect for cold weather, this will warm you from the inside out. Hypnosis is velvety and smooth, with just enough character from the huge barrels from which it is harvested.
Tasting Notes: Red Flame Raisins, Marzipan, Cozy
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Hypnosis // Barleywine aged in French Cognac barrels
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Illuminated // Belgian Tripel
Sol Fresco // Mexican Lager
Revolve // Bier de Champagne aged in Peach Brandy barrels
Crystal Ball // India Pale Ale
The Past // Amber Ale
The Present // India Pale Ale
The Future // Rice Lager
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Cosmic Coldbrew
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
FERMENTATION VESSELS
Step foot in a craft brewery and you’re likely to see a lot of stainless steel, part of the appeal of visiting a brewery is to feel like you’re participating in something. An entire culture has grown around the craft beer industry, from casual fans to hardcore beer aficionados. At the center of all of it is the brewpub or craft brewery taproom, a public house where the beer is both produced and sold directly to the consumer. One sure sign you’re in a craft brewery is the organized lines of stainless fermenters. The design, cylindroconical, looks like an inverted rocket. Not to be confused with any of the other hundred-odd stainless vessels you might see in a brewery, the fermenters are there in numbers.
Beer has been produced for thousands of years, and technologies in how that beer is fermented have evolved greatly, the change from ceramic jars to wooden vessels took thousands of years, and the move from wood to metal vessels took a few more centuries, despite a few outliers; Pilsner Urquell continued to ferment in open oak vats until the privatization of industry after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The 20th century brought great changes in materials and design. Mild steel replaced concrete, a brief player in tank design, but its highly-corrodable nature meant tanks had to the lacquered or coated in glass, internally. Aluminum briefly replaced mild steel, but had the same issues with corrosion and also needed the same protective coatings. Manufacturing advancements in stainless steel positioned it to replace all other materials starting in the mid-20th century, not only for tank design but for all components used in brewing. It was durable and was not corroded by beer (an acidic substance), or the caustic chemicals used in cleaning brewing equipment.
The addition of a conical base was developed in the 1960s, this had not previously been possible, but advancements in manufacturing again paved the way for a major change in design. The first large-scale brewery to install stainless cylindroconical tanks was Raineer in 1970, but those tanks had cones with a noticeably shallower angle than tanks do today, only about 25° compare to around 70° today. There are several advantages to having that conical base, not the least of which is the ease of separating yeast at the end of fermentation. It also allows us to unitank, a process we use greatly at Block 15. With this method, we ferment, cold crash, separate yeast, dry hop, carbonate and package all out of one tank without having to move beer around, potentially exposing it to harmful microorganisms or oxygen.
These tanks are ubiquitous among craft breweries, often sitting unused by the time taproom doors open and customers fill seats, but they are central to everything we do in the cellar. We’re fortunate to have a partition between our taproom and our cellar, some breweries seat directly in their cellar. Coldfire and Upright brewing both have seats on their production floor and have to be completely finished and cleaned up before they can open for service. It is this living aspect of visiting an active brewery that has helped build a culture that bridges the relationship between patrons, service staff, and production staff and continues to make craft breweries an appealing place to visit.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
This Friday, we will be launching a new SeekOut Flavor. Pineapple+Passionfruit!
With the weather getting nicer and it getting busier outside, we need to make sure we are wiping down the outside tables at night and picking up large debris on the patio. Keep it looking fresh out there!
CAVES UPDATES
MARKETING
We will host our first Group Ride tomorrow, 3/23!
Meet up at 6:15pm at the water fountains on 1st st and we will roll at 6:30pm. We will be heading south down the waterfront towards the bike paths on Willamette and Crystal Lake heading towards the Block 15 Taproom. We will have twinkly string lights for the first 10 folks that show up!
Check out the bike route HERE
Wear a helmet and bring lights to bike home. It is still fairly dark out around 7 ish. Maybe pair up with a buddy on your ride home too.
This is our test ride before we make the big announcement to the public. So any feedback would be gratefully appreciated too!
Make sure to sign up for our Strava group HERE as I will be posting rides to this group after this test!
Questions? Hollah at me kelsea@block15.com
-Kelsea
Corvallis Half Marathon!
Where are my runners at!? We’re doing another year of sponsoring the Corvallis Half Marathon and Blair was kind enough to give us a voucher to run for free! This is for either a 5k or a half marathon!
There are some rules though… if you use the voucher, you HAVE to run or you will have to foot (Ha! Get it?) the bill. The second rule is to make sure you have planned ahead with your work schedule and make sure your time off is covered. Third rule is just have so good ‘ol fashion fun.
If you’re ready to lace up your shoes for April 15th, shoot Kelsea an email (kelsea@block15.com) with the subject line, “I’m Ready to Run!!” and I’ll give you a voucher for free entry.
EVENTS
Save the Date for our 15th Anniversary Celebrations!
April 20th at the Pub “2008 Throwback Party”
April 22nd at the Tap Room “The 15th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future Fest”
TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 11AM!
VIP $45 - Limited number available. Includes early entry at 1pm, branded glassware, 10 tokens, and special merch.
General $30 - Includes entry starting at 2pm, branded glassware, and 10 tokens.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage $15 - Includes entry and 5 tokens.
Kids 12 and under are free with an adult.
Exclusive Beer Tastings from Block 15 and our friends in the industry
Block 15 Snack Shack & Portland’s Tastebud Wood Fired Pizza
Block 15 Cocktail Bar
Live Screenprinting
Live Music throughout the day
Brewery Tours
Shuttle from our Downtown Pub
Distribution Tour shortly afterward with dates TBD
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Cedar Nelson - Ready to work every time she's on shift! Always has a great attitude and helps others a lot.
STAFF SECTION!
Check back next week!
SAFETY TIPS
Check back next week!
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out for Greenbelt Land Trust - April 11th
On April 11th, 10% of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help their cause to protect and restore the lands and waters that you care about in the Willamette Valley, for a more resilient future for all.
Greenbelt Land Trust will be on site at Block 15's South Town Tap Room from 5-7pm. Stop by and say hello!
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!