Internal Brewsletter - November 29th, 2023
General
Holiday Party! RSVP by Nov 30th using the button below
You and one guest* are warmly invited to the annual Block 15 and Caves Holiday party featuring a white elephant gift exchange (more info to come), beverages, appetizers, a photo booth, and good times!
When: Sunday December 10th, 6:30 pm-9:30pm
Where: The Corvallis Marriott Ballroom (400 SW 1st St. Parking available in their garage)
Attire: Many enjoy dressing up, but please wear whatever you are comfortable with!
RSVP**: By November 30th.
The pub and Tap Room will be open until 3:30, and Caves will close at 2:30 after the brunch service.
Discounted Hotel rooms: Call to book (541).753.0199 and tell the front desk representative you would like to use the “Take the Elevator Home” Rate for the Block 15 Holiday Party.
*Adults only. If your guest is a former employee, they must be OK'd through the signup form.
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Holly! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for 3 beef sliders on brioche buns, with goat cheese and house-made strawberry jam!
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
New Desserts
New Dessert At both locations! Starting this Friday a Chai Spiced Creme Brulee will replace the Figgy Pudding!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 12/1
DAB Lab: Mo$aic // The DAB Lab series focuses on fresh, vibrant, experimental IPAs featuring cutting-edge hop products. Mo$aic is a single-varietal exploration of one of the most multi-faceted hops around. // 7.30% ABV
Takeaways: DAB Lab is back! Returning with fan-favorite Mo$aic, we're bringing a new look to this crowd-pleaser and have started planning the future of the program, great things to come.
Tasting Notes: Blueberry. Cannabis. Worth every penny.
Series: DAB Lab
Beer Style: Hazy IPA
An IPA sub-style originating in New England, it originally evolved from American IPA to have a lighter malt bill, that had a soft finish from adjuncts containing higher protein levels and water naturally high in Chloride. Early versions retained an assertive bitterness, but that mostly softened over time giving way to a soft, juicy beer with a big, sweet body that mostly featured fruit notes (citrus, tropical, stonefruit, red fruit, etc..). Some versions can contain pine or dank notes as well. Bitterness ranges from light to moderate, and body ranges from moderate to heavy. Hazy is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
Consortium: Strata x Luminosa // Amplified like a stereo record, this IPA unites two hop varieties to create a unique sensory experience. We paired the dank notes of Strata and tropical stonefruit notes from Luminosa. // 6.60% ABV
Takeaways: Luminosa is an exciting new hop variety from Indie hops, bred in partnership with OSU. Its bright tropical and stonefruit notes have blown it up relatively quickly to be a very sought-after hop.
Tasting Notes: Apricot. Navel orange. Silky.
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence, and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 12/1
DAB Lab: Mo$aic // Hazy IPA
Consortium: Strata X Luminosa // West Coast IPA
Frequency Illusion // West Coast IPA, collab with Baerlic Brewing in Portland, Oregon
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Nebula
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Tangerines & Elephants // Fruited West Coast IPA
The Prophecies // Belgian Quad
Hoppy New Year // Imperial IPA
Carpathians // Czech Dark Lager
Keen As // West Coast IPA
Continuous Darkness // Imperial Stout
Vital Vibe // West Coast IPA
BEER EDUCATION
Weekly Tastings of new releases and some classics:
Tap Room
Tuesdays at 2 pm
Pub
First and third Tuesdays at 11 am
Second and Fourth Thursdays at 11 am
Beer 101: DAB LAB
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Beginning in 2016, Block 15 started a program of rotating experimental IPAs known as Dab Lab, short for Dank Ass Beer. These beers have been unique and creative, always implementing an advanced hop product and often doing so in a novel way.
Sticky Hands was very ahead of its time for the implementation of variety-specific hop extract late in the boil to drive flavor, rather than just bitterness, this set a tone for Block 15’s progressive approach to making IPAs. Before that extract often didn’t come labeled by variety, it was designed to be added at the beginning of the boil for bittering as the extract doesn’t absorb the wort the way hop pellets do, thus improving yield. Block 15 and eventually other brewers realized that using CO2 extract allowed you to drastically increase the hop flavor intensity in IPAs without impacting yield or imparting heavy polyphenol character that creates undesirable astringency. By the time Block 15 launched the DAB Lab program suppliers like Hop Union, later renamed Yakima Chief Hops, had begun offering extract in many popular varieties like Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic.
Early DAB Lab beers also featured Lupulin Powder frequently, starting in 2016 as well. Lupulin Powder was eventually rebranded as cryo, and the format changed from a fine powder to a pellet, the same size and shape as standard hop pellets, which made it easier to use. This was a major change for the industry, despite this many breweries have remained reluctant to experiment with these products.
Hop oils have also played a role in the DAB Lab program, CO2 extracts originally were only able to be used in the kettle, due to their insoluble nature, Cryo could be used in both the kettle and fermenter. Hop oil was developed exclusively for use in the fermenter or brite tank after fermentation was complete. The vibrancy they add to beers is the result of their ability to solubilize in cold solutions quickly.
As the DAB Lab program grew, the use of these products changed from a taboo subject to a common practice. Brewers who had been afraid to disclose using anything other than whole leaf or pelletized hops, jumped on the bandwagon as advanced hop products became part of the lexicon of beer geekery.
Last year, as we approached our brand refresh, we released a slew of DAB Labs, so many that we decided to take a step back and really consider the value of the program going forward. We’ve taken a year off since that point, graduating a few popular DAB Lab brands into their own standalone brands (Juice Joint and Tipping Point both originated at DAB Labs), but our fans have continued to vocalize their desire to see the program continue. Now, with a better perspective on what the DAB Lab program has really meant for Block 15 and the culture of IPAs in the Northwest, we’re happy to relaunch this series. With a fresh rebranded and given more intention release to release, we’re happy to re-unveil the DAB Lab series, starting with Mo$aic, a fan favorite since its first release in 2018. Going forward we’re going blend new and old entries in a steady cadence so we can continue to push the boundaries of how we make IPAs, driven by our endless passion, curiosity, and drive for accessible brilliance.
PUB UPDATES
Just to clarify the note from last week about alcohol consumption outside after 11pm–guests that are dining only, or have non-alcoholic drinks outside are welcome to continue dining outside after 11pm. The sidewalk cafe law only states that alcohol service or consumption must stop/move inside at 11pm.
Dang! We talked about selling more Deep Seek and y’all showed up. We sold 111 cans this week, putting us at 198 total and over our 175 goal! With one more weekend to go, we are going to bump that goal to 300! Let’s finish this strong and give the Tap Room a run for their money!
December Monthly Specials! Releasing Wednesday, December 6th
Tahini Baba Ganoush
Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip with fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots and house baked flatbread. $11.99
Mushroom & Beef Stroganoff
Stout braised Oregon beef chuck with The Mushroomery chanterelle, shitake & porcini mushrooms and sweet onions in a savory sour cream sauce, with radiatore pasta & fried parsley. $19.99
Holiday Mortadella Focaccia
Thinly sliced pistachio mortadella, arugula-hazelnut pesto, sundried tomato & garlic spread and stracciatella cheese on house baked focaccia bread. $18.99
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Deep Seek Competition Update: We sold 55 cans over the weekend which puts our total at 152. This is our last weekend to really push Deep Seek and get back ahead of the Pub!! Our goal for this weekend is to get to 300 total. Lets get stoked on Deep Seek!
There are now snacks that live in the employee break room that are up for grabs to anyone feel free to snag what you need.
Please make sure that when we are starting to do pre-close/closing tasks before 8pm that it doesn’t make customers feel that they need to rush and leave or take away from our customer service. Even if it is super slow at 7:45 all customers should still get A+ customer service and we should refrain from doing closing tasks that make it feel like we are closed. EX: rolling up mats, putting in blue scrubbies on taps, locking up the chairs outside, etc. Try to save these tasks for after 8pm. There are plenty of things you can do to get ahead on closing that customers won't notice or don’t make them feel uncomfortable (cleaning tap boxes, wiping stuff down, consolidating trash, outside bus station, washing mats, etc.)
December Monthly Specials! Releasing Wednesday, December 6th
Loaded Kimchi
Fries-Beer battered fries, spicy kimchi, house queso, bulgogi bbq sauce, spicy mayo, sesame seeds and scallions. $13.99
Pig & Fig Sandwich
Smoked & chopped pork, nebula stout & fig jam, pickled onions, garlic aioli and melted cheese cheddar on toasted artisan bread. $16.99
Caves UPDATES
Caves is hosting a Belgian Beer Dinner featuring Joel Rea of Corvallis Brewing Supply on December 12th from 6-8pm! This dinner will feature a 5-course meal with hand-picked beer pairings (some from our cellar, and some new offerings). Tickets are $150 and include gratuity. Folks can purchase tickets by going to the Caves website and clicking the “Events” link at the top of the page (or by going to this link https://cavescorvallis.com/events/2023/12/12/belgian-beer-dinner)
Deep Seek Evolution
Quick Hits
Crisp and snappy finish with lightened body
100% NW Malts
Nectaron Hops contributing big tropical and citrus notes
Constant evolution! With Deep Seek and all Block 15 beers
Deep Seek Tasting & Pairing Events
🤿 11/30 at Wildwood Taphouse Hillsboro - 3 - 7 pm
Deep Seek and Oyster Pop-Up from Oregon Fish Co.
Block 15 Beers accompanied by Oysters from Oregon Fish Co.
📍 9345 NE Windsor Street, Hillsboro, OR 97006
🤿 12/5 at Loyal Legion PDX - 5 - 8 pm
Deep Seek & Block 15 Favorites on draft with a pop-up from Câche Câche. Merch/Deep Seek pins will be raffled off/given to everyone drinking Deep Seek.
📍 Loyal Legion PDX 710 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
🤿 12/6 at Loyal Legion Beaverton - 5 - 8 pm
Deep Seek & other Block 15 Favorites on draft. Merch/Deep Seek pins will be raffled off/given to everyone drinking Deep Seek.
📍 Loyal Legion Beaverton 4500 SW Watson Ave, Beaverton, OR 97005
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Elise Pietromonaco - She communicates really well and always wants things to run as smoothly as possible.
Bailey Birch - For being super flexible and covering shifts when we needed someone.
Gavin Thorud - Gavin really works hard and gets a lot done around the brewery when nobody else is around. I appreciate coming in to find out they've accomplished more than I expected. Thanks Gav!
James Bartholomew - James has been doing a great job in his new role. He approaches things in a very organized and efficient way that we all appreciate.
Tyler Lenz - Tyler is always going the extra mile for everybody and he is always ready to take on a project nobody else wants. He's a positive force around the taproom and I really appreciate everything he does.
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Congrats to Wyatt Laramee and Lily Smalling on becoming Leads at the Pub!
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 / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint Tap for Corvallis Mountain Rescue Ends November 30th
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!