Internal Brewsletter - September 13th, 2023
General
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Kelsea! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Chicken and Broccoli Casserole.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 9/15
Fresh Catch // This unimaginably Fresh-Hopped IPA was brewed with newly harvested Centennial, picked up from Crosby Hop Farm. The result is a bold, resinous trophy catch bursting with ripe orange and pine resin flavors. // 6.50% ABV
Takeaways: Fresh Centennial is a historically finicky hop, but these were beautiful, bounding with intense fragrance of Thai lime leaves and lemongrass. It's still Centennial, but different than we're used to.
Tasting Notes: Jasmine. Lime Leaf. Field to Pint.
Series: Fresh Hop / Artist
A Fresh Nugg Hugg // A sticky squeeze of hop nugs embraces you with this aromatic, juicy IPA. This heady charge of fresh Simcoe hops delivers intense waves of spruce, citrus, and stone fruit. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: For our first IPA dry hopping with fresh hops, we loaded over 6 pounds per barrel of fresh Simcoe into the fermenter for a two-stage dry hop. We froze the hops with liquid nitrogen and shattered them to expose the lupulin gland before moving the fermenter.
Tasting Notes: Pine Resin. Candied Pineapple. Fresh Hop Embrace.
Series: Fresh Hop
UPCOMING PACKAged wine release
Releasing Friday 9/15
Lupine 2023 // A unique blend of extended maceration pinot gris and brief maceration pinot noir, open fermented in oak vessels, and aged in stainless steel. // 13.00% ABV
Takeaways: A truly unique blend of Oregon Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. This combination was chosen not due to tradition or precedent, but due to the complementary nature of the specific vintage of varietal. One of a kind, this blend may or may not ever be available again.
Tasting Notes: Black Cherry, Stone Fruit, Star Anise
Series: Cellars
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 9/15
Fresh Catch // Fresh Hop IPA
A Fresh Nugg Hugg // Fresh Hop Hazy IPA
Lupine 2023 // Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris Blend
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Deep Seek
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Juice Joint // Hazy IPA
Squirrel Stash // Brown Ale
Story of the Ghost // Hauntingly Hazy IPA
SunShein // Helles Lager
Cheers to the Land // Pale Ale made in collaboration with Oregon Agricultural Trust
Specular Reflections // Belgian Dubbel
College // Cream Ale
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: Lupine release & the history of wine in the Willamette Valley
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Production Manager
Oregon has always attracted adventurers and pioneers. Many industries that have helped our region develop and thrive have been founded by individuals who dared to take risks and refused to give up. One such character was “Papa Pinot,” David Lett.
Lett graduated from UC Davis with a degree in winemaking and viticulture in 1964. Against his professor's advice, he moved to the Willamette Valley and planted the first Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay in the region. He was convinced that the 45th parallel, which ran through famous wine-growing regions such as the Côtes du Rhône in France and Piedmont in Italy, was the ticket to growing world-class wine grapes. He was right.
In 1966 he founded Eyrie Vineyards outside of Dundee, and in 1970 he bottled his first Pinot Noir. In 1979 he took bottles of his 1975 vintage to the Wine Olympiad in Paris and placed third in the world. The medal (hilariously) enraged old-world winemakers, one of whom challenged him to return the following year to prove that his success was a fluke. Lett did return and placed second. Oregon winemaking was officially on the map.
In the years and decades since Lett’s success, Oregon’s wine industry has flourished, and today over 702 wineries and 1052 vineyards spread over 19 unique viticultural AVAs.
This month, Block 15 Cellars will release our second Lupine, a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. While these two varieties aren’t traditionally blended, we look to continue our region's tradition of bucking the rules to create something new. Bolder than a white, but lighter than a red, and entirely different from a rose, Lupine is a Block 15 original. Made using minimal intervention and some of the valley’s best biodynamic fruit, we hope that you enjoy the result.
PUB UPDATES
The football game is at 12:30 this Saturday (16th) so while we may not see a pre-game push, we will most definitely see a solid pop starting around 3:30-4pm. Y’all crushed the first one, so get ready for the next one!
We have a new vacuum! Please be gentle when using it to keep it around a little longer. The filter on the vacuum needs to be rinsed out and left to dry overnight once a month (we may increase the frequency on this depending on the state of the filter each month). Instructions are on the vacuum itself and this task will be added to the closing tasks for servers.
Sweet Cheeks Chardonnay got a label facelift and with it comes a new vintage! Once we run through the current 2018 Chardonnay, we will have their 2020 available. This one boasts notes of vanilla, meyer lemon, and apricot.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thanks to everyone for crushing the first game day of the season!
With the weather starting to shift, be mindful of putting the umbrellas out, make sure to take them down if the wind picks up.
Please make sure to fully finish bussing a table that you start (or make sure to communicate if you can’t) which includes wiping it down (the chairs too!) after it is bussed.
Caves UPDATES
Events
Bloktoberfest 2023
Stein Pre-orders began on Monday! Here’s the direct link to the order page, but you can also find it on the Bloktoberfest HUB.
Table tents are now out at the Pub with QR codes which lead to the Bloktoberfest HUB.
A lot of folks will be coming into the the PUB/TR for the game this weekend. Remind them about our stein purchase and soon-to-be table reservations so you can bring your family!
Visit the Bloktoberfest HUB for more information (for yourself & customers)
HIGH FIVE SECTION
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Check back next week.
SAFETY TIPS
Move your feet, not your back, when you want to travel or turn while carrying a heavy load.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week.
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!