Internal Brewsletter - November 8th, 2023
General
November Food and Beer Pairing
This Friday, 11/10, we will be featuring a food and beer pairing for November at both of our locations. This special will run the entire time we have the beer available.
Curry Butternut Squash Pot Pie - Rich butternut squash and coconut curry stew with mixed peppers, zucchini, and potatoes. Topped with a flaky pastry crust $16.99 -
Pairs with Punch Out & Prost (Dortmunder Export Lager) - Punch Out & Prost’s crisp, dry & slightly bitter notes balance the rich and spicy pot pie, offering a delightful contrast and cleansing effect, while the sweeter notes in the beer compliment the sweetness of the squash. This pairing creates a harmonious and enjoyable combination.
Bottle Limits
Starting today (11/8) both locations are lifting the limit on Framboise Claret bottles (buy to your heart’s content!) but we will still have the same limits on the other 3 release bottles.
Imagine - 4 bottles
Figgy Pudding - 4 bottles
Imagine, Chocolate Hazelnut - 2 bottles
LET’S RIDE!
This Fall, we sponsored Cycle Lab’s Biktoberfest. In return, we all get 3 free passes to try out their studio! Each class is around $25 so this is an AWESOME opportunity! And free!
Head to this link HERE to sign up/create an account and use the code BEER23 to redeem your classes!
They expire on 12/31/23 so let’s get fit before the Holidays arrive!
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Alex Goodwin! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Pork Tonkatsu sandwich. The bakery has made us some Japanese Milk Bread, on which will go kewpie mayo, cabbage, cucumber-jalapeño relish, breaded thin pork cutlet, and tonkatsu sauce.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Punch Out & Prost // Punch out with this beautiful golden, export lager. This brew blends a delicate malt base with floral and spicy noble hops from the PNW. Lingering bitterness balances honey notes and offers a crisp finish, Prost! // 6.25% ABV
Takeaways: Continuing to push for authenticity, stylistically, in our Continental lagers, but balanced with our desire for sustainability and our Lagered by the Sun program. We used over 90% PNW malt and 100% PNW hops to create something authentically German.
Tasting Notes: Biscuit. Herbal. Bottoms Up.
Series: Perennial
Hoppy Holidays // This yuletide IPA is brewed with a sleigh full of hops, orange zest, and foraged spruce tips. Our gift of pine and citrus is wrapped in a warm malt backbone that is sure to bring holiday cheer. // 9.20% ABV
Takeaways: 150 pounds of spruce tips went into the beer, which were hand-foraged by our staff at Starker Forests in the Coast Range.
Tasting Notes: Jolly Rancher. Sweet Orange. Festive.
Series: Orbital
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Willa // Blended each year in celebration of Willa's birth. A solera-style blending of barrel-matured farmhouse ales; each year contains a portion of all prior vintages. Lively, bright, and complex, this beer is almost as unique as Willa herself. // 8.00% ABV
Takeaways: A beer brewed annually to celebrate the birth of our founder’s youngest daughters. Willa is a complex dark sour that contains a portion of all prior vintages and is conditioned in Willamette Valley ex-pinot noir barrels and bottle-conditioned with honey from her Grandpa Gus’ hive at the Block 15 Brewery.
Tasting Notes: Mild Acidity, Orchard Fruit, Tart, Honey
Series: Cellars
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Punch Out & Prost // Dortmunder Export Lager
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Citrus and Spruce Tips
Willa 2023 // Red Farmhouse Ale Matured in Red Wine Barrels
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Tropicolor, Flicker (pub only)
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Pow // Hazy IPA
Alt 15 // Altbier
Ridgeback Red // Red Ale
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Hop Shuffle: Alora // Hazy IPA
Super Fly Rye // India Pale Ale
Consortium: Strata X Luminosa // West Coast IPA
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: Deep Seek Evolution
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Evolution is inevitable, the industry is ever-changing, consumer tastes and preferences are ever-changing, technology and ingredients are ever-changing. Adaptability is one of the most important characteristics of a successful brewery, you have to be able to maintain a high level of quality and consistency while constantly evolving your offerings, often in subtle ways that most consumers won’t notice. Other times, however, you have to make big leaps quickly. Deep Seek has been undergoing a rapid evolution that we are ready to unveil.
We’ve previously posted here about West Coast IPA and the changes it has undergone in recent years. You can read that here (Scroll down to post 8/16). We have been slowly evolving Deep Seek since our first batch, often pushing very experimental techniques to drive intense, punchy hop flavor and aroma. Ultimately we wanted to go beyond what changes we’ve already made and present a beer that represents the kind of West Coast IPA we really want to make and serve to our customers.
As discussed in the previous post, west-coast IPAs have been getting lighter and lighter from the days of big caramel notes that presented as almost amber in color. This has made them much more drinkable, and, frankly, approachable in a similar way that Hazy IPA really changed the palate of IPA’s and made them more accessible than the 200+ IBU palate wrecker IPA’s from a decade ago. Belgian brewer often use the term “digestibility” when describing how they make beer, they may have high ABV, but they are lighter and enjoyable because of their focus on fermentation and balance.
In our quest to promote a more drinkable, or “digestible” beer we lightened up the malt base of the beer considerably, focusing on building a crisp beer that has a light, snappy finish. We’ve accomplished this by including PNW-sourced pilsner malt from our new silo. We’ve also been refining the bitterness, not just the intensity of it, but the quality as well. The bitterness should be instantly perceivable and then quickly fade, contributing to a finish that leaves you wanting another sip.
Another aspect of Deep Seek we’ve been evolving is the hop profile, we’ve wanted to make this beer both intense and balanced, with a pleasant blend of hops that leans into the classic West Coast notes of Pine resin and juicy citrus. We’re still using Amarillo, Citra, CTZ, Simcoe, and El Dorado, but we’ve brought in Chinook and, more notably, Nectaron to really add punch to the Citrus aroma of the beer.
Nectaron is a newer variety, first introduced in 2020, and has quickly gained popularity among brewers for its intense citrus and tropical notes. Brewers are always looking for the next Citra or Mosaic, a hop that brings so much more flavor and aroma than other hops that it demands to be used. Nectaron is one of those hops and might be the next big thing. We’ve been fortunate to get a contract on it so early since its release and we’ve already sprinkled it into some favorites over the past year, including The Present (The Anniversary collab IPA with Coldfire) and Something Big & Resinous (collab with Behemthod Brewing from New Zealand).
These updates have improved upon Deep Seek’s drinkability and we’re excited to present this evolved vision of Deep Seek to you and our customers. The evolution of our beers is constant, and we’re excited to present this evolved iteration of Deep Seek to you, but we will continue to evolve it, as we do all of our beers, perpetually improving and refining our craft with a passion for creativity and quest for excellence.
PUB UPDATES
This week’s home game is at 2:30, meaning we will likely get a solid push before and after the game. Rock your Beavers gear and come ready to have a great time! Thank you all for your hard work, great service, and high energy during these busy but fun football games! Next Saturday, the 18th, will be our last home football game!
We have someone coming by this week to take a look at the ice machine and hopefully get us back up and running!
While we did mention it in our all-staff meetings, we wanted to reiterate and clarify what the “most desirable” tables are in the restaurant and that we should be seating those tables first. Our most desirable tables/sections are booths, 6-10, and most of the upstairs (especially 13-15). Areas that are not as desirable and therefore should be seated once the rest of the tables are full are Brewer’s Lounge and Time-Out upstairs. Of course, if folks request these areas since they are quieter, they are more than welcome to sit there. This may mean that one server is 1-4 and the other is 5-10 (or 1-5 and 6-10 if we need to accommodate larger parties in 6-10). Upstairs we can split the more desirable tables into more equal sections until we are full enough to the point where we need the Time-Out section. This can look something like 13-16 (or 17) and 17-22 (or 18-22) to balance tables for each server. When in doubt, check in with your floating manager or manager on duty!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Themed Nights at the Taproom start this week! 5-8pm
Tuesday is Craft/Hobby night in the barrel room. Some supplies are provided but folks are welcome to bring any projects or things they want to work on. 10% off appetizers for those participating!
Wednesday is student night! Show your student ID (any school/college is fine) and receive 15% off your tab.
Thursday is Game night! Bring any game to play while you hang out and get $1 off drinks. We have some games folks can borrow but are encouraged to bring their own!
Home game on Saturday at 2:30! Be prepared for a pre-game and potentially post-game push!
Saturday 11/11 is also 4Spirits Spirits Fest, street parking will be hard to come by so plan on leaving a few minutes earlier than normal for your shift to be able to find a spot. If folks come to the Taproom after being next door make sure to give a once over before serving to make sure folks aren’t being over-served and if they seem too intoxicated politely tell them you are not serving them alcohol but are happy to get them something N/A if they would like.
Caves UPDATES
We’re going to have a few new beers this week to replace the pFriem Hazy and our Fresh Hop that kicked over the weekend. Check out the newsletter for details!
Events
Check back next week
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Matt Williams - Matt really goes the extra mile to keep things running smoothly. You're appreciated!
Bailey Birch - For multitasking like a beast!
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
A shoulder injury can occur as a result of a repetitive process. To reduce the risk of shoulder injuries, workers can:
Keep elbows and knees bent at a 90-degree angle when working.
Make sure feet are supported on the floor or use a footstool.
Take posture breaks and exercise for several minutes every hour.
Follow proper lifting techniques: Face the object to be lifted, and keep the back as straight as possible by bending and using legs for lifting power.
Avoid reaching to place or retrieve heavy objects stored up high. Use a stable platform or step stool.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint Tap - November
For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
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!
Internal Brewsletter - November 1st, 2023
General
Big News from Block 15 Distribution
Block 15 Family! I have big news from the Block 15 Distribution side of our team.
I am thrilled to announce that we have partnered with Wayfinder Beer as the newest supplier in our portfolio. We will be distributing them throughout Oregon in areas such as Corvallis, Eugene & Medford, as well as other regions around the state. They make some of the distro team's favorite beers including CZ AF Czech-style Pilsner, Cold IPA, and Hell Munich-style Helles.
About Wayfinder Beer: Located in Portland, Oregon, Wayfinder Beer’s portfolio consists of an array of brews that cater to a broad spectrum of tastes in styles. Since opening in 2016, Wayfinder has offered customers an extensive selection of bold hop-forward IPAs and timeless lagers, providing delightful and unexpected flavors. Awarded the 'Best Brewpub Experience in Oregon' four times at the Oregon Beer Awards, Wayfinder has become a cherished destination for many in Portland and beyond.
To find out more about them visit Wayfinder.beer or find them on social media @WayfinderBeer
– Erin Grey Kemplin, Sales & Distribution Director
Save the Date - Block 15 Holiday party
Save the Date! Sunday, December 10th will be our Block 15 Holiday party! This is an adult-only party that will be at the Marriott in the evening. More info to come next month.
New hours at the pub
Reminder: starting Monday, November 6th, the Pub’s hours will be Sunday-Thursday 11am - 10pm and Friday & Saturday 11am - 11pm.
LET’S RIDE!
This Fall, we sponsored Cycle Lab’s Biktoberfest. In return, we all get 3 free passes to try out their studio! Each class is around $25 so this is an AWESOME opportunity! And free!
Head to this link HERE to sign up/create an account and use the code BEER23 to redeem your classes!
They expire on 12/31/23 so let’s get fit before the Holidays arrive!
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Lily & Niko! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Philly Cheesesteak, made with grilled onions and peppers.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 11/3
Sticky Hands: Turkey’s Pick // Using hop blend "Turkey's Pick" from Hop Revolution in New Zealand and PNW Crosby Hops with our Sticky Hands base. Expect loads of resin-dipped citrus and tropical fruit notes to share for the start of turkey season. // 8.10% ABV
Takeaways: Susan Wheeler, the owner of Hop Revolution, is known for calling everyone Turkeys – (in your best Kiwi accent) “What’s crackin’ ya turkey!”. The selection building they have on the farm is also referred to as “The Turkey’s Nest”. This is where they host their most influential NZ brewers for selection season and each harvest they choose their favorite “4 blocks” AKA favorite 3 lots (across all varieties) on the entire property. This year, that included the best lot of Motuere, Motueka, and Riwaka. We don't normally use commercial hop blends, part of our jobs as brewers is picking our own hop lots to blend, but this one is so unique we wanted to highlight it.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Papaya, Buddha's Hand, Good as Gold.
Series: Orbital
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
RELEASING Saturday 11/4
Imagine // A blend of Belgian-inspired imperial stouts matured for one and two years in freshly-emptied bourbon barrels. Deep, dark, and decadent, our strongest offering blended once a year. // 14.50% ABV
Takeaways: Belgian-style stout that each year is matured in different bourbon distillery barrels. Made with a Trappist yeast that has high attenuating power, this allows us to really push that starting gravity and make this one big-big-big beer.
Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Coffee, Roasty
Series: Perennial
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Are you a Filbert or a Hazelnut person? Anyone sitting on the fence can ponder this universal question while experiencing waves of sweet, earthy hazelnuts, rich chocolate, and decadent vanilla. This Belgian-inspired stout was matured in bourbon barrels for one to two years before being introduced to this delectable trio. // 14.50% ABV
Takeaways: Ten pounds per barrel of roasted Oregon Hazelnuts were steeped for an extended time on the base Imagine beer, after being racked out of barrels, along with whole cocoa nibs to impart a fresh and authentic hazelnut flavor and aroma.
Tasting Notes: Sweet Cocoa, Gentle Hazelnut, Coffee
Series: Cellar
Figgy Pudding // Our yearly holiday offering is brewed with specialty malts, blackstrap molasses, steeped with Ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg and matured in freshly emptied brandy barrels. The perfect beer to share with friends and family around a cozy fireplace or celebration. // 11.00% ABV
Takeaways: Each year Figgy Pudding is spiced according to its individual needs. There is no recipe or formula, we rely on taste and blending to make each year’s vintage taste just right.
Tasting Notes: Spice. Molasses. Warm.
Series: Cellar
Framboise Claret // This celebration of the locally grown black cap and red raspberries features a blend of spontaneously fermented wild ales matured over a year in oak barrels and conditioned on NW fruit. Striking berry character with a tart and fruity balance. // 7.80% ABV
Takeaways: Black-cap and red raspberries are harvested throughout the summer and added to blended barrels before bottling. The beer is not left on fruit for an extended amount of time.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Raspberry. Red Currant. Vibrant
Series: Cellar
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 11/3
Sticky Hands: Turkey’s Pick // Hop Experience Ale
Imagine // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Figgy Pudding // English-Style Barleywine Matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Framboise Claret // Wild Golden Ale Matured with Black and Red Raspberries
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Specular Reflections
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Punch Out & Prost // Dortmunder Export Lager
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Spruce Tips
Willa 2023 // Red Farmhouse Ale
Fresh Pow! // Hazy IPA
Alt 15 // Altbier
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: Block 15 November Barrel Release
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Production Manager
Block 15 has been barreling beer for over a decade, and in that time our program has grown in size and influence. In February of 2010, we held the first bourbon month, and with it released Pappy’s Dark, a strong specialty ale brewed to compliment the use of freshly emptied Pappy Van Winkle barrels. The beer was aged for *gasp* three whole months in the sought-after barrels, but recreating it became impossible once the barrels became exorbitantly expensive. That fall, we released Figgy Pudding, a beer that has been in production ever since, and the November barrel-aged beer release was born.
While this was very early in the world of barrel-aged beer, it was not the first release in Oregon. Hair of the Dog in Portland filled their first barrel in 1994 and was even having small festivals based around their Barrel releases. However, what we were doing was incredibly rare for a brewery of our size. At that time, brewpubs simply didn’t have barrel programs.
We have continued the November Bottle Release since 2010, and it has grown and evolved. We added Imagine, our Belgian-style bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, its variants that change every year, (this year chocolate hazelnut), and Framboise, which bounces between white, black, and claret vintages. We also traditionally accompanied the release with a brunch, but this year we are switching things up and instead doing smaller more intimate experiences like the brewer's dinner this Friday.
The November Bottle Release is one of Block 15’s biggest weekends of the year, and we are excited to share some bottles with those of you who have never experienced it before, as well as with those of you who have been with us for some time, cheers!
PUB UPDATES
Back when Toast launched the new POS version during Family Weekend, we hit pause to allow us to get through the busy weekend without a funky new layout to get used to. Now that we are a few weeks away from that weekend and starting some renewed focus on hospitality starting November 6th, we will also be implementing the improved Toast layout/system on the 6th. This will take some getting used to and some tweaking of muscle memory, but the new version does have some pretty nice features and time-saving pieces.
Now that we will be self-hosting more often Monday-Thursday in the afternoons, please be mindful of communicating when we seat groups of 5 or more people, or when we seat several tables in a row. As we all communicate with each other and are more confident and aware of the pace of the restaurant, we will be able to efficiently communicate the flow to the line lead. Check-in with your fellow servers and folks on the floor to ensure everyone is in the loop!
Revisit November's Specials with some added info here!!!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We will be switching from 2Towns Cherry Sublime to Two Berry Dream (Berry Limeade) once we run out of the cherry cans.
We will be switching out the White Peach Guava Marg for a Cranberry Orange Gin and Tonic with a Thyme sprig and Dehydrated orange wheel garnish this Friday!
Big Fall Release this weekend! Please make sure you know all the events that are happening and if you are scheduled on Saturday expect it to be pretty busy!
We will be starting to use the dehydrated lemon and lime wheels for cocktail garnishes like the pub does this week. Please use the lemon ones for FVL, HH Cocktails, Hot Toddy, and the lime ones for Margs. We will still have small containers of fresh ones to use for NA lemonade and whatnot. This will help us to drastically reduce citrus waste for the winter.
We added a new tea flavor to our mix, English Breakfast! (black tea and does have caffeine) We still have Jasmine Green and Evening in Missoula.
Just a reminder that we close at 8pm which means we should be graciously accepting customers until 8pm and full food and drinks can be ordered until then. (if someone comes in at 7:55 they should still get full-service options of food and drinks)
We are pushing back the start of Themed nights at the TR until next Tuesday 11/7!
Revisit November specials with some added info here!
Caves UPDATES
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release Events
Updates! It’s next week!
Brewers Dinner 11/3
At the Pub at 6pm in the Gameroom
Guided Pairings 11/4
At the Taproom from 11am - 2pm around the facility
Bottles Release 11/4 for public. Beers on tap at the Pub and TR on 11/3.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Gavin Thorud - Gavin has a willingness to take on difficult tasks and is plucky as hell. They are always someone we can rely on to see a job through and do it right. The whole brewery is really lucky to have them on our team.
Ted O’Hanlan - I really enjoy all the insight and education he provides between the Ted Talks and the articles in the brewsletter. Keep it coming Ted!
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
Fire Safety Emergency Planning: where is your evacuation meeting spot? If you have to evacuate the building for any reason, such as a fire, the Pub, and Caves’ meeting location is the Jefferson Place parking lot on the corner of 4th and Jefferson. The Tap Room’s meeting spot is on the sidewalk just to the south of the parking lot entrance.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint Tap - November
People’s Pint Tap kicks off today! For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
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!
Internal Brewsletter - October 25th, 2023
General
Hospitality Through Guiding - Required Reading
Please read the following document before our all-staff meetings this week.
LET’S RIDE!
This Fall, we sponsored Cycle Lab’s Biktoberfest. In return, we all get 3 free passes to try out their studio! Each class is around $25 so this is an AWESOME opportunity! And free!
Head to this link HERE to sign up/create an account and use the code BEER23 to redeem your classes!
They expire on 12/31/23 so let’s get fit before the Holidays arrive!
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Garrison! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Rosemary Lemon Veggie Pita, made with an assortment of fresh veggies tossed in a rosemary lemon vinaigrette, topped with feta and shatta.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 10/27
Tropicolor // Capturing the freshest, juiciest hop character from a trifecta of Idaho 7, Sabro and Bru-1 varietals. With a soft, lush body, Tropicolor is a highly drinkable IPA with a tropical twist. // 7.50% ABV
Takeaways: Pushing tropical mango, pineapple and coconut, this is a very Tiki-inspired Hazy (no fruit added, all hops). El Dorado hop oil is in the ferment for biotransformation. Really pushing big and juicy.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple. Coconut. Beach Day.
Series: Orbital
Ol’ Saint Nick // Ol' Saint Nick is a generously malt-forward winter ale - artfully constructed with a base of selected malts and hops, offering notes of toffee, cocoa, plum, and caramel with citrusy hops and a pleasant lingering finish. // 9.00% ABV
Takeaways: A turn of the season winter warmer. It's a delicate balancing act of sweet malt and hop bitterness that creates an incredibly drinkable seasonal taster.
Tasting Notes: Brown Sugar. Toffee. Fireside.
Series: Perennial
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 10/27
Tropicolor // Hazy IPA
Ol’ Saint Nick // Winter Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Story of the Ghost
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Sticky Hands: Turkey’s Pick // Hop Experience Ale
Imagine // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Figgy Pudding // English-Style Barleywine Matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Framboise Claret // Wild Golden Ale Matured with Black and Red Raspberries
Punch Out & Prost // Dortmunder Export Lager
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Spruce Tips
Willa 2023 // Red Farmhouse 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: Beer Style Guidelines
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
The world of craft beer revolves around the continued ingenuity of small brewers whose passion and creativity constantly generate new and unique beers for consumers to enjoy. That said, the industry also embraces the idea of more or less fixed beer styles that have rigorous and specific guidelines for how to make them. The combination of these two things, somewhat opposing ideas, creates a unique atmosphere where brewers are always looking ahead but also fixated on the past. Breweries often build a reputation for quality regarding how authentically they make classic styles of beer, a whole sub-industry of professional competitions designed to assess these beers has established the need for well-written, and accurate guidelines that judges can use for reference. The World Beer Cup and The Great American Beer Festival attract thousands of breweries a year to enter and are just two of the dozens of professional competitions.
The idea of standardized beer styles is relatively new, more or less originating in 1977 with the publication of Michael Jackson’s (the beer writer, not the musician) The World Guide to Beer, which broke international beers down into styles and helped stoke a sudden world-wide interest in beer as something more than just a commodity product, but something that deserved consideration, akin to wine. Jackson came out of a time in the UK when traditional beers were disappearing and people began to organize to preserve historic styles and methods. CAMRA, the campaign for the revitalization of real ale formed in 1971, with their first guide for traditional British beers and pubs being published in 1974, they have continued to revise The Good Beer Guide regularly since.
In 1977 they held the first Great British Beer Festival, which became the model for similar festivals/competitions around the world, especially the Great American Beer Festival, first held in 1982. The rise of these competitions led to the establishment of more formalized guidelines than what Jackson had initially published. GABF, which was initially organized by the American Homebrewers Association, which eventually merged with the Brewers Association, publishes its own guidelines, which are also used for the World Beer Cup. Separate from that, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), which was founded in 1985 to provide an educational resource for beer judges, first published its guidelines in 1995. Both of these guides are the ones most used by American brewers and are continuously revised to embrace changes in the industry, but often not fast enough for Craft Brewers who are constantly developing new styles.
Many breweries live and die by these guidelines, brewing to a very rigid idea of what beer can or should be. Many other breweries prefer to mostly ignore them and instead focus on ingenuity and creativity to push the industry in new directions. Block 15 is a brewery built on both ingenuity and a respect for classic beer styles. The ability to push creatively, but also to execute accurately to classic concepts is, in my opinion, the sign of a great brewery. We all get into this industry because we love beer and the experiences we have with it. You have to hold a reverence for classics, but not be bound by them. This is, in essence, what craft beer is all about.
Additional Viewing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJJsrNUKRZw&list=PLAvEKxWI-6vSYgondk4rTzeURcS4kgkzJ (Michael Jackson’s Beer Hunter is a time capsule of beer geekery.)
Further Reading:
https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/brewers-information/2023-gabf-competition/beer-styles/
https://www.bjcp.org/bjcp-style-guidelines/
PUB UPDATES
Starting on Monday, November 6th, we are adjusting our hours slightly. New hours will be the following. We’ll touch on this in our all-staff meetings this week and next, so please feel free to ask any questions!
Sunday - Thursday, 11am to 10pm
Friday & Saturday, 11am to 11pm
New Menu Happenings Today! (10/25)
Jalapeno Jack Burger - NW beef patty, house pickled jalapenos, New Mexico green chiles, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, & cilantro-jalapeno mayo on a toasted brioche bun $18.99 (Replaces Kimchi Burger)
Forager Burger - NW beef patty, butter sauteed mixed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, pickle, and garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun $18.99 (Replaces HB,J Burger)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich - Will NOT be coming on line today. We are going to wait until schnitzel is gone and our fryer station has lightened up a bit, so stand by on this one!
November Specials Coming out Wednesday, November 1st!
Since we have the November bottle release coming up next week, I have designed our monthly specials to pair with some of the awesome beers coming out!
Shrimp Arancini - Breaded and fried parmesan, aleppo pepper & gulf shrimp risotto. Served with Pumpkin Mole, parmesan and lemon. $14.99
Paired with Imagine
The Gobbler - Our juicy turkey burger topped with cornbread-sage stuffing & turkey gravy, with orange-cranberry relish on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Paired with Framboise Claret
Pear & Hazelnut Melt - Local pears, Gus’ Honey, Hazelnut butter and melted muenster cheese on house-baked artisan bread. $15.99
Paired with Altbier
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Pups on the Patio this Friday 10/27! Fall photo backdrop and goody bags available all day until 6:30. Heartland Humane Society will be onsite from 4:30-6:30 to chat about what they do, how to get involved, how to donate, etc. and they will also have adoptable pups to check out and love on!
$10 goody bags (proceeds donated to Heartland) include: Bandanna, koozie, homemade dog treats, and stickers/pin
Bandannas and dog treats are also sold separately
$1 off drinks for those who bring their furry friends to the Taproom
We will be switching our seasonal lemonade flavor to Cranberry Ginger this Friday! We will run through what we have left already made of white peach guava.
If it starts raining and the rockers are out in the grass, please make sure they get moved somewhere covered so they don’t just sit out in the rain!
Starting the first week of November we will be starting weekly nights at the Taproom!
Tuesdays: Game night! Bring a game to play and receive $1 off your drinks (we will also have a few games available to borrow)
Wednesdays: Student Night! Show your student ID to get 15% off your tab.
Thursdays: Craft/Hobby Night! Hang out in our barrel room and use our big tables to work on current projects, start new ones, or just hang out and doodle/paint/etc. with your friends. 10% off Appetizers and $1 off Pints for folks participating. Some supplies are provided, feel free to bring your own!
November Specials Coming out Wednesday, November 1st!
Since we have the November bottle release coming up next week, I have designed our monthly specials to pair with some of the awesome beers coming out!
Machaca Quesadilla - Braised and pulled beef, spiced pickled onions and melted queso quesadilla cheese in a grilled flour tortilla and served with house pumpkin mole and queso fresco $18.99
Pairs with Imagine
Smoked Beet Reuben - Pastrami style cured and lightly smoked beets, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and house Reuben sauce on our house-baked toasted pumpernickel. $15.99
Pairs with Figgy
Caves UPDATES
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release - Launched to the public on Tuesday!
Updates! It’s next week!
Brewers Dinner 11/3
Sold Out!
Guided Pairings 11/4
11 am - 2 pm at the Taproom
Small bite pairings to go with each release in different stations in the production facility
4 bottle minimum to join in on the tasting event
Guaranteed Allotment for beer
Standing and mingling type of event
There will be a rotation of 12 people per half hour that will rotate through
Bottles Release 11/4 for public. Beers on tap at the Pub and TR on 11/3.
Imagine // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Figgy Pudding // English-Style Barleywine Matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Framboise Claret // Wild Golden Ale Matured with Black and Red Raspberries
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Bryce Benson - Bryce always has his head in the game and has really stepped up recently. Plus his hair is **goals**
Tyler Lenz - For having a good attitude, despite all the challenges you face at work!
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
Being aware of your surroundings is paramount to avoiding workplace injuries. Only use secure, steady ladders and never use boxes or anything else as an improvised ladder.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - November
Our Next People’s Pint begins next Wednesday! For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
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!
Internal Brewsletter - October 18th, 2023
General
New Scheduling System
Over the next few weeks, we will be making a transition to a new scheduling system called Sling so keep an eye out for a message with more details from your schedulers!
The Cycle Lab Coupons
Starting this Friday, 10/20 and running through 12/31, we will have 10% Off coupon cards for The Cycle Lab Corvallis employees that can be used at either Block 15 location (Caves excluded). This coupon is good for 10% off of their tab or meal, and the cards should be collected and given to a manager (or put with your drop at the Tap Room) after they are used so that we can keep track of discounts used. The only current exception to what the cards can be used for is on our special Fall Release bottles that will be released early November (Imagine, Imagine Variation, Figgy Pudding, and Framboise Claret). If you have any questions, please see a manager!
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Holly! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for an Arugula Salad, made with goat cheese, walnuts, and cranberries. Tossed in honey mustard vinaigrette.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 10/20
Space Candy // Brewed with a galaxy full of delicious and unique hop products. Comet, Galaxy, and Apollo hops bring a tropical, dank, and piney flavor to orbit a silky and lush body. It will blast your palate into outer space. // 7.30% ABV
Takeaways: Pushing a balance between dank and juicy, Space Candy is an unmistakably Block 15-style IPA. Just graduated from draught-only to a packaged beer.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Mango. Apricot. Astronomical.
Series: Emerging
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 10/20
Space Candy // Hazy IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Flicker
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Ol’ St Nick // Winter Warmer
Tropicolor // Hazy IPA
Sticky Hands: Turkey’s Pick // Hop Experience Ale
Imagine // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Figgy Pudding // English-Style Barleywine Matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Framboise Claret // Wild Golden Ale Matured with Black and Red Raspberries
Punch Out & Prost // Dortmunder Export Lager
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Spruce Tips
Willa 2023 // Red Farmhouse 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: Conditioning
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Conditioning is a catch-all term that refers to the period, after primary fermentation when beer is aged, short-term to achieve maturation and carbonation. In this phase we let sediment settle to the bottom of the tank and, mostly, push CO2 into the tank to force carbonation of the beer. While many of our beers are carbonated this way, we also do a lot of “natural conditioning,” where we allow the CO2 which is produced by the yeast build pressure in the tank and bond with the beer, carbonating it naturally. Carbonation achieved in this way produces a finer bubble formation, and a refined mouthfeel compared to forced carbonation.
CO2, obviously a greenhouse gas, is both produced naturally by fermentation as well as purchased commercially and used widely in beer production for carbonation, and to pressurizing tanks to move beer around the cellar, or into package. Oxygen stales beer and CO2 is used for most beer processes because it does not degrade the product. CO2 bonds to beer more efficiently at lower temperatures, so there is a limit to the amount of natural carbonation we can achieve, with our equipment, when we are fermenting at warmer temperatures, such as when making ales. Lager ferment and condition at lower temperatures, so we have more opportunity to capture that CO2 and use it to carbonate our beer naturally.
For thousands of years, all beer was flat, it wasn’t until the middle ages that barrel-making techniques evolved for barrels to be able to hold beer under pressure and allow CO2 to bond and carbonate the beer. Glass bottle manufacturing didn’t really exist until the 1600s and it took time for bottle producers to make glass capable of holding pressurized product, but the technological advancement made it possible to package beer with carbonation. The technique for both of these products was to ferment the beer, then prime the beer with more yeast and sugar just before barreling or bottling, then let it referment in the sealed vessel.
Naturally conditioned beer like this was dominant in beer production until the 20th century when commercial CO2 and brewery equipment advancements allowed brewers to force CO2 into beer for carbonation, then beer was carbonated before packaging. Naturally conditioned beer has remained a culturally important aspect of beer production for a few cultures, namely British cask beer and the highly carbonated bottle-conditioned beers of Belgium.
German ingenuity led to the development of the “Spunding Valve” which I mentioned last week, this relatively new piece of equipment allows lager brewers to capture a portion of the CO2 produced in fermentation for natural carbonation. This is an important part of our Lagered by the Sun program, reducing our carbon footprint by capturing close to 100% of the CO2 needed to carbonate our lagers.
We use a similar process with our Abbey series. These beers used to be bottle conditioned, as is traditional, but a shifting market has seen the bottle format fall out of popularity. We still wanted to make these beers, so we had to change our process. Now we ferment the beers normally, separate yeast, then creates a secondary fermentation with the addition of sugar and a special yeast that can ferment in a beer that already has high levels of alcohol in it, we use the spunding valve in this process too.
We are continuing to refine and expand how we capture CO2 in the brewery, both of the quality of carbonation, which we feel is higher with natural carbonation, as well as to continue to reduce our carbon footprint and make Block 15 a more Sustainable business.
Further Reading:
https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/iKSxvCoDdk/
PUB UPDATES
New Menu Happenings this week!
Friday 10/20 we are shifting 3 of our HH items!
Chips and Salsa will be replacing the pimento, wings (5) will replace kimchi fried rice and chips AND a ½ Mac and Cheese will replace the market vegetables! Procedures will be the same as they currently are, but I will still repost them tomorrow for clarity and consistency!
We are also replacing our salsa roja with Salsa Borrachas, which is a tomatillo salsa with beer and avocado. We will bring back the roja when tomatoes are sexy again in the warmer months!
New Menu Happenings Next Week (10/25)
Green Hot Chile Burger - NW beef patty, New Mexico Green Chiles, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, pickled jalapenos & cilantro-jalapeno mayo on a toasted brioche bun $17.99 (Replaces Kimchi Burger)
Forager Burger - NW beef patty, butter sauteed mixed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, pickle, and garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun $18.99 (Replaces HB,J Burger)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich - Crispy buttermilk fried chicken thigh with house pickles, finely shredded cabbage, and spicy mayo, served on a warm and toasty brioche bun. $15.99 (Replaces Porkstrami)
This Friday (10/20) we will be replacing our current pasta/salad bowls with a new style! It is a shallower bowl with straight sides and looks AMAZING! Our procedures will stay relatively the same, but there will be some new photos posted of our salads and the chipotle pasta for consistency and reference.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thanks for crushing the busy weekend and all who were flexible and willing to cover shifts it went so smooth because you all are rockstars!
Please make sure we are properly rotating packaged beer when we are restocking the coolers and putting flats on the shelves. Make sure to look at the dates on the bottom of the cans and always put the older date in the front. Any questions ask a Manager!
During closing if either BOH or FOH finishes up before the other offer to help your closing buddy. Help sweep, mop, wipe things down, etc. Whatever you can help get out of there more efficiently.
We will be starting some weekly themed nights soon (ex: Student night, hobby night, game nights, etc.) to incentivize folks to come to the Taproom on weekdays throughout the Winter. If you have any ideas for themes or things to offer feel free to send Madie a message!
New Menu Stuff for this week Friday 10/20
The Curry Cauliflower Grilled Cheese sandwich will be replacing The ZAT on the main menu!
Roasted local cauliflower with lemon & yellow curry, Zante currants, crushed cashews, melted provolone, fresh cilantro, and citrus aioli on toasted house artisan bread. $14.99
We are also replacing our salsa roja with Salsa Borrachas, which is a tomatillo salsa with beer and avocado. We will bring back the roja when tomatoes are sexy again in the warmer months!
Caves UPDATES
It was a BIG weekend! Way to crush it and make such wonderful experiences for our guests who came through. With each big weekend, y’all are killing it even more. Well done!
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release - Launched to the public on Tuesday!
Late Fall Bottle Release is a yearly bottle release of some of our favorite bottle offerings. In celebration of these offerings, we like to make experiences that our fans can get involved in. In the past, we have done a Brunch. This year, we want to try something new and exciting and do dinner and tasting events alongside the regular release. These two events are a great way to chat with the brewers and get a guaranteed selection of bottles. See more about the events below!
Brewers Dinner 11/3
6 pm at the Pub in the Game Room
This is a chance to get the bottles before the release, guaranteed allotment & a chance to chat with our brewers!
Food - 4-course meal with pairings
Sit-down type of event
Tickets go on sale Thursday 10/19
Guided Pairings 11/4
11 am - 2 pm at the Taproom
Small bite pairings to go with each release in different stations in the production facility
4 bottle minimum to join in on the tasting event
Guaranteed Allotment for beer
Standing and mingling type of event
There will be a rotation of 12 people per half hour that will rotate through
Pre-orders start Thursday 10/19
Beers Release 11/4 for public. Although we will still have them on tap 11/3 for the Brewers Dinner, we just won’t tell customers.
Imagine // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine “Chocolate Hazelnut” Edition // Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Cocoa Nibs, Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Figgy Pudding // English-Style Barleywine Matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Framboise Claret // Wild Golden Ale Matured with Black and Red Raspberries
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Ted O'Hanlan - I'm glad you're a part of the team, Ted! Thanks for being nice.
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
If you notice a potential safety hazard or risk, report it to your supervisor immediately so they can address the situation. Keep communication lines open and work as a team to create a safe working environment.
Please check Hotschedules messages for reminders on proper call out procedures.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - November
Our Next People’s Pint will be in November! For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
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!
Internal Brewsletter - October 11th, 2023
General
Bloktoberfest Follow-Up
Bloktoberfest happened last weekend, and could not have happened without you! Thank you for your efforts, whether working in the tent or keeping the pub running smoothly. It takes everyone pitching in to make an event like this happen. THANK YOU!!
Since it has been 4 years, and in hopes of making the event better in the future, we would love to gather your input on how the event went. Please complete this survey to share your thoughts.
Figgy Pudding
This Friday we will add Figgy Pudding (the dessert) to our dessert menu! It will phase out the smores cheesecake, but we will keep that on the menu for another week to run out of our last few pieces!
Figgy Pudding
A classic British holiday dessert. Moist homemade cake baked with brandy-soaked figs & dates. Served Warm with brandy hard sauce and fresh cream. $9
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Garrison! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Porkstrami Hashwhich, potato latke and porkstrami on artisan bread with horsey sauce and tomato.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 10/13
College // Cream in name only, this bright, refreshing ale is the perfect crusher on gamedays or anytime in between. Crisp and malt-driven, with extended cold conditioning, provides a clean finish. // 4.50% ABV
Takeaways: Truly crushable, we spunded this batch to capture natural carbonation for a finer mouthfeel, but you can still drink it from the can if you want.
Tasting Notes: Wildflower Honey. Shredded Wheat. Alma Mater.
Series: Perennial
Specular Reflections // Our meditation on the Trappist-style dubbel, this robust dark ale balances rich notes of dried plums, dark malts, fruit preserves, and clove spice—a complex profile elevated by natural carbonation. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: A part of our Abbey series, canned, but still naturally conditioned in secondary for the authentic mouthfeel. Specular undergoes three fermentations.
Tasting Notes: Red Velvet. Baking Spice. Hygge.
Series: Orbital
Something Big & Resinous // Brewed with our friends at Behemoth Brewing in New Zealand, this trans-Pacific Collab features an even blend of NZ and PNW hops. Dank, Piney, herbaceous and juicy, it thoroughly lives up to its name. // 8.80% ABV
Takeaways: As the name suggests, it a big west-coast IPA that features both PNW and New Zealand hops. Dry, resinous and explosively hoppy, we even added some special Riwaka hop oil at conditioning to make it really pop.
Tasting Notes: Tangerine. Pine Resin. Colossal.
Series: Synergy, collaboration with Behemoth Brewing in New Zealand
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 10/13
College // Cream Ale
Specular Reflections // Belgian Dubbel
Something Big and Resinous // Imperial West Coast IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Paddle Season & Topwire 3
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Space Candy // Hazy IPA
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Ol’ St Nick // Winter Warmer
Tropicolor // Hazy IPA
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: Cream Ale
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
A true American classic, cream ale was once one of the most popular styles of beer made in the United States. Originating in the mid-19th Century, Cream ale rose to prominence in the early 20th century as a direct competitor with the mass-produced lagers that were already coming to define what beer was in America. Initially stronger, hoppier, and more bitter than other lagers, they eventually evolved to resemble German Kolsch, with a lower abv and gentle hop character balanced by a light bitterness. One point of distinction between Kolsch and Cream ale is the inclusion of rice or corn in making cream ales, a staple adjunct for most American beers that came out of this period.
Historical production methods vary from brewery to brewery, sometimes made exclusively with ale yeast, sometimes exclusively with a lager strain, and some other times primary fermentation is done with an ale strain, and then conditioned with a lager strain. So is Cream ale an ale or a lager? Cream ale is often described as a hybrid beer, much like Kolsch or Altbier. These beers are often brewed with an ale strain that ferments at a cooler temperature and still undergoes a lagering, or conditioning period that helps clean up off-flavors. College Cream Ale, which comes out this week, was fermented with an English ale strain, and conditioned and spunded for an extended period of time, the result is an exceptionally clean beer with most of the carbonation being imparted naturally by the off-gassing yeast.
Spunding is a process where a pressure relief valve, with a water lock to prevent oxygen from getting into the tank, is placed on the fermenter late in primary fermentation or during lagering, the CO2 yeast produced is captured and bonds with the beer due to the low temperature the beer is in at this stage. This provides natural carbonation, lowering our need to purchase CO2 and reducing our carbon footprint. It is a German process that we employ with all of our lagers and hybrid beers.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
We are on our last legs of the Passionfruit Lemonade! Once that runs out, we will switch to Marionberry for the Fall season. If folks are sad, let them know that Passionfruit will be back this Spring/Summer.
We are switching up our Seek Out and Seasonal Cider! Once we are out of Pacific Pineapple we will have Prickly Pearadise and once we are out of Raspberry Lemonade Seekout we will be switching to Kiwi Blackberry Seekout.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We will be switching up our seasonal lemonade flavor in a couple of weeks! If you have any flavor suggestions let Madie know!
Be prepared for a busier weekend with OSU Homecoming/Family Weekend, 2Towns Harvest Party, and decent weather.
Once we run out of what we have of the Airlie Rose it will be gone until next summer.
Please keep the walk-in organized and like with like! Take out any extra empty flats and break them down into cardboard recycle. We should only have 4-5 at a time.
Caves UPDATES
Lillet Blanc is back, so we can make the Corpse Reviver again. Hooray!
More tea lights have arrived, so please make sure to put these along with the votives out on each table for dinner now that the weather is turning more consistently cozy.
Events
Bloktoberfest has come to a close… and as the rain and leaves keep falling we’ll be gearing up for the late Autumn festivities. Stay tuned for what’s next!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Blake Myers - He always has an encouraging comment on deck and is such a great communicator!
Holly Amlin - Holly always crushes it and with a positive attitude. We're lucky to have her on the team.
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
Rainy weather tip: walking on wet surfaces can be slippery, so it’s important to take small steps and keep your head up to watch for hazards, and always wear your non-slip shoes to work to prevent unnecessary falls.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
People’s Pint - November
Our Next People’s Pint will be in November! For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
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!
Internal Brewsletter - October 4th, 2023
General
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by the Block 15 Vaults! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for the Hawaiian Burger, which is made with a house burger patty on a Hawaiian bun, topped with spam and pineapple grilled in Korean BBQ sauce, and a slice of white American cheese.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 10/6
SunSchein // Helles is a study in precision, subtlety, and balance. Built around NW craft malts and hops, SunSchein is our expression of this style in the PNW - a crispy, delicately malty, and floral hopped pint of liquid gold. // 5.00% ABV
Takeaways: Spunding is the process of using a water-lock pressure relief valve to capture natural CO2 from fermentation and allow it to carbonate the beer, while still off-gassing. It is a traditional German lager-making practice that we have replicated, the result is a finer mouthfeel on the carbonation.
Tasting Notes: Fresh Sourdough. Wildflower Honey. Quaffable.
Series: Emerging
Animal Cookies // Brewed for the hop-loving animal inside of you, this can is packed with sticky, pungent hops. Unleash a swirling circus of pineapple, tangerine, mango, pine, and dank herb hop characters. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: The return of a classic Block 15 IPA. Hazy IPA done the Block 15 way.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Papaya. Navel Orange. Equitorial.
Series: Perennial
RELEASING Tuesday 10/10
Cheers to the Land. // A contemporary West Coast take on the classic American Pale Ale. This beer features Oregon Promise malt, a Salmon-Safe variety from the OSU barley breeding program that was malted by Mainstem Malt, and Cascade hops from B&D Farms in St. Paul, Oregon. // 5.40% ABV
Takeaways: The second-annual ‘Cheers to the Land’ campaign is a collaborative effort between Oregon’s great breweries, cideries, farmers, and Oregon Agricultural Trust (OAT) to help OAT permanently protect Oregon farmland from development and transition it to future generations. This year’s campaign features 17 breweries and cideries across Oregon, in partnership with Goschie Farms of Silverton and Gold Rush Malt of Baker City. Check out cheerstotheland.com for more information and events.
Tasting Notes: Jasmine. Lemon Zest. Terroir
Series: Synergy - Collaboration with Oregon Agricultural Trust
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 10/6
SunSchein // Helles Lager
Animal Cookies // Hazy IPA
RELEASING Tuesday 10/10
Cheers to the Land // Pale Ale made in collaboration with Oregon Agricultural Trust
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Nebula and Paddle Season
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Specular Reflections // Belgian Dubbel
College // Cream Ale
Something Big and Resinous // Imperial IPA
Ol’ St Nick // Winter Warmer
Space Candy // Hazy IPA
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
BEER EDUCATION
Weekly Tastings of new releases and some classics is continuing:
Tuesdays at 2pm at the Taproom
Thursdays at 11am at the Pub
PUB UPDATES
The Harvest Spritz will be replacing Call Me Maybe on Friday. It features Aperol, Pear Brandy, Lemon, a Clove Simple Syrup, and Prosecco
New Menu Item! Wednesday 10/11 we will be bringing back meatloaf! It will replace the pimento BLT! We will also be running the porkstrami out and it will likely run out around the same time.
Scratch-made pork & beef meatloaf, served with bread and butter pickles, melted Tillamook Swiss cheese, sweet glazed onions, and brown mustard aioli on toasted house-baked ciabatta bread. $17.99
This Friday-Sunday we will run a slightly limited food menu in the pub for Bloktoberfest business! We will remove chicken wings, hummus, and the chickpea shawarma salad.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We are switching to our Winter hours next Monday 10/9! We will be open Mon-Thurs 3-8pm and Fri-Sun 11:30am-8pm.
Please be aware of how many napkins you are taking with meals! We should only be grabbing 1 per entree, it is a big waste we can help minimize!
Continue being flexible with guests and not getting caught up in “rules”. Go above and beyond with the hospitality and make a customer's day if you can!
Make sure you know what our hours are for this weekend with Bloktoberfest happening and talk it up with customers! It is going to be a blast!
Menu Changes! Wednesday 10/11 we will be replacing the piquillo chicken sandwich with the Alabama Slammer!
Smoked & pulled chicken, house dill pickles, banana peppers and our Alabama White BBQ sauce on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun. $17.99
Happy Hour Changes! Wednesday 10/11 the spicy cucumbers on the HH menu will be replaced with chips and salsa AND the clam dip will be replaced with a mini pretzel!
Caves UPDATES
Congratulations to Aidan for stepping into a management position at Caves! We are excited to see him in this role and look forward to his leadership within the team!
This Saturday we are replacing the Dress to Impress with a new brunch spritz cocktail: Sweater Weather which will feature Apple Cider, Allspice Dram, Lemon, and Cava for a nice fall-forward brunch offering.
Once we run through the Watermelon + Lime Culture Pop, we will switch to Wild Berries + Lime for the season.
Events
Bloktoberfest 2023
Employees working the event, please check out this packet: Bloktoberfest 2023 Event Information.pdf
If you are not working the event, but at the pub, here are a couple of specifics you will want to be aware of:
Entrance wristband is $5 and is good for both days, 12 and under are free (minors welcome until 8pm)
Those wearing Lederhosen or Dirndl costumes receive free entrance.
The main entrance is on the South (Block 15) side of the street, towards the east end of the tent (near the pub entrance).
All Caves & Block 15 employees will receive entrance for free. When you show your ID at the entrance to get your wristband, you will have your name marked off the list.
Lost & Found – There will be a tub at the entrance area. Please direct customers there to try to find their lost items. If the item is not present, please direct them to email Bloktoberfest@block15.com
No outside food will be allowed in the tent. This includes take-out food from the Pub or Caves.
Guests CAN bring mugs from previous years into the event.
Mugs are intended to be used in the tent only, and therefore if customers come into the restaurant and wish to use their mug please offer them a pint instead. If someone pours their beer from a pint into their mug, that is okay; this rule is about tracking mugs at the bar and logistics of getting the right mug to the right person.
Visit the Bloktoberfest Hub for all the deets on the event.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Makayla Karnowski - For being so amazing! I super appreciate your willingness to take new things on and be eager to grow and learn! You are kick ass!
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Max Spears (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Back, neck and shoulder sprains are common occurrences in the food service industry, don’t attempt to carry too much at once or bend at odd angles to place trays on stands or tables.
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!
Internal Brewsletter - September 27th, 2023
General
Monthly Specials are coming Back NEXT WEEK!
Starting the first Wednesday of every month we will be featuring 2-4 specials at each location that are old favorites or exciting, new items to be highlighted for that month! This is a fantastic opportunity to get guests excited and enthusiastic about new, fresh things to try on our menu.
And the enthusiasm starts with YOU! We will be doing plenty of tasters that first week we are featuring to make sure everyone gets to try them and relay the goodness to the guests. I will also expect an abundance of food feedback from you all on these items, especially in the first few days/weeks.
When soliciting feedback, find ways to ask for specifics…something other than “it was great!” I have also included links to the line procedures for each item. BOH’ers, please look it over in detail before your first shift on or after the 4th so you are prepared and/or have your questions ready!
Pub Monthly Specials October 2023
El Padrino
Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, arugula and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Pork Schnitzel
Thinly pounded Carlton Farms pork cutlet, breaded and fried. Drizzled with brown butter pan sauce and served with apple compote and warm, house made German potato salad. $17.99
Taproom Monthly Specials October 2023
El Padrino
Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, arugula and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Brussel Sprouts & Squash
Roasted brussel sprouts & butternuts squash, shallot-dijon vinaigrette, Block 15 honey roasted hazelnuts, parmesan $9.99
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Travis! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Travis’ Burger Rancheros, Huevos Rancheros as a burger made with refried beans, pico, cheddar jack, and an egg.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 9/29
Squirrel Stash // An artistic brown ale brewed with a host of specialty malts and English yeast. Soft body and a malt profile with notes of toasted nuts, baker’s chocolate, and coffee with a dry finish. // 4.60% ABV
Takeaways: A classic style that was once on every craft brewery's taplist. It's just a comforting beer to drink.
Tasting Notes: Spun Sugar, Toasted Biscuit, Classic.
Series: Perennial
Story of the Ghost // A haunting offering brewed with bountiful hops shrouded by velvety grist. Be possessed by otherworldly hop flavor with notes of dank herbs, pine, and tropical delight to reanimate your soul. // 8.75% ABV
Takeaways: Featuring an elite blend of Chinook, Mosaic and Azacca hops, this bold beer is further bolstered by and hefty dose of Galaxy hops to really round out the Tropical Fruit character, complementing the pine and citrus expression already present. Story of the Ghost is a bold, balanced, and assertive hop-forward ale showcasing some of our all-time favorite hops in a well-rounded format. Now with 25% more ghosts!
Tasting Notes: Orange Marmalade. Fir Tips. Haunting.
Series: Orbital
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 9/29
Squirrel Stash // Brown Ale
Story of the Ghost // Hauntingly Hazy Pale Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Sticky Hands High 5 and Low Voltage
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
SunShein // Helles Lager
Cheers to the Land // Pale Ale made in collaboration with Oregon Agricultural Trust
Specular Reflections // Belgian Dubbel
College // Cream Ale
Something Big and Resinous // Imperial IPA
Ol’ St Nick // Winter Warmer
Space Candy // Hazy IPA
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: Brown Ales
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Brown ale was once a staple style to find on craft brewery draught lists but has fallen out of fashion in recent years. It’s deceptively light, with a dry finish that accentuates the toasty and nutty flavors imparted by the specialty malts. Low hopping rates and a low bitterness allow the subtlety of the malts to shine. I think of the style as being cozy and refreshing, the maltiness and smooth mouthfeel are perfect for these early fall days, but it’s dry enough that it can still be enjoyable on warmer days as well.
The term “brown ale” refers to a very broad spectrum of beers from German Altbiers to Belgian Bruins and American craft Brown ales. Squirrel stash represents the classic Northern English style of brown ale. The first British brown ales came out of the 18th century, with one of the most famous producers of Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, being founded in 1758 in Yorkshire. Their classic brown ale is sold in the United States as “nut brown ale.”
The most famous English Brown ale is Newcastle brown, first brewed in 1927. Newcastle rose to prominence as a direct competitor with the, then popular, pale ales of Burton-on-Trent we have written about previously. Newcastle’s great innovation wasn’t in beer production but in bottling technology. Their clear bottles became very popular and have maintained a spot in the United States market as well.
In 2023 Squirrel Stash is moving away from the British-sourced pale malt that it has been brewed with for years, instead, we are using PNW-grown and malted pale malt from Great Western. This is a part of our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and highlight the fantastic malt available to us locally. We still use a fair amount of English specialty malts that are hard to replicate, as well as that classic English pub yeast that is so important to the aromatics of all English beer.
At 4.6% abv, Squirrel Stash is one of the lighter beers on our tap list. It is clear with a distinct brown color, elevated by brilliant ruby highlights reminiscent of Newcastle. It may appear heavy, but it is definitely an easy drinker.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
New cocktail this Friday to replace the Texas Sun:
Currant Mood
Buffalo Trace, Creme de Cassis, Lemon, Honey, Ginger Beer.
This will be served with a cinnamon sugar rim.
The tiny little leaves are back! Please hokey throughout the day to keep the floors looking as nice as possible.
Corral is being taken down on October 2nd to make way for Bloktoberfest! Since the outside seating needs to be down by October 31st, we will not put it back up after Blokotberfest.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
With rainy weather upon us, please make sure to not put the rocking chairs in the grass and to keep the high bar stools back a little farther towards the pillar to keep them from getting waterlogged!
Now that we are officially going into fall we will no longer need to use the outside water station. The outside bus station has moved to in front of the locked door of the patio door (across from inside water station)
Reminder about keg/corni fills: We only do orders for kegs and corni’s online (block15.com/kegs) no same day or day of orders/fills can be done. If anyone has any questions about kegs please give them my email (madie@block15.com). I am the only person who can make exceptions or give direct answers to questions!
Non-slips!! Please make sure you are wearing non-slip shoes at work anytime you are on the floor, in the kitchen, etc. You are welcome to leave them in a cubby if you don’t want/need to take them home. It is a requirement from the employee handbook so please reach out to Shelby in HR or any manager if you have any questions.
Caves UPDATES
Great notes on communication and service from this week, so check em out to see what we want to continue focusing on!
Kir Royale being added to the menu this week, along with the Saviah Sauvignon Blanc.
Marketing
Last week, the crew went up to Yakima, Washington, for hop selection! Every Fall, Block 15 and breweries from around the world make this trip to select hops for the following year. We showcase the hops we select in our Selection Series, but we also use these hops in the other beers we brew, such as Sticky Hands. This year, we selected 6 different hops based on aromatic characters and qualities that blend well with the direction we want our beers to go.
Events
Back to School at the Taproom 9/27
Faculty and Students will be bringing their ID’s to get a sweet discount on a Burger and Blue Truck for $13! Tell your friends!
Camp 15 at the Taproom 9/28
Live acoustic music from 6-8pm
Roast s'mores with a s'mores kit on a fire pit
Food in foil pack starting at 5pm
4pks of Flicker will be 10% off
Flicker pints $1 off 5-9pm
Bloktoberfest 2023
Volunteers Still Needed
We’re still looking for a few more volunteers for the event. If you or someone you know might be interested, share this link with them!
The signup cutoff is 5pm tomorrow, September 28th.
If you are able to volunteer, we would like to say thank you with a 2023 Bloktoberfest mug (1ltr or .5 ltr, empty), a Limited edition 2023 Bloktoberfest pin, free entrance and $50 in tokens for spending at Bloktoberfest/Block 15. If you volunteer for Sunday Clean-up then you will be offered the above but with $30 in tokens.
Sign Up / More Info: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090444ACAA2EAAF49-44425619-2023#/
Operating hours at each location during the event
Tap Room
Friday 11:30-4, Lunch service only & Saturday closed
Pub
Normal Hours both Friday & Saturday
Caves
Normal Hours both Friday & Saturday
Visit the Bloktoberfest Hub for all the deets on the event.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
All taproom employees and brewing staff - High fives to everyone that I work with at the taproom! I appreciate you all and I always look forward to work because of all of you wonderful, amazing people! It’s always fun to brag about how much I love my coworkers to customers!!
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Molly Branstetter (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
If the floor is wet due to rain or spills please make sure to use the wet floor sign and get the area cleaned up as quickly as possible.
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!
Internal Brewsletter - September 20th, 2023
General
Congrats!
Congratulations to James B. for accepting the position of Taproom Kitchen Manager!
Monthly Specials are coming back!
Starting the first Wednesday of every month we will be featuring 2-4 specials at each location that are old favorites or exciting, new items to be highlighted for that month! This is a fantastic opportunity to get guests excited and enthusiastic about new, fresh things to try on our menu. And the enthusiasm starts with YOU! We will be doing plenty of tasters that first week we are featuring to make sure everyone gets to try them and relay the goodness to the guests. I will also expect an abundance of food feedback from you all on these items, especially in the first few days/weeks. When soliciting feedback, find ways to ask for specifics…something other than “it was great!”
Pub Monthly Specials October 2023
El Padrino
Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, arugula and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Pork Schnitzel
Thinly pounded Carlton Farms pork cutlet, breaded and fried. Drizzled with brown butter pan sauce and served with apple compote and warm, house made German potato salad. $17.99
Taproom Monthly Specials October 2023
El Padrino
Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, arugula and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Brussel Sprouts & Squash
Roasted brussel sprouts & butternuts squash, shallot-dijon vinaigrette, Block 15 honey roasted hazelnuts, parmesan $9.99
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Tiva! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a French Dip, featuring Swiss cheese and grilled onions, with a side of au jus.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 9/22
Juice Joint // Juice Joint pairs dank, citrusy, and tropical hops to create a heady concoction. Supported by a smooth body and balanced bitterness, it's sure to satisfy your cravings. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: Hop dipping is a process where hops are added directly to the tank before knockout, and then wort is pumped onto them, before cooling and pitching yeast. You are able to get biotransformation by fermenting directly on the hops that have minimal isomerization of bitterness. We applied this process to the Incognito liquid hop extract. We did this once before in Guy Incognito and it turned out great. Made in the spirit of the Dab Lab program, Juice Joint is now a stand-alone beer.
Tasting Notes: Blueberry. Mango. Peak Ripeness.
Series: Emerging
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 9/22
Juice Joint // Hazy IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: TopWire No. 03
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
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
PUB UPDATES
We are going to run a slightly limited menu for the OSU move-in weekend madness! The menu will remove the asparagus salad, chicken wings and the Alabama slammer Friday-Sunday. This will help the prep kitchen keep up with the high volume, and also help the line as well!
Since we are removing the asparagus salad for the weekend, on Monday we will be replacing it with our Chickpea Shawarma Salad for the fall/winter menu!
Chickpea Shawarma Salad - Romaine tossed in dill-tahini vinaigrette & topped with the spiced & roasted chickpeas, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, shatta chili sauce, green onion and a Sunnyside up egg. Served with warm pita bread
For the busy Family Weekend, we will be turning off the ability for folks to add themselves to the waitlist from Friday evening to (or through, if necessary) Sunday evening to help ensure that we are able to keep a good flow of guests coming through the door and not waiting on people to respond. We may also turn off the ability to place to-go orders online depending on the needs of the kitchen, so please be extra diligent about confirming that a to-go order has been paid for, or still needs to be paid for.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Get ready for OSU Move-in weekend! Expect lots of families and show them a good time, turn up the hospitality and push desserts and packaged beer!
Anytime you perform any steps of damage control please make sure everyone on the floor is aware of the situation, especially managers. With that, if you feel that you need a manager to help out and step into a situation do not hesitate to ask one!
Make sure we are keeping a positive attitude with customers and providing excellent service that makes them feel comfortable and want to come back!
Food feedback! It is crucial we get feedback from customers to make sure we always are serving the best versions of our menu. Check in with guests about their meals, ask specific questions, or offer your thoughts to open up dialogue, etc. to get good quality feedback and write it down in the kitchen or shoot Sarah or Madie a message!
Caves UPDATES
Reminder! Lots of new wines this week (link to the info doc is posted below) and the Vol-au-Vent replaces the Ling Cod Piccata this Thursday as well.
pFriem Hazy IPA replaced the Juice Jr as taps were cleaned yesterday, all other beers are still in slight limbo, but will likely tap with the busy weekend coming up. As new beers go on, we will reprint menus and send out a HotSchedules message with the updates, so be sure to stay on top of checking those messages before each shift.
Events
Bloktoberfest 2023
We launched table reservations earlier this week.
A portion of the tables that we’ll have at the festival have been set aside for 1 hour 45-minute reservations.
People are still welcome to walk in and sit at any table that isn’t marked with a reserved sign.
The reservations can be made online and require a fee which is given back in the form of tokens when they arrive at the event.
Reservations can be canceled, which needs to be done by 8 pm on October 4th.
The food menu, beverage menu, and entertainment schedule are very close to final - check out the Blocktoberfest HUB to see what’s going on!
Tap Room Events
Back to School Kick Off - September 27th
Time: All day 11:30-9
$9 Burger Special- 1/4 LB burger with white and yellow American cheese, shredded lettuce, sweet onion, dill pickle and our house burger sauce and side of fries. Make it a double for $4 extra
Blue truck pints for $4 all day
Celebrate going back to school to kick off the new school year. Come hang out, play yard games (like corn hole), and enjoy a tasty beverage and delicious meal (for a steal!)
Bring your OSU faculty/student ID for 15% off your tab.
Camp 15 Flicker Event - September 28th
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Tyler Lenz - Shout out to Tyler for always sticking around to help out when we are understaffed at the taproom!
Whit Lakin - Shout out to Whit for playing the best hide-and-seek this brewery has ever seen; I’ve been looking for weeks and I still haven’t found him!
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Myles VanWeerd (Warehouse)
Max Spears (BOH)
Spencer Rees (BOH)
Emma Bartlett (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
If you see something, say something: Spills, damage to workplace materials, unsafe walking conditions… These are all important situations to bring to the attention of your lead or manager. Never assume that someone else will notice an unsafe situation and take care of it… the next person who encounters the condition may slip, trip, fall or otherwise injure themselves. It’s always better to take care of an unsafe condition as soon as it happens.
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!
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!
Internal Brewsletter - September 6th, 2023
General
New Dessert!
We are switching our lemon ricotta cheesecake to the s’mores cheesecake this Friday!
School is back in session!
Watch out for school zones!
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Mars! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Spicy Carolina Pork Sandwich, which is made with chopped pork and green chilies tossed in Carolina sauce, with onions and white American cheese on a brioche bun.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 9/8
Fresh Hop Gloria! // Inspired by classic European pilsners, Gloria! is brewed with choice malt and hops grown in the Pacific Northwest. This edition is fresh-hopped with Lorien hops, bred in partnership with Oregon State University. // 5.00% ABV
Takeaways: We added Oregon-bred and grown Lorien hops into the kettle, then we dry hopped with fresh Lorien from Coleman Ag. We used liquid nitrogen to freeze and shatter the whole cone fresh hops, then we shattered them to access every bit of the delicious lupulin goodness inside.
Tasting Notes: Lemon peel. Cracker. Freshly Harvested.
Series: Fresh Hop
Blue Truck // A beer for those after work hours and the workers who make them happen. Brewed only in the Pacific Northwest with the finest Oregon water, premium malted barley, and choice hops.// 4.70% ABV
Takeaways: Our take on the classic American Premium Lager, with Block 15 quality. Easy drinker
Tasting Notes: Crisp. Spicy. Heartland.
Series: Emerging
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 9/8
Fresh Hop Gloria! // Fresh Hop Pilsner
Blue Truck // American Premium Lager
C-Hops // Combining Crystal, Cascade, Chinook, Centennial and CTZ, this classic IPA nods at tradition but carves a unique path. It features a gentle, malt-forward body that doesn't overpower the delicate hops. // 6.80% ABV
Takeaways: A classic-looking IPA with a classic hop bill of all C-Hops (Cascade, Crystal, Centennial, CTZ, and Chinook). It's a contemporary take on the classic American-style IPA. A touch of malt doesn't overpower the delicate hop notes, mostly because we made an American IPA without any Crystal malt.
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit peel. Wildflowers. Throwback.
Series: Emerging
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Fluffhead
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Catch // Fresh Hop IPA
Fresh Hop Nugg Hugg // Fresh Hop Hazy IPA
Lupine 2023 // Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris Blend
Juice Joint // Hazy IPA
Squirrel Stash // Brown Ale
Story of the Ghost // Hauntingly Hazy IPA
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: Fresh Hops
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
It’s September in the PNW, which means it's officially fresh hop season. Hops are primarily harvested in August and September. Each variety has an ideal harvest window based on its maturation, but harvest times often change year to year based on climate changes. Centennial is a consistent early harvested hop, often late August, whereas Mosaic is later, closer to October. Harvest dates become very important for brewers making fresh hop beers because hops are extremely perishable when fresh.
Hops are typically kilned between 130F and 150F immediately after harvest to dry them out and preserve them. The overwhelming majority of the hops we use are processed in this way. The dried hops are shredded and run through a die that forms them into pellets, then they are packed into mylar bags with an inert gas to preserve them. Hops are cold stored, usually below freezing, at distribution centers before being shipped to brewers throughout the year.
Fresh hops, on the other hand, are usually only good for a few days. It’s important for brewers to keep up on harvest date changes to manage the logistics of when to make their fresh hop beers. Brewers in the PNW are at an advantage over other brewers because we can pick up hops on harvest day and brew with them immediately, at peak freshness. This is one of the reasons that these beers are so prevalent here compared to the rest of the U.S. While packaged hops are typically shipped to the brewery, fresh hops are almost always picked up by the brewer at the farm, or processing facility. They are immediately transported to the brewery, where they are used, same day if possible.
Whole cone fresh hops are much larger than kilned hops due to moisture content, and modern brewing equipment is not designed to use them. The most common method for using them is to load your mash tun, which has a false bottom for extracting sugar from the grain, and run the hot wort (unfermented beer) onto them at the end of the boil, this process is usually is called hop backing. This is the method we used in Fresh Catch, this year made exclusively with Centennial hops and expressing rich flavors on Thai lime leaf and lemongrass.
Always looking to push aromatics, contemporary brewers have been experimenting with ways to dry hop with fresh hops. One method gaining in popularity is to use liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze the hops, then shatter them with a blunt object, exposing the flavor and aroma-rich lupulin glands. Those shattered hops are loaded into mesh bags and suspended in tanks of finished beer to steep for several days.
We used this method on our Fresh Hop Gloria! That releases this week. For that beer, we opted for fresh Lorien hops, which came from the OSU breeding program. Being a pilsner, we opted for the lighter side of the dry hop to preserve the delicate balance that makes this style so drinkable. We also used this method on our Fresh Hop Nugg Hugg that releases next week, in that instance we pushed the hopping rate much higher to draw the most out of the Simcoe hops we used in that beer.
Whether you’re a fan of fresh hop beers or not, there is something about the botanical, chlorophyll-rich flavor of fresh hop beers that drives an insatiable demand for them in this brief window.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
OSU Game Day this Saturday at 6pm! Let’s make sure we are keeping up the positive communication and are ready for a solid pop from likely 2/3pm to about 5pm (with a pop after the game as well). This is likely the first home game for many of you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, or ask for help if you need it. We are all here to support you!
In the coming weeks we are going to phase out the Painkiller, Call Me Maybe, and the Texas Sun to focus on more fall-forward cocktails. Stay tuned!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Be ready for the first OSU Football home game this Saturday!
New cocktail launching this Friday. Keep your eyes peeled.
Pre-bus as much as possible to help keep flies, yellow jackets, etc. at bay!
Let’s get back into the routine of writing food/drink feedback on the sheet in the kitchen, it can be good or bad and can be employees or customers.
Caves UPDATES
First home OSU Football game this Saturday at 6pm! There is a high likelihood that we will see a bump in business for Brunch and potentially Gather Hour as folks are heading out to the game. I (Goody) will be floating on Saturday morning to help with Brunch as well. The game will end between 9 & 10pm, so we may not see a huge push, but still be ready for one!
Check out more detail in this week’s Newsletter!
Events
Bloktoberfest 2023
Stein Pre-Order Begins 9/11
Half and Full Liter Stein packages will be available for pre-order starting September 11th.
Visit the Bloktoberfest HUB for more information (for yourself & customers)
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Brewery Cellar Team - Our brewery cellar crew has been kicking ass lately. Bryce, Danny, Gavin, Jerika, J, and Paul, you have gotten up early, stayed late, and have had a great attitude about doing it. Every curveball has been handled really well, and we appreciate the hell out of you.
—
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Kaidyn Milani (FOH)
Adam Sparks (Caves BOH)
Grace Pierce (Caves FOH)
Paige Schwandt (FOH)
Barb Rogers (FOH)
Conner Crites (BOH)
Maya Greydanus (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Remember to follow safe lifting guidelines such as keeping a wide base of support (feet shoulder-width apart), bending at the hips and knees only, keeping good posture with your back straight and lifting slowly while holding the load as close to your body as possible.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! Elakha Alliance - September 12th
On September 12th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support Elakha Alliance.
About: Sea otters are a keystone species whose predation and behavior have a profound effect on the mix of species around it. In their absence, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has suffered, becoming ecologically less robust.
The Elakha Alliance was formed in 2018 by tribal, nonprofit, and conservation leaders with a shared belief in a powerful vision: an Oregon coast 50 years from now where our children and grandchildren co-exist along with a thriving sea otter population and a robust and resilient marine ecosystem.
Their mission: To restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon coast and to thereby make Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystem more robust and resilient.
Elakha (ee-LAK-uh) is a Chinook trading language word for sea otter, which were once plentiful in Oregon’s coastal waters.
Representatives from Alakha Alliance - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - August 30th, 2023
General
Employee Provision:
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 9/1
Sticky Hands, High Five: Hop Experience Ale // An even stickier, ickier version of our iconic Hop Experience Ale, we turned up the dank herb and sticky tropical with five of our favorite hop varieties. Featuring Azacca, Talus, Galaxy, Mosaic and Citra.// 5.50% ABV
Takeaways: Five extra dank, extra tropical hop varieties make a playful combo in this long returning Sticky Hands variant. We brewed this one using our new PNW pilsner silo to reinforce those light honey notes, where perceivable sweetness balances the dank intensity.
Tasting Notes: Candied Mango. Pine Resin. Elevated Perspective.
Series: Orbital
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 8/25
Sticky Hands High Five // Hop Experience Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Topwire 2, Fresh Flow (Taproom Only)
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Hop Gloria! // Pilsner
Blue Truck // American Premium Lager
C-Hops // American IPA
Fresh Catch // Fresh Hop IPA
Fresh Hop Nugg Hugg // Fresh Hop Hazy IPA
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: Oktoberfest (The Festival)
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Originating in 1810 to commemorate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachen-Hildurghausen, Oktoberfest has grown into the largest beer festival in the world. Held every year (minus a few exceptions), Munich Oktoberfest lasts 16 to 18 days from the end of September to the beginning of October and hosts about 6 million visitors a year. Largely just called “Wiesn” now, which means “the meadow,” it is held in the 77-acre Theresienwiese in Munich, a sprawling park that hosts only six breweries (Paulaner, Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner-Bräu, Staatilches Hofbräu-München, and Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu), each with their own tent which reaches up to 10,000 seats.
As was discussed last week, there have been many different beer styles available at Oktoberfest. Currently, Festbier is the king. Designed to be a pale lager, it is lighter and easier to consume than the traditional Marzen. That’s not to say you won’t find Marzen there, or other styles. Many different beers are served at Oktoberfest, somewhere around 6.5 million Liters of it each year. It’s not just about the beer, Oktoberfest is a full-on folk festival with food and cultural events as well as an amusement park, it is similar to the feel of a state fair but larger than even the largest state fairs in the U.S.
The event is so popular that smaller Oktoberfests are held all over the world, from Brazil to Vietnam. The largest Oktoberfest in the United States is Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, which hosts about 500,000 people annually. Oregon hosts several Oktoberfest celebrations, including our own, Bloktoberfest.
Bloktoberfest was first held in 2009 and ran continuously until 2020 when it was canceled due to the Pandemic. We typically sell between 3,000 and 4,000 tickets. 2023 marks the first time since the Pandemic that we’ve been able to hold this event, and we’re all working hard to make sure the experience lives up to previous Bloktoberfests.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
We have more of the cup covers that have arrived, so please use these instead of using a to-go soup cup as a lid cover.
With all of the little leaves falling, we are noticing some nice “nature confetti”. Take a moment to hokey the carpets in downtime if you notice a bunch of tiny leaves.
We all have moments where we want to check in, socialize, and say hello, but we should keep these times short and not have them in customer facing areas. If you are at the host stand, no employee should have their back to the door. This is where we greet our guests and we need to be ready to greet them with a smile, not our backs.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Clarification on our Block 15 Cider. We can do GROWLER fills of it but CANNOT do Crowlers. There is a button for a growler fills in toast.
A reminder that broken glass goes in the dumpster and empty bottles or other glass items go in the glass recycle, be careful not to throw full bottles into the recycle so they stay intact!
Please keep the cocktail mini fridge between 37-40 degrees, anything cooler and the back of the fridge will ice over and keep it from maintaining the right temperature.
Caves UPDATES
This week’s big focus is Damage Control. Sarah, Patrick and Goody have spent time revamping our Damage Control Doc which can be found in the Newsletter, as well as put together a concrete plan for what needs to be done when something goes wrong. You’ll each get a rundown of what the expectations are so we can make sure we are always crushing it.
New beers and a new wine on the horizon! While there will be more info in the Newsletter, what we have coming down the pipeline is as follows:
Juice Jr → pFriem Hazy IPA
pFriem Japanese Lager → Ayinger Oktoberfest
Tripel Karmeliet is sticking around for another round–she popular!
ColdFire Pale Ale → Sunriver Rippin’ NW Pale Ale
Ovum EZ TYGER → Illahe 2021 Pinot Noir by the glass
Events
Bloktoberfest 2023
More information is available and going out to the public this week. Please refer to the Bloktoberfest HUB for the most up to date information.
Dates/times:
October 6th from 4-11pm
October 7th from 12pm-11pm
Pre-Sale Packages (sale starts 9/11):
Half Liter $25
Full Liter $35
Regular Admission $5 for those 13+
Music & Entertainment
Schedule is listed on the HUB, go check it out!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
None this week! Keep the good times rollin’!
—
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Maya Greydanus (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
When it comes to food allergies it’s important to follow the 4 R’s: Refer the food allergy concern to the department manager or person in charge, Review the food allergy with the customer and check ingredient labels, Remember to check the preparation procedure for potential cross-contact and Respond to the customer and inform them of your findings.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! Elakha Alliance - September 12th
On September 12th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support Elakha Alliance.
About: Sea otters are a keystone species whose predation and behavior have a profound effect on the mix of species around it. In their absence, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has suffered, becoming ecologically less robust.
The Elakha Alliance was formed in 2018 by tribal, nonprofit, and conservation leaders with a shared belief in a powerful vision: an Oregon coast 50 years from now where our children and grandchildren co-exist along with a thriving sea otter population and a robust and resilient marine ecosystem.
Their mission: To restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon coast and to thereby make Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystem more robust and resilient.
Elakha (ee-LAK-uh) is a Chinook trading language word for sea otter, which were once plentiful in Oregon’s coastal waters.
Representatives from Alakha Alliance - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - August 23rd, 2023
General
Employee Provision:
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 8/25
Bloktoberfest // Celebrate Oktoberfest Block 15-style with this amber-hued Marzen lager. Noble hops impart subtle floral and spicy aromas, while PNW-sourced Pilsner and Munich-style malts build a delicate base. // 5.50% ABV
Takeaways: We continue to move our lager program to regionally sourced malt, this Bloktoberfest is almost exclusively form the PNW, but still has that authentic flavor.
Tasting Notes: Wildflower Honey.Toasted Biscuit. Prost!
Series: Perennial
Billy Breathes // This Imperial IPA is a dreamy, hazy exploration of soft grains and vibrant hops. Double dry-hopped with several tropical and citrusy varietals, floating on a soft and sweet grist. // 8.00% ABV
Takeaways: The return of a fan favorite IPA, juice to the max. Citra and Mosaic star with Cashmere and El Dorado providing some pleasant citrus and tropical support.
Tasting Notes: Sweet Melon. Ripe Mango. Above the Trees.
Series: Orbital
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 8/25
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
Billy Breathes // Imperial Hazy IPA
Block 15 Hard Cider // Packed with a custom blend of apples, this is an unfiltered, zippy dry cider with soft apple notes and a white wine finish. Fermenting with select Norwegian Kveik yeast gives this cider a smooth, cloudy appearance. It’s delightfully complex, yet perfect as an everyday refreshment. // 6.00% ABV
Takeaways: We're excited to bring cider back! Using PNW apples, this is a brewer's take on cider. Using Kveik Yeast from Norway, we stabilized the fermentation using hop extract without bringing hop character into the taste.
Tasting Notes: Bright Lemon. Bartlet Pear. Refreshing Dryness.
Series: Emerging
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Stoke Coast
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sticky Hands: High 5 // Imperial IPA
Fresh Hop Gloria! // Pilsner
Blue Truck // American Premium Lager
C-Hops // American IPA
Fresh Catch // Fresh Hop IPA
Fresh Hop Nugg Hugg // Fresh Hop Hazy IPA
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: Oktoberfest Beers
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Originating in 1810 to commemorate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachen-Hildurghausen, the first Oktoberfest offered free food and beer at four different locations around Munich. For roughly 60 years Bavarian Dunkel was the beer of choice at the festivities, this was a dark lager, not to be confused with Dunkel Weisse. It was around 5% and was a very popular style in Munich at that time.
Marzen was introduced sometime in the mid-19th century, certainly between 1841 and 1872, but sources disagree on which year specifically. Marzen is an amber lager, currently made between 5.8% and 6.3% ABV. Marzen is believed to have been developed to compete with Vienna lager, a similar style, that was gaining popularity in Europe at that time, but the name, which literally translates to “March Beer,” originates from a 1553 decree in Bavaria that forbade brewing beer between April 23 and September 29. This, like the more famous Reinheitsgebot of 1516, was one of the first food safety laws passed in the world. Beer brewed in the warmer months was known to spoil faster, so limiting the time of the year when it could be brewed was meant to prevent spoilage. The result was brewers making stronger beer and cold storing it, mostly in cellars, using a process called lagering, so the beer would last through the summer. The 1870s also saw the introduction of Bock strength beers at Oktoberfest, up to 8%, this included the Marzen beers made for the festival. This remained the case until World War I. After that ABVs came down to the range they are today, 5.8-6.3%.
The late 20th century saw participating breweries moving away from amber beers that dominated for so long, and making lighter beers that were closer to the pale lagers that became so dominant throughout the 20th century. These “Festbiers” are usually a golden color, in the same abv range, with a sweet finish and a noticeable hop bitterness. They are lighter to drink, and thus easier to drink more of.
All of these beers are Oktoberfest beers, but according to the EU only versions brewed in Munich are allowed to be labeled as “Oktoberfest”. American breweries typically ignore this, and Boston Beer Company likes to boast that they are the world’s largest producer of Oktoberfest beer, which is technically true.
Bloktoberfest is our take on the Oktoberfest beer, and is modeled on the Marzen-style, but is a bit lighter in color and lower in ABV. At 5.5% it is exceptionally drinkable with notes of honey, toasted bread, and caramel. A gentle bitterness balances the malt sweetness and contributes to its drinkability. Brewed in the spirit of these beers, we contribute our own methods and influence to create something that is unique.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
On Friday we will be re-launching Block 15 cider (draft only)! This will replace 2 Towns OutCider, but we will still have Blueberry Cosmic Crisp and Pacific Pineapple. Just a reminder: we cannot Crowler any cider per labeling requirements for wines and ciders. We can fill a Growler if someone has the glassware.
We are officially onto the 2021 vintage of our Lumos Pinot Noir. Below are some tasting notes and relevant information. If you have ever received any feedback that the 2020 vintage had some smoke characteristics, this new vintage will not exhibit those as the vineyards were not subjected to the effects of the wildfires like they were in 2020.
Continue to plug Happy Hour to your tables and squeeze in that last pint or snack before the time ends. For years we put a pause on Happy Hour, so it may take some time to get folks used to it again. Letting them know what rad options we have will encourage them to come back!
In the same vein, please make sure you are offering packaged beer to go, and/or dropping a to-go beer menu to every table that is enjoying a pint or two. This is a very easy sell that will equal more money in your pocket.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We are switching out the passionfruit marg on Friday with a white peach guava version with a sugar rim.
Keep pushing Happy Hour and offering another round of drinks, snacks, etc. and give menus to every table! Pay attention to when it hits 2pm on HH days!
Take note of the music throughout the day and see if it matches the pace and vibe of the restaurant at that time and adjust the station if needed.
We are not taking any reservations for the Barrel Room between Sept 10th and Oct 20th. The barrel room will be out of commision for us as they need the space for more barrels! We can still do outside ones during Mon-Thurs but NO reservations on the weekends during that time.
Caves UPDATES
We have a couple of new beers coming out this week! Bajaveza will be replaced by an Export Stout from Grand Fir out of Portland (hooray for those that are looking for something darker) and the Vapor Machine will be replaced by The White Lodge by Holy Mountain which is a Witbier (Belgian-Style White Ale). More information on these rad selections can be found inside the Caves Newsletter!
Pre-March Kickoff Gather Hour is happening this Friday! Menu can be found in the Newsletter.
Events
Corvallis Beer Week
We have joined the fun as Corvallis Beer Week has returned. Block 15 and Caves will be involved in 3 different events… See below!
Pre-March Gather Hour at Caves - August 25th at 4 pm
About: The Kick-off for Corvallis Beer Week at Caves with 3 unique small bites paired with 3 beers chosen from our cellar. This will be followed by the traditional Beer Week march around Downtown Corvallis
Taste and Tour at Block 15 Taproom (Southtown) - August 28th at 6pm
About: Guided tour of the Southtown Brewery, complete with a walkthrough of the brewing process and examples of the grains and hops used to make our beers!
Folks will stick around after the tour for a $10 tasting flight special (4, 4oz beers). We'll also have a food special that day, more details to come… Sign-ups are online (now full!)
Caves Beer Dinner - August 29th at 6 pm **Ticketed***
Favorites from the past are making a resurgence alongside fresh new dishes at our next Caves Beer Dinner. We'll have six courses of unique offerings paired with hard-to-find cellared bottles and curated draught beer selections.
Link for tickets: CAVES BEER DINNER
Bloktoberfest 2023
More information is available and going out to the public this week. Please refer to the Bloktoberfest HUB for the most up to date information.
Dates/times:
October 6th from 4-11pm
October 7th from 12pm-11pm
Pre-Sale Packages (sale starts 9/11):
Half Liter $25
Full Liter $35
Regular Admission $5 for those 13+
Music & Entertainment
Schedule is listed on the HUB, go check it out!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
James Watts - He saved our butts this week! BOH would have been down 3 people on a 100 degree day but he picked up the shift and came in with that classic positive energy
Jerika Mutschler - Jerika has been a real trooper grinding through consecutive weeks of canning shifts. Thanks, Jerika.
Kolleen Peters - Way to step up and help everyone out by washing dishes when the kitchen was short staffed. You are appreciated!!
Monday TR Crew! (Kailey Brana and Bailey) - kicked butt on a very busy Monday evening! Your hard work and calmness under pressure is very greatly appreciated and you all are rock stars!!!
—
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
Remember to test the weight of something before you lift it up completely; it might be too late if you realize a few seconds later that it’s too heavy or cumbersome for you. If the load is too heavy for you to handle alone, don’t hesitate to ask for help.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! Elakha Alliance - September 12th
On September 12th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support Elakha Alliance.
About: Sea otters are a keystone species whose predation and behavior have a profound effect on the mix of species around it. In their absence, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has suffered, becoming ecologically less robust.
The Elakha Alliance was formed in 2018 by tribal, nonprofit, and conservation leaders with a shared belief in a powerful vision: an Oregon coast 50 years from now where our children and grandchildren co-exist along with a thriving sea otter population and a robust and resilient marine ecosystem.
Their mission: To restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon coast and to thereby make Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystem more robust and resilient.
Elakha (ee-LAK-uh) is a Chinook trading language word for sea otter, which were once plentiful in Oregon’s coastal waters.
Representatives from Alakha Alliance - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - August 16th, 2023
General
Employee Provision:
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 8/18
Flicker // Inspired by Autumn's warm days and crisp nights, Flicker was designed to spark conversation and community while delivering an engaging hop profile with notes of Lychee, Stonefruit, and Pine. // 6.80% ABV
Takeaways: Autumnal in theme, this perennial IPA will be around for the fall as we transition between Fresh Flow and Fresh Pow. A touch more malt and a hop profile that balances classic west-coast with a contemporary kick.
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit Peel. Blueberry. Autumnal.
Series: Perennial
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // The third incarnation of our Crosby TopWire series features Idaho 7 CGX, Azacca CGX, and, as always, estate-grown Comet. Pine and tropical; we just want to keep chasing that New-Age West Coast vibe. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: A rotating west-coast IPA brewed for Crosby's Topwire hop project, and featuring select Crosby CGX hops. Only available here and there.
Tasting Notes: Sitka Spruce. Mango. Patio Season.
Series: Emerging
Upcoming PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Turbulent Consequences Peche // Turbulent Consequence is our turbid mashed, extended boiled, lambic-style ale spontaneously fermented and matured in our underground wild cellars. Peche is made up of select 18-month-old barrels that are blended onto 1000 pounds of Elberta peaches and aged an additional 8 months. // 6.00% ABV
Takeaways: Lambic-style ale aged on one of the traditional five belgian brewing fruits, peaches. This years 1000 pounds of golden fleshed, free stone Elberta peaches came from Detering Orchards in Harrisburg, Oregon. Picked and added to barrels at the peak of ripeness, this beer showcases delicious local fruit, premium Oregon wine barrels, and the native house yeast culture living on the walls of our cellar's coolship.
Tasting Notes: Firm peach, oaky vanilla, midsummer
Series: Cellar
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 8/18
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale Ale
TC Peche // Lambic-style ale aged on Elberta peaches
Flicker // West Coast IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Consortium
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
Bill Breathes // Imperial Hazy IPA
Sticky Hands: High 5 // Imperial IPA
Fresh Hop Gloria! // Pilsner
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: West-Coast IPA
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
The craft beer explosion of the 1990s into the 2000s saw a dramatic transformation of what an IPA was as the style rapidly adopted sub-style monikers such as American IPA, West-Coast IPA, Northwest IPA, and New England IPA IPA. Northwest and West-Coast IPAs share a similar emphasis on traditional bitterness and big aromatics, and can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between, especially when you consider how these sub-styles continue to change and evolve with time; constantly being driven by the innovation of brewers.
West Coast IPA came out of the mid-90s with the creation of the double IPA. Breweries like Russian River and Stone Brewing pushed dry hopping rates up and made bigger and bigger IPAs with lots of bitterness, but often still had relatively large amounts of crystal malt in their grain bills that made these beers dark and malty compared to what they look like today. A big shift happened in and around San Diego in the first decade of the 2000s, breweries like Pizza Port, Ballast Point, and Green Flash continued to push dry hopping rates. It’s not clear exactly when the term West Coast IPA came to exist, but Green Flash filed a trademark on it in 2011.
It was largely the influence of hazy IPA and the surge of its popularity nationwide that reset some of the features of west coast IPA. Hazy IPA reset palates with its emphasis on juicy, fruit-forward hop profiles, and restrained, or even non-existent bitterness, which made them exceptionally easy to drink. The West Coast IPAs that emerged after the big hazy wave had a fraction of the bitterness of earlier beers, mostly dropped crystal malts and lightened the malt bill, while blending increasingly juicy new hop varieties with many of the tried and true varieties that defined the style previously. The style was already moving in this direction before Hazy stormed the industry, but after it’s actually hard to find those old-school big malt IPAs anymore, at least as a West Coast IPA.
Block 15 makes a wide range of IPAs, and being innovative within this style is one of our most endearing qualities as a brewery. Many of those IPAs we describe as West Coast, which, as we make them, can have a large range of malt and hop profiles, even featuring hops from outside the Pacific Northwest, as far away as Australia or New Zealand. This week we are releasing Flicker, one of our Perennial IPAs, Flicker always releases in the fall and caries through that season before we transition to Fresh Pow! Flicker features a lighter, but still noticeable malt profile that finishes dry with a touch of malt sweetness, the hop profile is juicy, piney, and slightly dank. It really exemplifies what this sub-style has come to be known for.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
There will be table tents going into rotation at the Pub that will have information on the Caves Beer Dinner and Bloktoberfest
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Levi is now a part-time manager at the Taproom! Give him a big high five next time you see him.
Gabi is now a Lead Server at the Taproom! Give her a big high five next time you see her!
Nick and I (mostly Nick) added some misters outside by the bus station to help cool folks off outside. Please make sure those are getting turned off every night! There is a little turn valve by the side kitchen door/bbq area where the hose is attached that just needs to be turned off.
We are out of labeled crowlers and now have labeled stickers that you fill out and put on the blank ones. Fill it out before you put it on (much easier to write on) and include the date filled, beer name, and ABV!
We tweaked a couple of the happy hour menu items.
Spring onion dip got replaced by a smaller clam dip still with chips and veggies
Block Tart got replaced by Chicken Wings with carrots and celery (each order has 5 wings)
When we run out of what is already batched of Wishful Thinking it will be 86ed and replaced with something else
We are switching up our seasonal lemonade flavor to white peach guava this Friday! We will run through what we have of passionfruit and passionfruit Marg alongside if needed.
Make sure we are rinsing out the smix pitchers before washing them as the seeds like to stick around.
With warm weather on the horizon for a while make sure we are watering the plants twice a day! Don’t forget about the little table succulents too (water them twice a week)
If you see anything break, need fixing, seems off, etc. write it in the maintenance log and let Madie know so it gets addressed ASAP!
Caves UPDATES
Lots of new items coming out of the kitchen in the weeks to come!
Events
Corvallis Beer Week
We have joined the fun as Corvallis Beer Week has returned. Block 15 and Caves will be involved in 3 different events… See below!
Pre-March Gather Hour at Caves - August 24th at 4 pm
About: The Kick-off for Corvallis Beer Week at Caves with 3 unique small bites paired with 3 beers chosen from our cellar. This will be followed by the traditional Beer Week march around Downtown Corvallis
Taste and Tour at Block 15 Taproom (Southtown) - August 28th at 6pm
About: Guided tour of the Southtown Brewery, complete with a walkthrough of the brewing process and examples of the grains and hops used to make our beers!
Folks will stick around after the tour for a $10 tasting flight special (4, 4oz beers). We'll also have a food special that day, more details to come… Sign-ups are online (now full!)
Caves Beer Dinner - August 29th at 6 pm **Ticketed***
Favorites from the past are making a resurgence alongside fresh new dishes at our next Caves Beer Dinner. We'll have six courses of unique offerings paired with hard-to-find cellared bottles and curated draught beer selections.
Link for tickets: CAVES BEER DINNER
Bloktoberfest!
Oct 6th and 7th! More details to come…
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Zach Griffiths - Zach was super helpful to everybody on a busy Friday night and was a great total team player!
—
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Trent Gasparitsch (BOH)
Congrats to Gabi for becoming a Lead Server at the Taproom!
SAFETY TIPS
Oregon’s heat waves have been getting worse in recent years. It's important that regardless of your level of activity, drink plenty of fluids, even if you are not thirsty, but especially when working outside.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! Elakha Alliance - September 12th
On September 12th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support Elakha Alliance.
About: Sea otters are a keystone species whose predation and behavior have a profound effect on the mix of species around it. In their absence, Oregon’s marine ecosystem has suffered, becoming ecologically less robust.
The Elakha Alliance was formed in 2018 by tribal, nonprofit, and conservation leaders with a shared belief in a powerful vision: an Oregon coast 50 years from now where our children and grandchildren co-exist along with a thriving sea otter population and a robust and resilient marine ecosystem.
Their mission: To restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon coast and to thereby make Oregon’s marine and coastal ecosystem more robust and resilient.
Elakha (ee-LAK-uh) is a Chinook trading language word for sea otter, which were once plentiful in Oregon’s coastal waters.
Representatives from Alakha Alliance - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - August 9th, 2023
General
See you this Sunday at the company BBQ!
Both Block 15 locations will be closed. Caves will be open for Brunch but closed for Dinner.
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Brandyn! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Caribbean Pork sandwich. This is a take on an old monthly special sandwich we used to run! Citrus marinated and smoked pork loin, jerk grilled onions, citrus aioli, cilantro, and jalapenos on a toasted bun!
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 8/11
Stoke Coast // Get stoked on the West Coast as we cram in as many summer trips as possible. This West Coast Pilsner is crisp, bright, and hop forward like the pines that grow along the salty cliffs of HWY 101. // 5.00% ABV
Takeaways: Small additions of pale and Munich malts add gentleness to an otherwise crisp malt base. Complimented by citrusy, floral, and gently tropical hops. Utilizing our combined experience in brewing to create a more balanced and drinkable hop-forward lager.
Tasting Notes: Lime. Papaya. On Board.
Series: Emerging
Peach Punch! (You in the Eye) // Great Notion and Block 15 have teamed up again, blending techniques and ideas from both breweries to brew this luscious, fruit-forward IPA. Fermented with peaches and apricots, before being heavily dry-hopped. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: MANY PEACHES AND APRICOTS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS BEER.
Tasting Notes: Peachieos. Pineapple. Juiced up.
Series: Synergy
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 8/11
Low Voltage // We packed all the flavor of a witbier into a lighter package, designed to be low-abv this beer is a great option for those looking for a more conscientious decision on what to drink. // 3.25% ABV
Takeaways: A classic Wit with a modern-Low abv twist. We pooled our collective experiences and brewing knowledge to experiment with this light and refreshing wit. Low ABV and Low calorie, it delivers a normal beer drinking experience with less guilt.
Tasting Notes: Lemon peel. Baking spice. Low-Hazard.
Series: Emerging
Standing Sun: Tangerine & Pink Guava // Celebrate the sun-drenched days of summer with the next variation in our series of fruited sour ales. Light and juicy, this beer is designed for maximum refreshment and features Tangerine and Pink Guava. // 5.20% ABV
Takeaways: Our next trial of a new series of heavily fruited, but low abv beers for the Summer. Tart, light and refreshing these beers are designed to accompany adventures all Summer-long.
Tasting Notes: Creamsicle. Orange Rind. Cool Down.
Series: Emerging
Stoke Coast // West Coast Pilsner
Peach Punch! (You in the Eye) // Hazy IPA with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Great Notion Brewing
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Topwire No. 2
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
TopWire IPA No. 03 // India Pale Ale
Peche 2023 // Lambic-style ale aged on Elberta peaches
Flicker // West Coast IPA
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
Bill Breathes // Imperial Hazy IPA
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: Low ABV
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Light beer has existed for at least a century, the definition of which changes from place to place. In the United States, light beer is a style that “has a significantly lower amount of calories than a comparable full-calorie version.” Alcohol and residual sugar are the primary influences of calories and carbohydrates in beer, so these beers are usually lower in abv, but also finish dryer in order to keep the carbohydrates in check. The result is, more often than not, a very thin and watery product without as much flavor as a normal beer.
The world of light beer has almost exclusively been a marketplace for macro breweries, but some craft breweries have jumped in with health-conscious products, both low abv and non-alcoholic. This market segment is growing as more and more consumers make health considerations around their relationship with alcohol. A recent study has predicted an annual growth rate of 4.1% in this sector through 2027. There is certainly room for more competition, but there is also a lot of room for experimentation.
When you think of light beers you think of thin, watery, and lacking flavor, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Craft breweries have an advantage over macro producers because we already strive to create premium products with everything we make, and don’t need to be as concerned about making beer as cheaply as possible. That said, we can experiment in the low abv/low-calorie beer market with products that still have full flavor and body while maintaining a product for health-conscious consumers.
Low Voltage is our first attempt at an ultra-low abv beer, clocking just over 3% we are working toward creating even lower beers that still maintain all the flavor and body of a normal beer. Using techniques that lock a higher percentage of unfermentable sugars in the beer, we create balance by bending longstanding rules and assumptions about how to compose the grain bill of a beer. Also, combining our collective experience with using hops we are working to create a balance in flavor and bitterness that is rare in these types of beers. Low Voltage is the first of what may become a series of low-abv beers and we continue to push our understanding of brewing to create something unique.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
The 2020 Lumos Pinot Noir will soon be replaced by their 2021 vintage (which is all downstairs in the server restock area). Please do not pull the new vintage until a manager tells you, so that we know when we are on the newest one.
We may temporarily run out of Mutantis Helles as they are between batches, but it will be back sometime next week if we do run out.
Spiders are busy little buddies this time of year, and are making webs quickly. Please make sure we are mindful of the special cleaning projects at close and are very detailed in hitting these webs all along the outside of the building.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We are switching up our seasonal lemonade flavor to white peach guava this Friday! We will run through what we have of passionfruit and passionfruit Marg alongside if needed.
Make sure we are rinsing out the smix pitchers before washing them as the seeds like to stick around.
With warm weather on the horizon for a while make sure we are watering the plants twice a day! Don’t forget about the little table succulents too (water them twice a week)
If you see anything break, need fixing, seems off, etc. write it in the maintenance log and let Madie know so it gets addressed ASAP!
Caves UPDATES
James Rahn Pinot Gris and the Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc will be back this week!
Two beers on the horizon! Check the Newsletter below for details.
More info on the Corvallis Beer Week Caves events will also be in this week’s newsletter. Be sure to thoroughly read it!
Lagered by the Sun updates!
Both displays are now up at the Tap Room and Pub. Take a second to check them out!
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Solar Powered
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Bloktoberfest - October 6th-7th
Save the date!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Garrison Schmidt - Day in, day out he comes in and crushes it. He brings a lot of positive vibes day to day and a certain Je ne sais quoi to the company that keeps things rolling along.
—
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Sam Hickok (BOH)
Adrianna Gabaldon (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Flu season typically starts in September and goes all the way through March. If you’re interested in Flu vaccine information and recommendations, Regence sent out some information in the link!
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! for Hunters of Color - August 15th
On August 15th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support equitable access to outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, and conservation for the Hunters of Color community in Oregon. This financial support helps us further our mission of making 'The Outdoors for Everyone' by engaging and empowering community members in outdoor recreation and conservation work.
Representatives from Hunters of Color - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - August 2nd, 2023
General
Native Land 2.0 Food Pairing!
Friday we will be serving a Pork and Blue Corn posole to pair with Native Land 2.0. This special will run the entire time we have the beer on draft.
Pork & Blue Corn Posole: Carlton Farms and Organic New Mexican blue corn, bell pepper, onions and spices in a savory broth with shredded cabbage, radishes, avocado and cilantro. Served with house-fried tortilla chips. $10.99
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Holly! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Blackberry and Burrata Plate with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic reduction.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 8/4
Native Land 2.0 // Joining Bow & Arrow Brewing, Native Land 2.0 is a Mexican-style lager using Blue Corn from Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. Part of this beer's proceeds will go to All Are We Water Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting Tribal and Indigenous Communities to co-create therapeutic outdoor educational and recreational programs for families. Block 15 Brewing will join 39 other breweries around the United States to raise awareness that Native Americans are not only an important part of our country's history but are still here. // 4.70% ABV
Takeaways: The second charity collab beer from Bow & Arrow, the concept for 2.0 is a Mexican lager using native corn from the region of the brewery collaborating, and the proceeds benefit land stewardship for access, or to preserve traditional foods for a native organization. Oregon did not have a native corn, so we purchased corn from the tribal organization at Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico, this is the same corn that Bow & Arrow uses in their Denim Tux Pilsner, among other beers.
Tasting Notes: Floral, Honey, Classic
Series: Synergy
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 8/4
Native Land 2.0 // Mexican Lager, collaboration with Bow & Arrow Brewing Co
Hop Shuffle // We're shuffling our deck of hops to bring you something unique. Talus, Chinook, and HBC-586 combine tropical and citrus notes with pine resin in a crisp, dry West Coast. // 6.80% ABV
Takeaways: The first of a rotating draught-only IPA series. We are striving for novel hop combinations we have never tried before, but also to explore the subtle ways we can incorporate different malts into our west-coast IPAs to make them more balanced, and unique. This batch combines Talus, Chinook, and HBC-586 with the addition of Weyermann Toasted Wheat to add a biscuity complexity as well as body to a dry West Coast.
Tasting Notes: Candied Orange. Pine Resin. Surf Wax.
Series: Emerging
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Topwire No. 2
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Peach Punch! (You in the Eye) // Hazy IPA with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Great Notion Brewing
Stoke Coast // West Coast Pilsner
Standing Sun: Tangerine & Pink Guava // Fruited Sour Ale
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale Ale
Flicker // West Coast IPA
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
BEER EDUCATION
Weekly Tastings of new releases and some classics is continuing:
Tuesdays at 2pm at the Taproom
Thursdays at 11am at the Pub
PUB UPDATES
Topo Chico will soon be stored in the Breakroom and will be part of pick lists. If we are running low, let a manager know and we will get more ordered.
Please check for wine boxes on Thursday and Friday evenings in the Server Restock Area and unpack them into their respective areas. Boxes should be recycled as soon as they are empty.
Credit card reader on the broken handheld has been fixed, and the one that was having intermittent issues should also be good to go (both newer styles of handhelds).
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We now have a new 3rd Toast Handheld! Please keep it by the window/silverware area to be used as quick access to 86 items, put numbers in, cash folks out, beer to-go, etc.! (Make sure it gets plugged in at night with the others to charge tho)
Please be gentle with the rockers. We have had one break already and they see a lot of wear and tear. We want to keep them looking good and in good condition!
Please keep the barrels by the bar decluttered. Personal water bottles and drinks are totally fine but clean up what is yours when leaving and keep other items up in the break room.
Please only do up to 2 rows of 1 kind of packaged beer in the coolers. It is ok to have a couple of open rows as more cans come out every Friday. Rearrange cans to keep open rows towards the sides or bottom of the coolers.
Caves UPDATES
A couple of new beers on the horizon! Keep your eyes peeled for updates!
Corvallis Beer Week is coming back and Caves is jumping in on the fun! We will be hosting the Kick-Off March as we have in years prior, and are offering a super exciting beer dinner as a ticketed event. More details to follow!
Lagered by the Sun updates!
Continuing our series about our sustainable brewing practices, we wanted to dive into the power we generate right here at our brewery through our solar panels.
In December of 2021, with the help of Oregon Clean Power Cooperative and the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, 98kW of solar panels were installed at the Southtown Brewery and Taproom. This is enough to provide the facility with 40% of the building’s needs. To this date, the solar panels have provided 193.36 MWh of power. To put this in perspective, this is enough energy to power 371 lightbulbs nonstop for a year. To see live tracking of the energy being produced, head here: Solar Kiosk.
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Solar Powered
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Hi all, it’s been a little while since we went over what our beer series mean and I wanted to share a reminder. Last year when we refreshed our branding, we started putting a series on our beers. Each series represents a category of beers we make and is a helpful piece of information for understanding if a beer is new or one we make year-round, etc.
I’ll be adding the series on each beer above starting today so that there’s better visibility on which series the beer lives in. You can always find this information on the top of the One Sheets, which are posted at both locations and linked on each beer above.
Cheers, Holly
Block 15 Beer Series explained:
Perpetual
Core Block 15 beers made year-round
Beers: Sticky Hands, Deep Seek, Joy, Fluffhead, Nebula, Gloria!
Perennial
Seasonal ales and lagers which return around the same time every year
Examples of Perennial Ales: Love Potion #9, Charmed Life, Favorable Fortune, Group Ride, Board Shorts, Animal Cookies, Nugg Hugg, Fresh Flow, Flicker, College, Ol’ St. Nick, Fresh Pow
Examples of Perennial Lagers: Alpine Ibex, Sol Fresco, Kumo, Fresca Pils, Bloktoberfest, Punch Out & Prost!, Carpathians
Orbital
Beers made periodically which typically have a higher price point than our Perennial or Perpetual beers
Orbital beers may or may not be made around the same time each year
Recent examples: Consortium, Wandelpad, Island in the Sky, The Incredible, Tipping Point, Tropicolor
Emerging
New and/or experimental beers typically made in a smaller capacity.
Sometimes you’ll see an Emerging beer return or be a part of a series if we’re testing things like hop combinations or adjuncts (Ingredients added which aren’t a part of traditional beer ingredients, like fruit or spices).
A cool thing about the Emerging Series is if the beer goes well, we can bring it back in a larger capacity and make it a part of our regular beers. So you might see them again!
Recent examples: Hop Shuffle, Paddle Season, Keen As!, Queen of Spices, Future Focus, Standing Sun
Synergy
Beers made in collaboration with another brewery or business
Recent examples: Peach Punch! With Great Notion Brewing, Oregona with The Oregon Hophouse, Alumni Club with Excelsior Brewing, Crystal Ball with The Bier Stein, Headhaze with Moonraker Brewing
Cellar
Predominantly barrel-aged beers, with small exceptions, made in a very limited capacity
Cellar beers are typically aged for longer periods of time in stainless steel tanks, oak foeders, oak barrels, or other specialty barrels.
For packaging, most Cellar Series beers are bottled, with small exceptions like Caves Saison which was canned
Recent examples: Rekindled, Cassidy, Caves Saison, TC Bing PX, Revolve, Hypnosis
EVENTS
Bloktoberfest - October 6th-7th
Save the date!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Alissa - for being the best bookkeeper possible. She's always on top of things and has a great attitude every day.. HIGH FIVE!
—
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
Make sure to clean up spills immediately and provide warning signs on wet floors.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! for Hunters of Color - August 15th
On August 15th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support equitable access to outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, and conservation for the Hunters of Color community in Oregon. This financial support helps us further our mission of making 'The Outdoors for Everyone' by engaging and empowering community members in outdoor recreation and conservation work.
Representatives from Hunters of Color - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - July 26th, 2023
General
Employee Summer BBQ info and RSVP!
Please RSVP by August 1st
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Garrison circa 2017! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Garrison's Maple Double Animal, a double 1/4# with white American cheese, maple glazed bacon, and grilled onions.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 7/28
Paddle Season // A confluence of our love of sessionability and our desire to bring refreshing, hop-forward beer to the masses. Bright, fruit-forward hops run through a crisp, satisfying experience. // 5.00% ABV
Takeaways: Light with a pleasant malt backbone, minus the caramel notes, this is a classic American Pale Ale amped up with CTZ, Chinook, and Mosaic to push a distinctly west-coast hop profile. Tropical, pine, allum, dank; all the good stuff.
Tasting Notes: Tangerine. Blueberry. Float on.
Consortium: Mosaic x HBC 586 // Amplified like a stereo record this IPA unites two hop varieties to create a special sensory experience. We paired the dank, tropical notes of mosaic with the citrus character of HBC 586. // 6.60% ABV
Takeaways: We're dropping the hybrid concept and moving Consortium into the realm of west coast with a great combination of two dynamic hops. Mosaic and the newcomer, HBC-586. We've used 586 a few times now and we're really taking a liking to its distinct herbal and tropical components.
Tasting Notes: Candied Lemon. Kiwi. Explorations
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 7/28
Paddle Season // West Coast Pale Ale
Consortium: Mosaic x HBC 586 // India Pale Ale
Rekindled // A blend of wild gold barrels aged on biodynamic Pinot Noir pomace from our winery. The barrels selected tasted wonderful but didn't fit the flavor profile for any of our other standard gold blends, so this is truly a second life! Look for robust acidity, vanilla, and tart cherry. // 7.50% ABV
Takeaways: Giving a second life to raw materials that would otherwise be thrown away, but are still able to be used. Making sure we get the most out of what nature gave us.
Tasting Notes: Tart Cherry, faint oak, puckering
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Fresh Flow
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale Ale
Native Land 2.0 // Mexican Lager, collaboration with Bow & Arrow Brewing Co
Hop Shuffle // West Coast IPA
Peach Punch // Hazy IPA with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Great Notion
Stoke Coast // West Coast Pilsner
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: Pale Ales
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Pale ale has existed in one way or another since the 18th century. The name “pale ale” encompasses dozens of different styles, many British beers that we identify individually, such as Bitter, or ESB fall under the umbrella of Pale Ale. British Pale Ale, as a distinct style, developed as a result of the rise of the popularity of India Pale Ale in the 19th century. Though the term already existed, it began to refer to beers that were lower abv versions of the stronger IPAs that were being exported. These beers were characterized by a golden to amber color with a predominant hop character and an abv between 5-6%.
Pale Ale became one of the first breakout styles in American craft beer but transformed into a distinct style with the addition of American hop varieties that featured more prominent citrus and pine flavors. Sierra Nevada first brewed their pale ale in 1980 and became iconic with many breweries drawing inspiration from that beer and adding more varieties of American hops as the expansion of hop breeding in the U.S. brought more and more distinct varieties to the market.
The 21st century has seen an even greater variety of characteristics in pale ales, especially with the explosion of popularity in Hazy IPA. Hazy Pale Ales have removed caramel malts, dropped bitterness, and pushed more fruit-forward hop combinations mimicking the characteristics of Hazy IPA. Joy is a very modern, hazy-ish take on the American Pale Ale. It is softer and juicier than a classic version of the style but still retains a pleasant complexity that makes it unique.
This week, we are releasing Paddle Season West Coast Pale Ale. We chose the “West Coast” moniker for this beer to differentiate it from Joy and because, much like with IPA, Pale Ale is having a moment again with a resurgent interest in brite, bitter beers that showcase dank, piney, and even herbal characteristics that seemed to be going out of style just a few years ago. We are constantly learning and developing new processes in how we make beer, especially hoppy beer. Paddle season reflects this by taking classic ingredients and arranging them in a very contemporary way. It calls back classic pale ales but is also very modern.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
With the extended hot weather we have been having, please make sure to water the barrel on 3rd St. twice a day with a full bucket of water each, and the barrel next to 101 also with a full bucket of water. This task is on the Host list and should be completed before being phased.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thanks to everyone for kicking butt during all the Tunes Brews and BBQ Wednesdays!
Reminder: When folks are returning kegs/taps and not picking up another one make sure to write down the name that was on the order, their phone number and what they are returning (1/6bbl, 1/4bbl, 50L, any taps, etc)
Please keep the tables and chairs in the barrel room about 5-8 inches away from any barrel as they are very leaky and sticky right now. If you see any of it get on the tables or chairs please clean it quickly so it doesn’t get stuck on the surface.
Caves UPDATES
We are tapping a new and exciting beer from the Chicago area tomorrow!
Lagered by the Sun updates!
We will be putting up displays at each location this week! Our Pub will be digital (on the TV above the doorway) and our Taproom will have a printed display. Check out our website hub for a sneak peek!
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Solar Powered
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Tunes, Brews & BBQ - Last show today 7/26
We have a dedicated web page for the events this year, with a complete list of details: https://block15.com/tunes-brews-and-bbq-2023
Wed 7/26 - The Hunks and The Hottie
BBQ Special: Brisket Burnt Ends, Texas Toast, Pickles, Elotes
Bloktoberfest - October 6th-7th
Save the date!
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Check back next week!
—
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
Make sure to not carry more than you can reasonably handle. Make extra trips or don’t be afraid to ask for help.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Cheers for Charity - August 1st
Hosted by Corvallis Young Pros, a portion of the day’s drink sales from the Tap Room will be donated to support ABC House. ABC House is the only children's advocacy center serving Linn and Benton Counties. For over 25 years, ABC House has provided a continuum of comprehensive services to over 12,000 children and their families including child abuse assessments, forensic interviews, family advocacy and support, and trauma counseling.
Dine Out! for Hunters of Color - August 15th
On August 15th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support equitable access to outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, and conservation for the Hunters of Color community in Oregon. This financial support helps us further our mission of making 'The Outdoors for Everyone' by engaging and empowering community members in outdoor recreation and conservation work.
Representatives from Hunters of Color - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - July 19th, 2023
General
Employee Summer BBQ info and RSVP!
Please RSVP by August 1st
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Kelsey! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Fried Fish Sandwich.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 7/21
Wandelpad // Inspired by the Trappist beers of Belgium, this blonde ale is crisp, complex, and refreshing. Paring traditional malts and yeast with PNW-grown hops, it balances fruity esters, rustic flavor, and a zesty hop finish. // 6.50% ABV
Takeaways: Naturally conditioned in tank, this step adds time to the process, but it's a commitment to quality that we can't overlook. The refermentation of Belgian beers is essential to the mouthfeel and perception of dryness the style requires.
Tasting Notes: Bartlett Pear. Ginger. Leisurely Stroll.
Animal Cookies // Brewed for the hop-loving animal inside of you, this can is packed with sticky, pungent hops. Unleash a swirling circus of pineapple, tangerine, mango, pine, and dank herb hop characters. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: The return of a classic Block 15 IPA. Hazy IPA done the Block 15 way.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Papaya. Navel Orange. Equitorial.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 7/21
Wandelpad // Belgian Blonde Ale
Animal Cookies // Hazy IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Kumo
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Paddle Season // West Coast Pale Ale
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale Ale
Consortium: Mosaic x HBC 586 // India Pale Ale
Rekindled // Wild Golden Ale
Native Land 2.0 // Mexican Lager
Stoke Coast // West Coast Pilsner
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: Style Feature - Hazy ipa
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
The plethora of products sold as India Pale Ale today offers a diversity of characteristics that continue to make them appealing to such a broad range of consumers that they remain the most popular “style” of craft beer in the market. They have, in fact, developed into such distinct sub-styles that they only feature a few common characteristics, such as abv (between 5.5% and 9%, but with some examples exceeding that), or being very hop-forward in their flavor and aroma. Most examples hardly resemble the beers that pioneered the style in the 18th and 19th centuries.
History of the style
Flash forward to the beginning of the 21st century and the explosion of craft beer in the United States. IPA had gone from a forgotten style to the most popular style in craft beer. Often malt-forward, clear, and extremely bitter, they largely featured the characteristics of the infamous “C-hops,” such as Chinook, Crystal, Cascade, Centennial, or Columbus (also referred to as CTZ for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus, three nearly identical hop varieties).
In 2004 The Alchemist Brewing in Waterbury, Vermont started making Heady Topper IPA, a sea-change for the industry. The beer was less bitter, featured a less prominent malt profile, and the hop profile was juicy with very little of the floral and herbal characteristics that were popular at the time. There was a move to push hop additions to the end of the boil, allowing their more delicate flavors to shine through by preserving the aroma and flavor-carrying hop oils and pushing dry hop weights higher and higher. The increase in hop oils in the product and lack of filtration gave heady topper a murky, hazy appearance that was initially scoffed at, but ultimately became a trademark component of the emerging sub-style. Initially referred to as “Vermont-Style IPA” before being called “New England-Style IPA” it is now mostly just referred to as “Hazy IPA,” a reflection of how universally produced and enjoyed it has become.
There are many, many breweries that played a role in the advancement of the style and production methods, far too many for this article. The period of the style’s development produced no shortage of misconceptions both from brewers and consumers, some of which persist today.
some of my favorite misconceptions:
“The haze is from the yeast” - An idea where brewers intentionally tried to hold yeast in suspension to produce the characteristic haze. In reality, the haze in these beers is a polyphenol-protein complex derived from malt and hops. Yeast plays a role in the process, but it should be the goal of every brewer to package a beer with as little yeast in suspension as possible.
“New England IPAs have zero IBU’s” - There is no such thing as a beer with hops that has zero IBU’s. Even if there are no hops in the boil, where alpha acids in the hops are converted into bitterness, just dry hopping a beer adds IBU’s to the product.
“There is lactose in Hazy IPAs” - Some hazy’s do have lactose, those that are identified as “Milkshake IPA,” but most do not and are fine for Vegan consumers to have.
“They taste fruity so there must be fruit in them” - If a hazy IPA doesn’t say it has fruit in it, then it doesn’t. Contemporary hop varieties often feature strong fruit characteristics. I assure you, if we go to the expense of putting fruit in our beers we will advertise that.
Key Characteristics
A few distinguishing characteristics largely define the style. They have less bitterness, are sweeter and more full-bodied than other IPAs, usually feature predominantly juicy hop profiles, especially with tropical and citrus characteristics, and they use malt adjuncts that have high protein levels that help produce a more stable haze.
The “Blazy”
Block 15 produces many hazy IPAs, but we often prefer to make them less sweet and with more bitterness than many other breweries - affectionately nicknaming them “Blazys”. We feel a lot of the hazy IPAs in the market are not made with balance in mind, and our goal is always to make beer that is balanced and drinkable.
This week we are releasing Animal Cookies, which has proven to be one of our most popular Hazy IPAs. Animal Cookies features Citra, Mosaic, and Cashmere hops, all of which are popular for Hazy IPAs, but also Chinook and CTZ which push a more piney and dank profile that is common for us.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
Blueberry-Lavender Lemonade is being phased out by Passionfruit this Friday! We may have a small amount left over, but once we sell through what we have, we will be out for the season. If guests remember the Passionfruit Margarita that we used to do, we will be able to do that one again and will have a button in for it.
This Friday we are also launching the Texas Sun (name from a Leon Bridges song) which will have tequila, watermelon, and Topo Chico. This is modeled after Ranch Water which is a cocktail that originated in Texas consisting of Topo Chico, tequila, and lime.
Fun facts about this cocktail:
We acid-adjusted the watermelon juice by adding some citric and malic acids (which are naturally derived from citrus fruits) to give the watermelon juice the acidity of lime juice. This juice in combination with the watermelon simple that we made gives the cocktail a big and bright hit of watermelon without getting watered down. Plus the color is gorgeous!
The simple syrup is made only with fresh juiced watermelon and sugar, so it's super concentrated and not cooked down which conserves that ubiquitous summertime flavor.
We used nearly the whole watermelon in this cocktail by also pickling the rind which will be the garnish.
With this new cocktail, we will also have Topo Chico available for purchase!
We are nearly out of the Wombat Flats and should be out by Friday morning at which point we will transition back to 2 Towns Outcider. If you get any feedback from guests saying they loved the Lassen Ciders, let a manager know and we may be able to bring some back on.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Always ask Madie before moving things, changing any appearance of something, etc.!
We will be switching up from Passion Fruit lemonade in the next few weeks, stay tuned!
Make sure FOH communicates with BOH on seating. Especially big tops but if you sat 4 2 tops or 2 3 tops and a 5 top, etc. It helps keep everyone on the same page and ready to rock!
Make sure to triple-check the food you are running against the ticket to be sure you have the right items. When we are busy it is easy to try to move really quickly and make easily avoidable mistakes, so just take a moment to be sure!
Caves UPDATES
Whether you are FOH or BOH, please remember to check your HotSchedules messages before each shift. This is a very helpful tool we use to communicate as a team, and important info is often passed along via messages.
Lagered by the Sun updates!
Check back next week!
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Solar Powered
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Tunes, Brews & BBQ - Wednesdays in July
We have a dedicated web page for the events this year, with a complete list of details: https://block15.com/tunes-brews-and-bbq-2023
All reservations have been booked, if people ask. People can still enjoy the music on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Here’s the schedule:
Wed 7/19 - Ludicrous Speed
BBQ Special: Huli Huli Chicken Hindquarters, Hawaiian Mac Salad, Mango-fennel slaw, Rice
Wed 7/26 - The Hunks and The Hottie
BBQ Special: Brisket Burnt Ends, Texas Toast, Pickles, Elotes
Block 15 Softball Team - May-August
Stop by and cheer on the team! Game dates are subject to change, but as of right now:
7/25 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 8/1 6:10pm @ Rene Moye West.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Entire BOH - I wanted to give a shoutout for the BOH on last Saturday the 8th at the taproom. They continuously cranked out great food the entire busy busy night. And even had a good attitude at the end of it. It was a long day and we couldn’t have done it without them!
—
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome the following folks to the team!
Gretel Ellenburg (BOH)
Alex Salazar (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
When temperatures rise, so do the risks of heat-related illnesses and injuries. Make sure you’re staying hydrated and cool on these hot busy days
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Cheers for Charity - August 1st
Hosted by Corvallis Young Pros, a portion of the day’s drink sales from the Tap Room will be donated to support ABC House. ABC House is the only children's advocacy center serving Linn and Benton Counties. For over 25 years, ABC House has provided a continuum of comprehensive services to over 12,000 children and their families including child abuse assessments, forensic interviews, family advocacy and support, and trauma counseling.
Dine Out! for Hunters of Color - August 15th
On August 15th, a portion of sales from both Block 15 locations will be donated to help support equitable access to outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, and conservation for the Hunters of Color community in Oregon. This financial support helps us further our mission of making 'The Outdoors for Everyone' by engaging and empowering community members in outdoor recreation and conservation work.
Representatives from Hunters of Color - Oregon will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about our organization. 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!
Internal Brewsletter - July 12th, 2023
General
Employee Provision:
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Kailey! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a tomato and burrata crostini.
We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 7/14
Fresca Pils // A crisp, hop-forward Italian-style pilsner brewed with Italian Eraclea pilsner malt and generously hopped with European Styrian hops, lending zippy notes of citrus, berries, and fresh-cut grass. // 5.30% ABV
Takeaways: This year we employed German-grown Amarillo hops to really push the dry-hop character of this delightfully dry pilsner.
Tasting Notes: Marmalade. Elderflower. Enrapturing.
Scientifical // Don your lab coat and imbibe this supercritical display of dankness. We layered waves of sticky, resinous hop goodness on a delicate malt base to scientifically flavorize this delicious 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.
Ice Knife // Brewed with cutting-edge hop technologies, including Co2 extracted Salvo™ and cryogenically frozen Strata CGX™. This WC x NE Hybrid IPA amplifies the most vibrant factions of sticky and pungent hop characters with a razor-sharp hop showcase of bright citrus peel oils and dense resin. // 7.00% ABV
Takeaways: 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.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 7/14
Fresca Pils // Italian Pilsner
Scientifical // India Pale Ale
Ice Knife // India Pale Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Fresh Flow
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Animal Cookies // India Pale Ale
Wandelpad // Belgian Blonde
Paddle Season // Pale Ale
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale Ale
Consortium: Mosaic x HBC 586 // India Pale Ale
Native Land 2.0 // Mexican Lager
Stoke Coast // West Coast Pilsner
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: Italian Pilsners
It might sound like a classic European lager style, but Italian Pilsner is a baby compared to German Pilsner or Bohemian Pilsner. Invented by Agostino Arioli at his Como, Italy brewery, Birrificio Italiano in the mid-90s, Tipopils is the original Italian Pilsner. Initially, to recreate a particular example of a Northern German Pilsner, Arioli added a small dry hop that drastically changed the beer. The result was light and crisp with a touch of sulfur from the lager yeast and a noticeable, but not overpowering hop aroma and flavor from dry hopping with Noble hops. Birrificio Italiano initially used Tettnanger, Spalter Select, and Hallertau Mittelfruh, three German hop varieties known for their herbal, spicy, and floral attributes. The hops lend a gentle spicy and grassy character to the pilsner.
The emerging style was introduced to America by Firestone Walker and their beer, Pivo Pils. They moved into using Saphir, a German-grown hop with more intense aromatics that pushed the hop profile of that beer. More American brewers caught on to the emerging style and started brewing variations of it, mostly using German hops, but also looking at other unique European hop varieties that could bring interesting characteristics not otherwise seen in Pilsners.
Fresca Pils is Block 15’s take on the Italian Pilsner style. Historically that beer has been brewed with Mandarina Bavaria, a German variety that exhibits strong citrus notes, but this year we substituted that with Hallertau Amarillo. These are hops of American origin and typically grown here in the PNW, that were grown in Germany, imparting the terroir of Hallertau, a hop growing region in Bavaria, into an aromatic, American IPA style hop.
The other hop featured is Styrian Kolbiri, a newer variety of Slovenian hop from the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing in Žalec. There are a number of interesting new varieties coming out of Slovenia now, to the point that it has become the second largest hop-producing nation in Europe, after Germany. Styrian Kolbiri features notes of blackcurrant, pineapple, and elderflower.
Some breweries exclusively brew their Italian Pilsners with noble hops that feature the traditional tasting notes of those regions, while others, like Block 15, prefer to interpret this emerging style utilizing the newer, progressive variety of European hops that continue to become available as the American Craft Beer movement continues to influence European beer culture. When you get down to it, Italian Pilsner is just a European Craft beer style, a rare thing that will likely be more common as the industry continues to evolve.
Further Reading:
PUB UPDATES
Congratulations to Taylor Stine for stepping into a Server role! He will begin training in a few weeks, go make sure to give him a big ‘ol high five in the meantime!
Please turn off the light to the Mill Room (where the brooms and vacuum are located) and close the door when you are finished. Since this is a workspace/storage area, we want to keep it from being visible to customers. Also, when you are finished with the broom or dustpan, please hang them back up to keep the space tidy.
Blueberry-Lavender lemonade is on its last legs (as is the Don’t Panic). Within the next week or two we will be switching to the Passionfruit Lemonade. A new cocktail is in the works to replace the Don’t Panic.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Big congratulations to Makayla who is now a Taproom FOH Manager! She is starting to train and step into that role over the next week or so. Make sure to give her a huge high five next time you see her!
We have a new mini fridge! It is smaller than the old cocktail fridge so the cocktails are now in the old lemonade fridge and lemonades and 2towns cans are in the small fridge.
The felt letter board by the merch now has all the prices listed for the merch to help keep all the info clear for customers!
We are completely sold out for reservations for all remaining tunes, brews and bbq dates if folks ask.
Caves UPDATES
Welcome Donlon! He is going to start cross-training this week and we are super excited to have him on the team!
Another reminder to please use coasters upon greeting each table–we have a large back stock and should be using them to provide a better experience for guests and to keep the tables looking good.
Lagered by the Sun updates!
The marketing team is working on displays to go up at the Taproom and Downtown locations that talk about our solar energy, ingredients sourcing, and what cans to find the lagered by the sun stamp on. The Pub will have slides on the TV and the Taproom will have posters hung up by the entrance and cooler.
Next up will be digital pushes for what this program means… Soon (next week!), we will have a webpage with all the info about Lagered by the Sun! It will be a nice tool to go back to and brush up on what the program is all about!
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Solar Powered
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Tunes, Brews & BBQ - Wednesdays in July
We have a dedicated web page for the events this year, with a complete list of details: https://block15.com/tunes-brews-and-bbq-2023
All reservations have been booked if people ask. People can still enjoy the music on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Here’s the schedule:
Wed 7/12 - Summer Of Love
BBQ Special: Chicken Yakitori w/ Tare Sauce, Japanese potato salad, Cucumber Sunomono, Rice
Wed 7/19 - Ludicrous Speed
BBQ Special: Huli Huli Chicken Hindquarters, Hawaiian Mac Salad, Mango-fennel slaw, Rice
Wed 7/26 - The Hunks and The Hottie
BBQ Special: Brisket Burnt Ends, Texas Toast, Pickles, Elotes
Block 15 Softball Team - May-August
Stop by and cheer on the team! Game dates are subject to change, but as of right now:
7/18 8:45pm @ Pioneer Park, 7/25 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 8/1 6:10pm @ Rene Moye West.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Nic Haye - Nic made a delicious Peach Turnover dessert special last week & it was bomb.com!
Bryce Benson - You did an amazing job reorganizing the keg washing area this week!
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
Workplace procedures exist to keep employees safe, so using every tool and machine according to their instructions is critical. If you’re uncertain on how to use something, don't be afraid to ask for help!
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Cheers for Charity - August 1st
Hosted by Corvallis Young Pros, a portion of day’s drink sales from the Tap Room will be donated to support ABC House. ABC House is the only children's advocacy center serving Linn and Benton Counties. For over 25 years, ABC House has provided a continuum of comprehensive services to over 12,000 children and their families including child abuse assessments, forensic interviews, family advocacy and support and trauma counseling.
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!
Internal Brewsletter - July 5th, 2023
General
Congrats to Travis Smith for accepting the kitchen line Manager position! Thank you to all who interviewed, we had a pool of AMAZING candidates and am so excited to continue to see everyone grow in their current roles and to see Travis take on this new endeavor!
New Dessert! This Friday both locations will be replacing the Carrot Cake Bell with the Strawberry Bell!
Oregon strawberry cake with a fluffy cream cheese filling. This update to a childhood classic is then topped with a classic swirl and fresh strawberry. $8
Employee Provision: We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Tyler! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a traditional-style Chicago dog.
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 7/7
Kumo // An incredibly dry, Japanese-inspired rice lager, Kumo features NW-grown Pilsner malt and citrusy Cashmere hops. Crisp and easy-going, Kumo breezes through like a drifting cloud. // 4.50% ABV
Takeaways: After Nick and Ted's trip to Japan, this beer was adjusted to more accurately reflect the rice lagers they encountered on their travels
Tasting Notes: Bread Crust. Lemon Rind. Super-Dry.
Island in the Sky // Inspired by the mountain peaks that stand, inviting, over our valley. This deceptively smooth Imperial Hazy features a bounty of juicy and piney NW hops, reflecting the beautiful landscape itself. // 9.00% ABV
Takeaways: This Hazy IIPA focuses on fruit-forward hops, featuring several that showcase robust berry characteristics, including a unique lot of Chinook that is heavy on the Blue Raspberry character.
Tasting Notes: Orange Sherbert. Ripe Mango. Elevated.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 7/7
Kumo // Japanese Rice Lager
Island in the Sky // Hazy Imperial IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Queen of Spices
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Scientifical // India Pale Ale
Ice Knife // India Pale Ale
Fresca Pils // Italian Pilsner
Animal Cookies // India Pale Ale
Wandelpad // Belgian Blonde
Paddle Season // Pale Ale
TopWire IPA Block No. 03 // India Pale 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: Kumo
Last year we released Kumo, our take on a Japanese-style rice lager that Asahi Super-Dry inspired. While it was close, we felt there was room for improvement, especially after traveling to Japan and tasting the beer fresh with a perfect pour at every establishment we visited.
We set out to make a few changes to the beer:
Reduce the bitterness to emphasize drinkability with a very dry finish.
Ensure the lagering duration is adequate to reduce the sulfur level of beer to near zero. Examples of this in Japan had no sulfur at all.
Move all possible ingredients to PNW sources to highlight our “Lagered by the Sun” program. (All malt and hops are from the PNW, only the rice flakes are from elsewhere)
Additionally, we set out to improve the customer experience with this release:
Focus on the pouring, bringing in specialty equipment that can mimic the perfect head formation we saw with every pour in Japan.
Design a food pairing that reflects the authentic culture we experienced when traveling in Japan.
Friday-Sunday for the release we will be running a Katsu Curry dish that will be offered at both locations!
Panko breaded and fried pork cutlet over a bed of steamed basmati rice, with our Japanese curry sauce, shredded cabbage, and quick citrus pickled cucumbers. $16.99
"The clean, malt-forward profile of a Kumo rice lager beautifully complements the robust flavors of curry tonkatsu, providing a refreshing balance to the rich and spicy curry while allowing the crispy, breaded tonkatsu to shine."
Creating this and other supplementary documents to help aid staff education for this release.
A little History of this style:
There are four major conglomerates in the Japanese beer industry: Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory. Kirin dominated beer sales as the clear #1 brand in Japan from the end of World War II into the mid-1980s (61% of beer sold in the decade before 1985). There had been several “wars” with product development in the decade leading up to 1985 that impacted the beer market, but nothing like the “dry wars” that came out of Asahi releasing their “Super-Dry” beer that year. Their market research indicated that the consumer taste was changing to prefer a sharp and refreshing product rather than the richer profile of Kirin. That beer was a huge hit and eventually pushed Asahi to be the top brand in Japan. The other breweries tried to copy their success, but were never successful in regaining market share from Asahi.
PUB UPDATES
For the Kumo release, we will be running a special cocktail pairing for the weekend only (or until we are out of the ingredients). This cocktail will feature a split base of white rum and shochu*, salted lime simple, muddled lime and shiso**, and soda water. Similar to a mojito, but not as sweet and will pair super well with the curry.
*Shōchū is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes, or even carrots
Shiso is an herb often used in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cooking. Shiso has notes/flavors of mint, basil, tarragon, cilantro, cinnamon, and sometimes anise
We will also run an N/A cocktail alongside this mojito-inspired one with Calpico, lime, and soda water.
Happy Place will be falling off of the menu this Friday and will be replaced by a cocktail made by the lovely Laura! It will feature Soho Lychee liqueur, yuzu, pink peppercorn simple, and prosecco. It’s super crisp and refreshing with a nice tropical sweetness to it. It’ll be a great offering during these hot summer days.
Happy Hour is back! Starting Sunday 7/9 we will be offering a selection of small plates and 4 cocktails on our happy hour menu and it will run Sun-Thurs 2pm-5pm. All draught beer and wine along with root beer and kombucha will also be $1 off. There is a discount button to apply $1 off. For food items and cocktails, there will be a separate menu in the Toast screen specifically for Happy Hour items that will already be discounted. We will have menus that should be dropped at the table with our other menus during Happy Hour. Please specifically call these items out to guests.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Tunes Brews and BBQ starts this week on 7/5! We are full for reservations for this week but have a few spots left for the rest of them. They will be mapped out on paper so you can mark folks off as they arrive and if they don’t show within 15 min of their reservation please give them a call before giving the table away.
It is wasp season! Please be diligent about picking up food scraps and trash outside as they love to congregate by food. Let Madie know if you notice any swarms or if they linger in one area in particular.
Happy Hour is back! Starting Sunday 7/9 we will be offering a selection of small plates and 3 cocktails on our happy hour menu and it will run Sun-Thurs 2pm-5pm. All draught beer and wine along with root beer and kombucha will also be $1 off. There is a discount button to apply $1 off. For food items and cocktails, there will be a separate menu in the Toast screen specifically for Happy Hour items that will already be discounted. We will have menus that should be dropped at the table with our other menus during Happy Hour. Please specifically call these items out to guests
This Friday we are releasing Island in the Sky. It is pretty limited in draft so there will be no draft to go available to start, but we have plenty of cans!
The new logo pint glasses we have are for sale only! Please if you see one turn up in our dirty dish rack to wash it and put it back on the merch shelf!
Caves UPDATES
We have a new cocktail joining our line-up this week!
Raspberry Beret
White rum, golden raspberry simple, lime, cocchi rosa.
Fun fact: the golden raspberries are locally grown and are picked up at the Corvallis Farmers Market!
Lagered by the Sun!
We are working on merch!
You will see these coming weeks the Lagered by the Sun logo more and more. Coasters have landed! You may notice that one side of the coaster has Gloria! Pilsner on it… That’s because this is the beer we are highlighting in this program (that doesn’t meen our other beers aren’t lagered by the sun). We will be receiving stickers, pins, and hats (later in the year) and a display for our TR location for folks to read about!
Next up will be digital pushes for what this program means… Soon, we will have a webpage with all the info about Lagered by the Sun! It will be a nice tool to go back to and brush up on what the program is all about!
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Brewed by the Sun
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Check back next week!
EVENTS
Tunes, Brews & BBQ - Wednesdays in July
We have a dedicated web page for the events this year, with a complete list of details and a link to the reservation page: https://block15.com/tunes-brews-and-bbq-2023
Here’s the schedule:
Wed 7/5 - Wild Hog In The Woods
BBQ Special: Smoked Nashville Hot Pork Belly Sandwich, Smashed Pickle & Potato Salad, Watermelon
Wed 7/12 - Summer Of Love
BBQ Special: Chicken Yakitori w/ Tare Sauce, Japanese potato salad, Cucumber Sunomono, Rice
Wed 7/19 - Ludicrous Speed
BBQ Special: Huli Huli Chicken Hindquarters, Hawaiian Mac Salad, Mango-fennel slaw, Rice
Wed 7/26 - The Hunks and The Hottie
BBQ Special: Brisket Burnt Ends, Texas Toast, Pickles, Elotes
Block 15 Softball Team - May-August
Stop by and cheer on the team! Game dates are subject to change, but as of right now:
7/11 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 7/18 8:45pm @ Pioneer Park, 7/25 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 8/1 6:10pm @ Rene Moye West.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Distro Warehouse Team - They have been absolutely buried with work this week as we had a ton of last minute orders for distro before the holiday weekend, and have worked until the wee hours in the morning to make sure that our trucks are full and ready to rock for our drivers and accounts. Scott and Jarrod! Thanks so much for what you guys do!
Distro Drivers - Distro has been rockin at the end of this week with a ton of last minute orders for accounts before the holiday weekend that led to some insane Friday routes! Spencer, Mark, Nick T, Zach, and Andy. You tha real MVPs! Thanks for crushing it!
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
Check back next week!
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!
Internal Brewsletter - June 28th, 2023
General
A reminder on acceptable forms of ID: https://www.oregon.gov/olcc/docs/publications/Acceptable_ID_Alcohol_English.pdf
This means that unfortunately, we are unable to accept UK IDs as well. Please be diligent and check IDs and log in your respective location’s OLCC log when you have to deny service due to an unacceptable form of ID.
Check out the Caves section for the new Caves newsletter designed to keep our crew up to date on all of the cool changes and items that we are bringing on next door.
Employee Provision: We’re looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Niko! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Horiatiki, a traditional Greek salad featuring fresh veggies (NO lettuce), feta cheese, olive oil, and vinegar.
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 6/30
The Incredible // This preposterously smooth Triple IPA is brewed with a duo of PNW-grown pale and pilsner malts and balanced by a bounty of our favorite hop varietals. Approachable but incredible. // 10.60% ABV
Takeaways: Revamped, reimagined, and fully loaded. We took our classic Triple IPA and gave it the attention it deserves, focusing on a crisp, dry finish with an intense hop aroma and dangerously smooth.
Tasting Notes: Resinous. Pineapple. Heavy Hitter
Where Rivers Meet // Brewed collaboratively between Sunriver Brewing, Block 15, and Buoy Beer Co, this excellent pale ale was created to support the Ocean Blue Project/World Ocean Day. Oregon-grown Salmon Safe hops provide bright citrus and tropical character in this easy-drinking beer. // 5.50% ABV
Takeaways: Made in Sunriver with Chinook, Crystal, Comet, Strata hops, this collaboration pale ale was made to celebrate World Oceans Day and bring awareness to the Ocean Blue Project and their initiatives to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers through clean-ups, solutions to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems, community-driven service learning, and youth education. The inspiration behind this project is that “All rivers lead to the sea”, with all three breweries located by a major river and Buoy by both river and sea. We gathered together to volunteer our time cleaning up the beach this last Saturday and picked up almost 50lbs of trash!
Tasting Notes: Tropical. Bright Citrus. Impactful.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 6/30
The Incredible // Triple IPA
Where Rivers Meet // Pale Ale made with Sunriver Brewing & Buoy Beer Co
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Fresh Flow
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Kumo // Rice Lager
Island in the Sky // Imperial Hazy IPA
Scientifical // India Pale Ale
Ice Knife // India Pale Ale
Fresca Pils // Italian Pilsner
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: What is a Lager?!
Lager is one of two overarching families of grain-based beverages that comprise “beer.” The other family is ale. Under these families lie further differences that split the world of beer into more than 100 styles, some distinct and some with decidedly fuzzy borders...
Technically, there is only one core difference between all ales and lagers: the type of yeast used to ferment the wort into beer. Simply put, ale yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) make ales and lager yeasts (Saccharomyces pastorianus) make lagers. Although most ale yeasts ferment wort at relatively warm temperatures, usually between 15°C and 24°C (roughly between 60°F and 75°F), lager yeasts can ferment at relatively cool temperatures, usually between 6°C and 13°C (roughly 42°F and 55°F). Lager yeasts also ferment much more slowly than ale yeasts, produce fewer fermentation by-products, and are considered “cleaner and crisper” tasting than ales by most drinkers. Lager yeasts also tend not to throw a thick, rocky head on top of the fermenting wort during primary fermentation; instead, they tend settle to the bottom. This is why lager yeasts are also called “bottom-fermenting” yeasts as opposed to “top-fermenting” ale yeasts.
Further Reading: https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/crsBr6IEDq/
PUB UPDATES
We will be closing at 7:30pm on the 4th of July
As mentioned in the Read & Sign, the garnish for Vodka Lemonades and Margaritas are changing to a dehydrated lemon and lime respectively. N/A Lemonades will get the standard single lemon slice. In the case of an Improbability Drive with booze, that will get a dehydrated lime wheel.
New Menu Item! Coming out June 30th.
Strawberry Fields Salad-Fresh salad greens tossed in herb-citrus vinaigrette and topped with Riverland Family Farms' strawberries, radishes, crumbled feta and our hazelnut gremolata. $16.99 (Replaces 185)
Pimento BLT-Smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, tomato and house pimento cheese, served on fresh-baked & toasted artisan bread. $16.99 (Replaces Italian)
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Reminder: We do not accept checks as payment, Checks are only accepted for Distro orders that have been facilitated to be picked up at the Taproom.
We will be closing early at 7:30pm on the 4th of July.
Tunes Brews and BBQ starts next week! Every Wednesday in July. Fun live music (starting at 6pm) and great food specials! We will be doing online reservations for tables 31-38, 41-42. Folks who reserve a table will be given 10% off all drinks throughout their stay and will have a screenshot to show the cashier to receive the discount.
A note from Garrison about our natural wines and what language to use with customers:
Most conventional wines are doctored from steps a to z to taste and smell a very specific way. Hundreds of food additives can be used to achieve this narrow window. Our wine is natural, with nothing added or detracted aside from a very small sulfite addition to aid longevity, and is a true expression of the fruit itself. We go out of our way to purchase some of the best grapes grown in our region, and our goal is to allow them to speak for themselves.
New Menu Items! Coming out June 30th.
Marinated Tomato & Burrata Salad-Fresh greens tossed in our shallot vinaigrette with balsamic & basil marinated grape tomatoes, fresh burrata cheese and toasted walnuts. $15.99 (Replaces Mesa Salad)
THe Z.A.T-Roasted zucchini, tomato relish, citrus aioli, fresh greens, fresh avocado and house smoked mozzarella on toasted ciabatta bread. $15.99 (Replaces the beet reuben)
Caves UPDATES
Please use coasters when greeting a table and dropping drinks. We have a biiiiig back stock and spent the money on them, so we should be using them. This is a great way to signal to your coworkers that you have greeted a table.
Lagered by the Sun!
What is it?
Our lagers are inspired by historical European and international lagers that emerged regionally and are brewed with local and regional ingredients. Created with a spirit of place and community, our lagers are crafted with North West grown malts and hops, soft Willamette Valley water, and harness the sun's power from our solar panels for cold lagering until peak maturation is achieved. All of our beer bearing the mark Lagered by the Sun showcase these efforts and offers an authentic taste of the NW and our community.
Why should we care?
Lagering beer is an energy-intensive process! It is estimated that it takes between 50 - 66 Killowhatthours to power, on average, to brew one barrel of beer (from the Brewers Association). A large portion of this energy is to keep the tank cold during the lagering process, which can last 6-8 weeks.
Outside of energy, we emphasize our local and regional sourced ingredients from hops, malt, fruit, and the ingredients in our kitchens. Have you seen our second silo at our Taproom? Notice the 100% NW Malts! This is also a tie into our dedication to local, sustainable, and reducing the impact of what it takes to brew the beer.
We care because we want minimal environmental impact while delivering the best product possible. It builds our relationships with our community, from farms to the delivery drivers that live just a town over while ensuring the beer has the most sustainable approach possible.
For a quick hit list to remember what Lagered by the Sun means, just remember:
Brewed by the Sun
Local and Regional ingredients
Sustainable Brewing
Community Focused
MARKETING
Thank you to everyone who showed up to the Beach Clean Up last weekend! We had an awesome turnout and picked up close to 50 pounds of trash!
We also were able to try our collaboration beer, Where Rivers Meet, which will be on draft at our locations in Corvallis this Friday.
EVENTS
Block 15 Softball Team - May-August
Stop by and cheer on the team! Game dates are subject to change, but as of right now:
7/11 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 7/18 8:45pm @ Pioneer Park, 7/25 7:30pm @ Rene Moye West, 8/1 6:10pm @ Rene Moye West.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Wyatt Laramee - Wyatt always shows up early, with a good attitude, ready to rock and roll. If you've ever worked a mid shift you know how grueling they can be. Our friend Wyatt kills em on a daily basis. Even while working some of the roughest shifts, he continues to make dank food, keep a level head, and keep things fun. We love you buddy!
Taylor Stine - Taylor is always a joy to work with. He goes out of his way to be communicative and helpful even in busy/stressful times. We appreciate you!
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Welcome to the team the following folks!
BreAnna Rae (Pub FOH Manager)
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure you keep water with you and drink it often. Consuming foods with high water content — think melons, lettuce, cucumbers, etc. — can also help you stay hydrated to avoid heat illnesses.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Last Week!
Gloria! is our People’s Pint Tap during the month of June! Each pint or can purchased at our locations helps support the Ocean Blue Project and its initiatives to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers through clean-ups, solutions to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems, community-driven service learning, and youth education.
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!