Internal Brewsletter - September 25th, 2024
General
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Cody B.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Mediterranean Smash Burger!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 9/27
Juice Joint //
Description: 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%
Key Takeaway: We used a technique called Hop Dipping. Hops are added directly to the fermentation tank before knockout, and hot wort is pumped onto them before cooling and pitching yeast. This process allows us to see biotransformation by fermenting directly on hops for minimal isomerization of bitterness.
Tasting Notes: Blueberry • Mango • Peak Ripeness
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: Hazy IPA
An IPA sub-style originating in New England, it originally evolved from American IPA to have a lighter malt bill, that had a soft finish from adjuncts containing higher protein levels and water naturally high in Chloride. Early versions retained an assertive bitterness, but that mostly softened over time giving way to a soft, juicy beer with a big, sweet body that mostly featured fruit notes (citrus, tropical, stonefruit, red fruit, etc..). Some versions can contain pine or dank notes as well. Bitterness ranges from light to moderate, and body ranges from moderate to heavy. Hazy is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Flicker // West Coast IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: October 4th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Inspired by Autumn's warm days and crisp nights, Flicker was designed to inspire conversation and community while delivering an engaging hop profile with notes of Lychee, Stonefruit, and Pine.
Story of the Ghost // Hauntingly Hazy Pale Ale
Series: Orbital
Releases: October 11th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: A haunting offering brewed with bountiful hops shrouded by velvety grist. Be possessed by otherworldy hop flavor with notes of dank herbs, pine, and tropical delight to reanimate your soul.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers, and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Joy
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 pm every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session, and anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, October 3rd, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Oktoberfest beers
Written by Garrison Schmidt, 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 then.
Marzen was introduced sometime in the mid-19th century 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.
From the Executive Chef
OCTOBER SPECIALS Launching Wednesday, October 2nd!
Downtown Pub INFO SHEET-PLEASE READ
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
Pear & Hazelnut Melt - Local pears, Queen Bee Honey, Hazelnut butter and melted muenster cheese on house baked artisan bread. $15.99
Butternut Squash & Brown Butter Tortellini - Three cheese tortellini in our brown butter & sage cream sauce with roasted organic butternut squash & sweet onions, crushed hazelnuts & parmesan. $16.99
Taproom INFO SHEET-PLEASE READ
HB, PB & J Burger - NW beef burger served on a Bread Stop toasted brioche bun with creamy Freddy Guys’ hazelnut butter, sweet marionberry jam & crispy pork belly. $18.99
Brussel Sprouts & Squash - Crispy brussel sprouts & roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, shallot-dijon vinaigrette, house honey roasted hazelnuts, parmesan $9.99
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Upcoming Events
Pups on the Patio - October 23rd
Beer School - October 24th
Caves Updates
Events
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
We’re less than THREE WEEKS AWAY! Please make sure you’ve read through the information about the event so that you’re able to get yourself and our customers excited.
Stein Pre-Order Packages and General Admission tickets are available through our website. Find links on our Bloktoberfest HUB or in our web store under Experiences: https://block15.com/experiences
The Bloktoberfest website HUB has all the details about the event. Please point customers here if they have any questions. A QR to this page lives on our posters and table tents for ease of finding it!
HIGH FIVEs
Tivey, Mars and the whole prep team - Y’all did an amazing job keeping the lines stocked and ready to roll on a super busy week
Spencer Gunn - Holding it down in distro like a BOSS
FOH Staff at all locations - You all crushed Move-In Week! Thank you for showing a lot of new customers an excellent example of our hospitality.
Leighton Godwin - Thanks for picking up shifts over the last couple of weeks!
Prep lunch coverage - You guys helped out so much last week! Thanks for stepping in when needed.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Kylie Taylor (FOH)
SAFETY TIPS
With the changing of the season and the start of the school year, here’s a reminder of the most recent Covid Guidelines:
If you test positive for COVID-19, symptom-based isolation guidelines in Oregon are as follows:
Stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication, and other COVID-19 symptoms are improving.
Avoid contact with people at high risk of severe illness (including older adults and those with underlying medical conditions) for 10 days after testing positive or developing symptoms, whichever happens first.
Consider masking for 10 days.
A five-day isolation period is no longer recommended for the general population, including those in K-12 education settings.
Please remember that we work closely with the public and people at risk and that it is vital that if you are feeling ill that you follow the masking guidelines.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room: 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week!
Internal Brewsletter - September 18th, 2024
General
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Nick T.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Bourdain’s Mortadella!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 9/20
Fieldstone Farmhouse //
Description: This rustic, traditional Farmhouse Ale was aged in oak and conditioned on juicy peaches and apricots. A beautiful expression of summer harvest, this beer balances bright stone fruit flavors with notes from the heritage Oregon hops used on brew day, offering a crisp, tart finish. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: Aged in our oak foeder, Fieldstone was made with heritage Oregon Mt. Hood and McKenzie hops and conditioned on peaches and apricots—a traditional and Rustic Farmhouse Ale perfect for the end of summer.
Tasting Notes: Stonefruit • Lemon Zest • Folksy
Format: Draft Only
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Wild Farmhouse Ale
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Juice Joint // Hazy IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: September 27th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: 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.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers, and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Event Horizon
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 pm every other Thursday @ the Pub
Our next tasting is Thursday, September 19th!
From the Executive Chef
With OSU student move-in happening Wed-Fri this week, plus another home football game, we will be running our limited menu Wednesday through Sunday! Saturday and Sunday we will also be running our gameday special, a pork tenderloin sandwich! Check out the menus below!
OCTOBER SPECIALS!
Sneak peek of what’s to come in October! (Tentative to small changes)
Downtown Pub
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
Pear & Hazelnut Melt - Local pears, Queen Bee Honey, Hazelnut butter and melted muenster cheese on house baked artisan bread. $15.99
Butternut Squash & Brown Butter Tortellini - Three cheese tortellini in our brown butter & sage cream sauce with roasted organic butternut squash, caramelized onions, crushed hazelnuts & parmesan. $16.99
Taproom
HB, PB & J Burger - NW beef burger served on a Bread Stop toasted brioche bun with creamy Freddy Guys’ hazelnut butter, sweet marionberry jam & crispy pork belly. $18.99
Brussel Sprouts & Squash - Crispy brussel sprouts & roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, shallot-dijon vinaigrette, house honey roasted hazelnuts, parmesan $9.99
PUB UPDATES
OSU Move-In Vouchers - Super great opportunity to welcome students back after settling in from move in week! These $5 vouchers are valid 10/1 - 12/31/24. Please hand out these Wednesday thru Friday to OSU students (specifically to people who look like OSU students moving in or OSU faculty). Feel free to ask as you're taking their order “Are you moving into OSU?” To help start the conversation! Reach out to a manager with any questions please.
Focus Points
ALL: Busy Week/Weekend Awareness!! We have another home OSU football game this Saturday & it’s OSU Move-In Week Wednesday-Friday!! OSU Move-In is one of our top 3 busy weeks, so it's extremely important to be prepared! Be sure to communicate with each other & between departments. Be sure to communicate with your Lead or Float if you are getting in the weeds and need help. Be sure to make your safety calls as we are all going to be moving quickly. You’ve got this, take deep breaths, & have fun!
FOH: End of Shift Checking-Out Awareness!! When phased & after you have completed tasks on your shift’s scheduled side work lists make sure that you are checking out with everyone. This includes fellow servers, hosts, food runner, kitchen, bar, and lastly with the Float. If there are uncompleted tasks be sure to communicate what still needs to be accomplished to the next person off–please be helpful by not leaving a full uncompleted list for the next person. Side work is a shared responsibility.
LINE: Station Up-Stocking Awareness!! During and in between rushes we should be up-stocking the station you are on. We should also be communicating low-par items to ensure we get a number in the system before we run out. Also, if you need to run for a single item be sure to check with the rest of the line to see if you can bring up anything for anyone else.
PREP: Projects on Speedtrack Awareness!! Make sure everything moves to the fridge within 30 minutes. Keep an eye out for upstairs items also--if you turn a timer off, you are responsible for figuring out what it was for and moving that item.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
OSU Move-In Vouchers - Super great opportunity to welcome students back after settling in from move in week! These $5 vouchers are valid 10/1 - 12/31/24. Please hand out these Wednesday thru Friday to OSU students (specifically to people who look like OSU students moving in or OSU faculty). Feel free to ask as you're taking their order “Are you moving into OSU?” To help start the conversation! Reach out to a manager with any questions please.
Bloktoberfest is sneaking up on us! Please be diligently reviewing all content so you are feeling super confident with answers when customers have questions.
Upcoming Events
Tour ‘N Taste - September 26th, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Production Facility tour with a taste of Juice Joint before it’s released. Paired with Pineapple Fried Rice, curated by Sarah.
Tours start at 5:30 and 6:00 pm. 21+ only.
Tickets are on sale now: https://block15.com/experiences
Caves Updates
After lots of back and forth and funkiness with the distributor, we finally have Athletic N/A beer back! We will be switching to their Cerveza Atletica which will be a lighter lager style.
Events
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
The entertainment schedule has been finalized! Please take a peek at the Bloktoberfest page on our website to see what’s happening - as we’ve added things that will be super fun! Plus, we’ll have a Kinder Corner this year (Kinder = Kids in German)
Stein Pre-Order Packages and General Admission tickets are available through our website! Find links on our Bloktoberfest HUB or in our web store under Experiences: https://block15.com/experiences
The Bloktoberfest website HUB has all the details about the event. Please point customers here if they have any questions. A QR to this page lives on our posters and table tents for ease of finding it!
HIGH FIVEs
Diego Jaramillo - Always being ridiculously helpful and being great to everyone!
Annalee Anglin - Being an amazing coworker and on top of everything! Really knows her info and super helpful
The Tap Room staff! We had an account visit over the weekend (9/14-915) and passed along to their sales rep that the team really impressed him with their beer knowledge, specifically about fresh hop Sticky Hands. Great work all!
Danny Perston - Thanks for being super positive, reliable and willing to help out!
Holly - For being a master marketing juggler! Thank you for doing so much behind the scenes, coordinating well, providing sooo much patience and communicating so thoroughly with every event that comes up. You are appreciated!!!!
Kristen Arzner - Thank you for being so incredibly kind, and delivering constructive feedback in a way that makes us all truly want to be better. You lead by such a great example!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Olivia Mooney (FOH)
Brendon Godown (Distro)
Logan Vallery (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to slow down and go at a safe pace, especially during busy shifts, and always use your restaurant safety words so that people know you’re coming through a space or around a corner.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week!
Internal Brewsletter - September 11th, 2024
General
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Tivey! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Chorizo & Potato Flautas!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING BEER RELEASES
Releasing Friday 9/13 on draft, Tuesday 9/17 in cans
Sticky Hands: Fresh Hop //
Description: The iconic hop experience ale you all know is slammed with a fresh hop treatment! Using fresh-picked Citra hops from Alluvial Hop Farms, we immediately cryogenically froze the hop cones and shattered them straight to the tank for a fresh hop blast, all within a few hours. // 8.10%
Key Takeaway: For our first time ever releasing a Fresh Hop Sticky Hands, we used our Liquid Nitrogen Freezing and shattering method for this beer to add Fresh Hops in Secondary. USING CITRA HOPS
Tasting Notes: Honeydew • Candied Pineapple • Herbaceous
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Fresh Hop
Beer Style: Imperial IPA
Imperial IPAs (often called Double IPAs) feature a more robust profile of malts and hops. Significant factors that set Imperial IPAs apart from regular IPAs are their alcohol content and bitterness levels. An Imperial IPA can range from 7.5%-10% ABV. Due to the increased malt load it takes to create the additional alcohol, more hops are required to balance out the beer and keep the malt in check. An Imperial IPA should be intensely hoppy, medium-light to medium-bodied, and have balanced hop characteristics. There can be Imperial versions of virtually any IPA style or sub-style.
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fieldstone Farmhouse // Wild Farmhouse Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: September 20th
Format: Draft Only
Description: This rustic, traditional Farmhouse Ale was aged in oak and conditioned on juicy peaches and apricots. A beautiful expression of summer harvest, this beer balances bright stone fruit flavors with notes from the heritage Oregon hops used on brew day, offering a crisp, tart finish.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Joy
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 pm every other Thursday @ the Pub
Our next tasting is Thursday, September 19th!
Beer 101: Porters
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Porters are a very important style of beer, historically. Beginning in London in the early 1700s, they were the first beers to be aged to perfection at the brewery. Before porters, beer was sold young and aged at the pub, leaving the owner to serve it when he or she thought it was fit. It also led to the development of many new types of malts, most importantly Black Patent malt, which was kilned as dark as it could be to lend as much color as possible with as little grain as possible. Porters got their name from their popularity with porters, people who carried the kegs and barrels from the brewery to the pubs of London.
It was the first beer to be widely distributed, reaching the Americas, Baltic region, Northern Europe, and India by 1760. Large London Porter breweries were responsible for many advancements in brewing technology. They pioneered the use of thermometers and hydrometers, two of the most critical instruments in brewing science. Stouts were originally called Stout Porters, and differ from porters due to the flavor, strength, weight, and mouthfeel gained from the use of unmalted roasted barley in the mash.
Many adjuncts can be added to porters and stouts, including but not limited to vanilla, chocolate, candy cap mushrooms, tropical fruit, molasses, spices, oats, and coffee. They can be barrel aged, bottle conditioned, casked, or put on nitro. They are truly some of the most versatile of all styles, and have driven innovation since their inception.
This last week we released Event Horizon, Chocolate Porter. It was brewed to be more dry than other porters, to balance the sweetness of the chocolate that was added post fermentation. Tonotocs Mexican vanilla was also added alongside the chocolate, as it’s a very important piece of the flavor profile associated with chocolate to our palates. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.
From the Executive Chef
We will be running a Game Day menu all weekend this week! Holly has spruced it up with a black and orange version of the menu! Check it AND the weekend special out HERE!
PUB UPDATES
Just a reminder: We have a Dine-Out at all locations for the Sick Town Derby Dames coming up on Tuesday, September 17th! They classically have a pretty darn good turnout, so we may be busier at all locations that day.
The Online Waitlist and Online Ordering will be turned off on Saturday the 14th due to the busy game day! Waitlist and Online Orders will be available again on Sunday morning.
If you have Beaver gear, remember that you can wear it during home Football games! Let’s drown out that green and yellow with a bunch of orange and black!
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Hand Washing Awareness!! Wash your hands! Cleanliness is a huge part of food safety so if you're FOH, make sure you're washing your hands after bussing dirty dishes, handling money, etc. BEFORE running food. BOH, make sure we are washing our hands between helping out in dish and hopping back on the line, after handling raw items, etc.
FOH: Napkin Awareness!! Always default to one napkin per item unless it is guaranteed to be messy. If you see that a table still has napkins from an appetizer, do not drop more. Guests can always ask for more napkins but we cannot reuse those that have already touched the table.
LINE: Dating & Labeling Awareness!! Let's focus on dating and labeling all line prepped items such as wontons, celery sticks, and lemons. These should be labeled and dated when we prep these items, also items that are hot held like soups and the Sunday BBQ chicken need to be labeled & dated before we take them down to the walk-in.
PREP: Rotating Items on Arrival Awareness!! Make sure items are getting grouped and rotated correctly when they come in. Line helpers, we appreciate you putting away orders but if you don't have time or don't know where something goes, feel free to leave things in a pile in the walk-in and we'll put it away the next morning.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We have a Dine-Out at all locations for the Sick Town Derby Dames coming up on Tuesday, September 17th! They classically have a pretty darn good turnout, so we may be busier at all locations that day.
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: GAME DAY WEEKEND- bring your positive attitude, remember to have fun and communicate kindly with your team! <3
FOH: Beer Knowledge- Focus on tasting beers, flight organization, reading info on one sheets, etc.
BOH: Busy weekend coming up! Please aim for high pars, set yourself and others up for success!
Upcoming Events
Tour ‘N Taste - September 26th, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Production Facility tour with a taste of Juice Joint before it’s released. Paired with Pineapple Fried Rice, curated by Sarah.
Tours start at 5:30 and 6:00 pm. 21+ only.
Tickets are on sale now: https://block15.com/experiences
Caves Updates
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
Stein Pre-Order Packages and General Admission tickets are now available through our website! Find links on our Bloktoberfest HUB or in our web store under Experiences: https://block15.com/experiences
The Bloktoberfest website HUB has all the details about the event. Please point customers here if they have any questions. A QR to this page lives on our posters and table tents for ease of finding it!
HIGH FIVEs
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week!
SAFETY TIPS
Be Aware of Your Surroundings - Every job site has inherent dangers, whether that’s heavy machinery or even tripping over items in the office. The best way to keep yourself and others safe is to identify the hazards in your workplace and be aware of your surroundings. The more familiar you are with your tasks and workplace, the more aware you’ll be of the potential hazards.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! For Sick Town Roller Derby - September 17th
Dine Out! for Sick Town Roller Derby. We're so happy to partner with them to donate a portion of food sales from both Block 15 locations on September 17th. Folks from Sick Town will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about their organization. Stop by and say hello!
Sick Town Derby Dames is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Corvallis, Oregon and is a skater-owned and operated flat-track roller derby league based in Linn and Benton counties. Sick Town provides a fun athletic outlet for members of the community in addition to a positive, inclusive social environment.
Internal Brewsletter - September 4th, 2024
General
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Bre! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Krab Rangoons!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING BEER RELEASES
Releasing Friday 9/6
Static Shatter //
Description: Brewed with fresh-picked Strata Hops from Alluvial Hop Farms, we used a "shattering" method to extend the fresh hop notes of passionfruit and fresh-cut alfalfa to every sip. // 6.75%
Key Takeaway: Fresh hops added as a dry hop after cryo treatment with liquid nitrogen.
Tasting Notes: Mango Creamsicle • Alfalfa • Zippy
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Fresh Hop
Beer Style: Fresh Hop American IPA
The classic IPA style originating in America has evolved less than other substyles. Moderate to heavy malt presence with a balance of citrus, herbal, pine, and floral hop flavors and aromas most commonly. It is fuller-bodied than West Coast IPAs and has an assertive bitterness that balances malt sweetness. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
Event Horizon //
Description: This porter combines deep, roasty malt character with cocoa and dark fruit notes. We conditioned this brew on chocolate for a balance of rich flavors with a dry finish. // 5.00%
Key Takeaway: A fan favorite making a return under a new visage, This beer balances bone dry porter with a two types of sweet chocolate added in the 11th hour.
Tasting Notes: Chocolate Cake • Vanilla Icing • Delicate
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Chocolate Porter
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sticky Hands: Fresh Hop // Hop Experience Ale
Series: Fresh Hop
Releases: September 13th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: The iconic hop experience ale you all know is slammed with a fresh hop treatment! Using fresh-picked Citra hops from Alluvial Hop Farms, we immediately cryogenically froze the hop cones and shattered them straight to the tank for a fresh hop blast, all within a few hours.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Alluvial
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
THE BREWERY WILL NOT BE HOSTING A TASTING THIS THURSDAY. PLEASE CATCH US AT OUR NEXT TASTING ON 9/19!
Beer 101: Fresh Hops
Written by Garrison Schmidt, 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.
On the other hand, fresh hops 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, on the 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 Static Shatter that releases this week. For that beer, we opted for fresh Strata hops from Coleman’s Alluvial Hop Farm in Independence, Oregon. We also used this method on our Fresh Hop Sticky Hands which releases next week, in which we used Citra freshies.
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.
From the Executive Chef
September monthly specials go live today! Here is the final list and links to the procedures and added information! Please give it a look over and know your stuff before next week! XO
PUB SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
Shrimp & Red Curry Noodles-Spicy & creamy coconut red curry sauce, tender yakisoba, red bell peppers, zucchini, sweet onion & snap peas topped with wild-caught gulf shrimp, crushed peanuts & cilantro $15.99 PROCEDURE
Jalapeno Popper Dip-Spicy jalapeno & cream cheese dip, topped with cheddar jack cheese & parmesan breadcrumbs. Served with house-fried kettle-style potato chips. $10.99 PROCEDURE
Melon & Prosciutto Salad- Fresh greens, local cantaloupe, prosciutto, smoked gouda, balsamic glaze, citrus-parmesan vinaigrette, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh microgreens $15.99 PROCEDURE
TR SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
El Padrino-Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, Aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, mixed greens, and jalapeno kettle chips on house-baked ciabatta bread. $15.99 PROCEDURE
-Filet O’ Block-House Pacific lingcod & bay shrimp patty, breaded and fried to perfection, tartar sauce, dill pickles, shredded lettuce & American cheese on a toasted brioche bun. $15.99 PROCEDURE
Along with these monthly specials, we will be making some minor changes to the static menu on the same day. Due to drops in sales we will be omitting the Tuscan bean dip AND replacing the Nashville chicken with the apricot chicken sandwich that is currently an August monthly!
PUB UPDATES
Just to update you all, we plan on breaking the Corral down on Monday, October 7th that way the parking lot is clear and ready to roll for Bloktoberfest. Thank you all for your excitement and flexibility around the Corral this year! I know it was a huge drawing point for guests, and this season felt very successful in our flow and communication around the Corral.
The 2022 vintage of Lumos “Five Blocks” Pinot Noir will soon go into rotation (we have about 2 glasses left of 2021 as of Wednesday morning). While guests shouldn’t notice a wild difference, here’s some info and tasting notes around the new vintage.
Winery: Lumos
Wine: “Five Blocks” Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2022
ABV: 13.5%
Lumos Wine Company is located in Philomath, Oregon--USDA/Oregon Certified Organic vineyards. Grapes for this vintage all come from the Temperance Hill vineyard. Flavors of black cherries, marionberries and peppercorns link the taste and aroma of the 2022 vintage of Five Blocks. Tempered acidity orients the tannins, reminiscent of cranberry compote with a fullness belying the minimal impact of the neutral French oak barrels where this wine matured for 18 months.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: New Specials Awareness!! 3 new monthly specials are coming out today! Make sure you read up on descriptions, taste if able to, and be ready to answer questions that any guest or employee may have.
FOH: Daily Specials Awareness!! Make sure we are letting every guest know about our daily specials and soups!
LINE: Soup Station Awareness!! Let’s focus on making sure all soup station items are hot, tasty, and of a nice pourable consistency. Also garnish for soups should be fresh and written on the soup board along with the soup.
PREP: New Specials Specs Awareness!! New specials! Read recipes through before you start, and check in with the lead about how things should look.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: New Specials Awareness:
2 new monthly specials are coming out today (along with some other menu changes)! Make sure to read up on descriptions, taste the sampler if it's available, and be ready to answer questions that any guests or employees may have (based on the department you work in). Check in with the kitchen staff/ manager if you come across a question you can’t answer!
FOH: Money Counting Awareness:
Counting the Bar Till Bank and Backup Bank end of night is a VERY important job you have been entrusted with. Please take pride in this by:
Eliminate distractions
Make sure you are recording money precisely and counting down to the PENNY for each increment of change.
We round to the nearest 5 cents to create ease for the customer when providing change back. This is why when taking into consideration the DROP, we round down from 0.50 cents and up from 0.51 cents. These are the only two exceptions to money counting that we “round.” (Giving change to customers and actual cash amount for drop)
Example: When closing the til, if the drop is listed as $417.22, you round DOWN and the drop= $417.00. If the drop is listed as $417.51, you round UP and the dropped money needs to be $418.
When counting change for the Bar till Bank or Back up Bank, both change amounts should be WHOLE numbers.
Example: If $17.00 change is listed, there should be EXACTLY $17.00 in the Bar till for change, not $16.65, not $17.05. Any extra change can be dropped into the TIPS bag, to make the Bar Till Bank accurate.
All bills should always be faced the same direction
All bills should be in denominational order ($1,$5,$10,$20,$50, etc…)
All bills should be bundled properly per Bank bag.
25 - $1.00 Bills= 1 Bundle/ 4 Bundles can be bundled together again (keep individual $25 bundled banded together still)
20- $5.00 Bills= 1 Bundle
NEVER pull money out of a “bundle” without removing the band! Bundles are recounted often, and if they are off, the amount missing from the Bar Till or Back Up Bank may need to be taken from tips because all money must be accounted for daily in each Bank of what the company has provided us with to start our day ($200- Bar till/ $600- Back Up. No exceptions unless Manager has taken money to make change)
Make sure when dropping money upstairs end of night that the safe is appropriately locked behind you!
I know this is a long one, thank you for your attention to detail in important processes!!
BOH: Allergen Awareness:
Filet O’ Fish Sando can ONLY be cooked in the *LEFT FRYER* for food safety practices! Please do not make any exceptions to this so we can have fried food items such as fries that are still safe to serve people with a shellfish allergy. Familiarize yourself with all ingredients in specials so we can answer FOH & guest questions with ease and confidence!
Upcoming Events
Tour ‘N Taste - September 26th, 5:30 - 7 pm
Join us for our first Tour 'N Taste event this Thursday, September 26th, from 5:30 - 7 pm. Get a free tour of our production brewery operation at our Southtown Tap Room location from Director of Brewery Operations Matt Williams and Head Brewer Garrison Schmidt. On the tour, you'll taste a beer and enjoy a complimentary curated small-bite food pairing from our Executive Chef, Sarah.
Tours start at 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30 pm. 21+ only.
Caves Updates
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
Starting September 5th, folks can pre-order Stein Packages and purchase General Admission tickets.
We have two options for Stein Packages, one for half-liter steins and one for full-liter steins, which include entry into the event, a mug, and a commemorative Bloktoberfest 2024 pin.
The website HUB has all the details about the event and is where pre-order links can be found. Please point customers here if they have any questions.
HIGH FIVEs
Whitney Parks - Welcome back!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Welcome back:
Colin Yorke (Brewery)
James Kennedy (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Always make sure that you know how to use tools or machinery correctly. If you are not comfortable with any equipment do not operate it until you have further training! Accidents can quickly happen when something is not a familiar item. Common issues include using the wrong tool for a task or creating an unsafe environment while not correctly using heavy equipment.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out! For Sick Town Roller Derby - September 17th
Dine Out! for Sick Town Roller Derby. We're so happy to partner with them to donate a portion of food sales from both Block 15 locations on September 17th. Folks from Sick Town will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about their organization. Stop by and say hello!
Sick Town Derby Dames is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Corvallis, Oregon and is a skater-owned and operated flat-track roller derby league based in Linn and Benton counties. Sick Town provides a fun athletic outlet for members of the community in addition to a positive, inclusive social environment.
Internal Brewsletter - August 28th, 2024
General
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Travis! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Pork & Apple Burger!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 8/30
Rocky Shores //
Description: As rugged and unique as the rocky shorelands of the Oregon Coast, this bright and flavorful IPA showcases both southern hemisphere and PNW hops with a blend of citrus, stonefruit, and herbaceous notes. // 6.80%
Key Takeaway: We used biscuit malt in this brew, creating a dynamic combination of malts and hops. Enigma, Simcoe, Chinook, and Nelson Sauvin showcase the very best of both the Pacific Northwest and the Southern Hemisphere, making this IPA a focus on balanced hop and malt aromas.
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit Peel • Spring Pine • Squall
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: American IPA
The classic IPA style originating in America has evolved less than other substyles. Moderate to heavy malt presence with a balance of citrus, herbal, pine, and floral hop flavors and aromas most commonly. It is fuller-bodied than West Coast IPAs and has an assertive bitterness that balances malt sweetness. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 8/30
Rocky Shores // American IPA
Sticky Hands: Beer Pageant
Description: Sticky Hands all dressed up for the big show. This version of Sticky Hands had its dry hop cranked up to 11. With copious additions of Citra and Mosaic with just a touch of CTZ on top of our standard dry hopping regime, this version of Sticky Hands will surely be a crowd-pleaser. // 8.10%
Format: Draft at the Tap Room only
Series: Sticky Hands
Beer Style: Hop Experience Ale
Deep Seek: Beer Pageant
Description: Deep Seek all dressed up for the big show. This version of Deep Seek had its dry hop cranked up to 11. With copious additions of Citra, Nectaron, and Chinook added on top of our standard dry hopping regime, this version of Deep Seek will surely be a crowd-pleaser. // 6.50%
Format: Draft at the Tap Room only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: Kumo and Animal Cookies
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Static Shatter // Fresh Hop American IPA
Series: Fresh Hop
Releases: September 6th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed with fresh-picked Strata Hops from Alluvial Hop Farms, we used a "shattering" method to extend the fresh hop notes of passionfruit and fresh-cut alfalfa to every sip.
Event Horizon // Chocolate Porter
Series: Perennial
Releases: September 6th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: This porter combines deep, roasty malt character with cocoa and dark fruit notes. We conditioned this brew on chocolate for a balance of rich flavors with a dry finish.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, September 5th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Beer Pageants
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Every year, there are thousands of brewing competitions that take place throughout the country and the world. Among these are two that are much more prestigious: The Great American Brewing Festival and The World Beer Cup.
These are the two award ceremonies that can gain breweries' international attention. They seal your place among the best of the best. They offer incredible marketing opportunities and can be a huge step forward for a brewery. For this reason, some brewers are willing to do anything within their power to win one. One trick that brewers have used, and continue to use, is to brew batches specifically for these competitions or bump up the ingredients like dry hops in existing beers for entry in order to gain an advantage. These doctored or one-off batches have become, unfortunately, so prevalent that they make up the majority of winners in the more prestigious beer award ceremonies, and they have for years.
We at Block 15 have never felt that this practice was honest or in the spirit of the best sportsmanship of competition. However, as the spirit of the competitions has changed, we have also changed our tactics. In response to the new school values of beer competitions, we proudly present Sticky Hands: Beer Pageant and Deep Seek: Beer Pageant. These are the beers you know and love, but with dry hop levels pushed up to amounts that will keep us competitive. We are entering them alongside their OG counterparts and hope that they serve as not only our entries to the awards but a commentary on the meaning of competition and our stance on doctoring beers. We aim to have the best beer available to our customers on the shelf at the grocery store, which is why we focus more on delivering our product to their glass fresher than anyone else and less on shiny necklaces.
As always, the most important thing for me when entering beer competitions is the opportunity for clear, unbiased feedback from industry professionals. The reviews we get from judges are more valuable to me than any medal.
Try Sticky Hands and Deep Seek’s Beer Pageants, and let me know which you like better, the original or the one we gussied up. Your feedback is the most important, after all.
From the Executive Chef
September monthly specials go live next Wednesday 9/4! Here is the final list and links to the procedures and added information! Please give it a look over and know your stuff before next week! XO
PUB SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
Shrimp & Red Curry Noodles-Spicy & creamy coconut red curry sauce, tender yakisoba, red bell peppers, zucchini, sweet onion & snap peas topped with wild caught gulf shrimp, crushed peanuts & cilantro $15.99 PROCEDURE
Jalapeno Popper Dip-Spicy jalapeno & cream cheese dip, topped with cheddar jack cheese & parmesan breadcrumbs. Served with house fried kettle style potato chips. $10.99 PROCEDURE
Melon & Prosciutto Salad- Fresh greens,local cantaloupe, prosciutto, smoked gouda, balsamic glaze, citrus-parmesan vinaigrette, toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh basil microgreens $15.99 PROCEDURE
TR SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
El Padrino-Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, mixed greens and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99 PROCEDURE
-Filet O’ Block-House Pacific lingcod & bay shrimp patty, breaded and fried to perfection, tartar sauce, dill pickles, shredded lettuce & American cheese on a toasted brioche bun. $15.99 PROCEDURE
Along with these monthly specials, we will be making some minor changes to the static menu on the same day. Due to drops in sales we will be omitting the Tuscan bean dip AND replacing the Nashville chicken with the apricot chicken sandwich that is currently an August monthly!
PUB UPDATES
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Soup & Beer Cheese Consistency Awareness!! Soups and beer cheese should “pour, not plop” meaning that we should be watering down soup as the liquid cooks out, and tasting for proper seasoning after. Beer cheese should be the same, but should also not be watery. We are looking for a velvety sauce that coats the pretzel as you dunk it. Often throughout shifts, we should all be checking for this and making adjustments as needed.
FOH: Pre-Bussing Awareness!! Let's set ourselves and those around us up for success by pulling plates when guests are done and giving them a little extra room to enjoy the end of their experience with us.
LINE: Efficiency Awareness!! In slow moments be sure to anticipate the busy by working to get ahead. Working ahead will get us in a better position for when we are busy!
PREP: Dishwasher Awareness!! Let's avoid dish piles at close by keeping the dishwasher running & backing cold things out sooner rather than later. If you drop off dishes and there are enough dishes for a full load, push it through. If you walk by clean dishes, put them away.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Let's start a “Waste Log” Tab daily, and make sure to be using it as needed. Use the discount button to “waste” products off this tab, end of night.
The Gloria faucet should be taken off nightly and soaked in a pitcher of soda water. It comes apart in 2 places, please remove it only from the one closest to the tap box. Do NOT unscrew the part that contains the screen please. Put a blue scrubby in the opening in the tap box at night. Please reach out to me (Elise) if this doesn’t make sense and I will walk you through it in person 🙂
Make sure to put fly traps away in the small plastic container (labeled fly traps) to the left of the register every morning so the closer doesn’t have to look for them at night!
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: Let's focus this week on timeliness. Whether it be clocking in for your shift, length of breaktime or getting off the clock in a timely fashion this is all important! Paid breaks are an awesome privilege that we get to enjoy, please remember it is your responsibility to manage your break time properly.
Here is a link to BOLI laws concerning paid vs. unpaid breaks. Please feel free to reach out to a manager with any questions. There will also be a breakdown posted in the breakroom.FOH: Floor cleanliness- with such a large space, floors at night can be an exhausting project. Help yourself out by spot sweeping throughout the night ( we should always be spot sweeping after a messy table anyways). Please pull out chairs and move tables to get under the feet and base. Be thorough!
BOH: The Fryers, chef base and backsplash were deep cleaned this week. Please make an extra effort to keep this level of cleanliness up as this equipment gets grease/ debris build up quickly. Wipe down when slow/ shift changes, not just at close.
Upcoming Events
Tour ‘N Taste - September 26th, 5:30 - 7 pm
Join us for our first Tour 'N Taste event this Thursday, September 26th, from 5:30 - 7 pm. Get a free tour of our production brewery operation at our Southtown Tap Room location from Director of Brewery Operations Matt Williams and Head Brewer Garrison Schmidt. On the tour, you'll taste a beer and enjoy a complimentary curated small-bite food pairing from our Executive Chef, Sarah.
Tours start at 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30 pm. 21+ only.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
Events
Corvallis Beer Week - August 29th - September 7th
Corvallis Beer Week will run from August 29th - September 7th this year. We’ll be hosting and participating in a few events this year:
Thursday, August 29th Kickoff Celebration at Caves: Starting location for the Kickoff March & Pub Crawl. From 4-5 pm, we’ve invited folks to hang out and enjoy a special Gather Hour menu + pairing: Try 2018 Peche n' Brett from Logsdon Farmhouse Ales with Cheese Croquettes, a new dish created just for this evening, which consists of fried cheese croquettes served with a rosemary-peach compote.
Tuesday, September 3rd Flight & Pretzel Bites at the Pub: From 5-7 pm, we’re hosting a Flight & Pretzel Bites event and getting people excited about Bloktoberfest by giving out a free half-liter mug to the first 30 who purchase the pairing.
Friday, September 6th at Treebeerd’s: They’ll be celebrating their 5th Anniversary with Block 15 and Dirt Road beers pouring from 4-8 pm.
Saturday, September 7th at Avery Park: We’ll be pouring a few beers at Septembeerfest to close out the week’s celebrations.
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
Starting September 5th, folks can pre-order Stein Packages. We have two options, one for half-liter steins and one for full-liter steins, which include entry into the event, a mug, and a commemorative Bloktoberfest 2024 pin.
The website HUB has all the details about the event and is where pre-order links can be found. Please point customers here if they have any questions.
HIGH FIVEs
Patience Womack - Shoutout to Patience! You’re just the best. You are always uplifting to every single team member.
Goody! - Goody is such a good general manager. I really appreciate how she always takes the time to listen and is accommodating to people’s life both inside and outside of work. She’s always willing to help even if it means she takes on a little extra!
Prep crew - Everyone has really been putting in the effort to try new projects, hit goal times, and keep the energy up. Thanks everyone!
Ian Harrington - Has been doing a great job training in the brewery. We're excited to have you on the team and training so well.
Ian Hutchings - Does a lot around here and still has time to be an empathetic leader. Thanks for picking up the slack and remaining a good dude.
Brew Crew - The brewery has experienced a lot of change and adjustments over the past month and they have really dialed in and worked hard to continue producing beer to our standards and keep things on track!
Tyler Lenz - Always there with an extra eye on things. Jumps in to help when he sees something to keep things rolling, even if it isn't in his department. Plus just a great dude to be around!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week!
SAFETY TIPS
Do you know what to do if there is broken glass? If you’re unsure on the proper way to clean up broken glass please check in with a manager or coworker who can show you the proper glass clean up procedure!
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Dine Out For Sick Town Roller Derby - September 17th
Dine Out! for Sick Town Roller Derby. We're so happy to partner with them to donate a portion of food sales from both Block 15 locations on September 17th. Folks from Sick Town will be on-site at our Southtown Tap Room from 5-7 pm, providing more information about their organization. Stop by and say hello!
Sick Town Derby Dames is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Corvallis, Oregon and is a skater-owned and operated flat-track roller derby league based in Linn and Benton counties. Sick Town provides a fun athletic outlet for members of the community in addition to a positive, inclusive social environment.
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 21st, 2024
General
Brewery Happy Hour this Thursday 4 pm at the Pub
Join the Brewery Thursday, August 22nd, in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend.
New Dessert starting Friday 8/23
German Chocolate Bell will be replacing Strawberry Bell
Our classic chocolate cake with silky chocolate frosting sandwiched in the middle and topped with a fudgy, coconut pecan frosting. The cakes are finished with a cherry at the center of our usual swirly.
Closed Sunday
Both Block 15 locations will be closed on Sunday for the company party. Caves will be open for Brunch service only.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by James W.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Scotch Eggs!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 8/23
Bloktoberfest //
Description: Celebrate Oktoberfest Block 15-style with this amber-hued Märzen lager. Noble hops impart subtle floral and spicy aromas, while PNW-sourced Pilsner and Munich-style malts build a delicate base. // 5.50%
Key Takeaway: We continue to move our lager program to regionally sourced malt. This Bloktoberfest is almost exclusively from the PNW, but it still has that authentic flavor.
Tasting Notes: Wildflower Honey.Toasted Biscuit. Prost!
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Märzen Lager
Märzen Lager is a beer style that originated in Bavaria during the 15th century. The beers are traditionally brewed in March, which is where the style gets its name. Beers were only allowed to be brewed in colder months, as warmer months produced off flavors without modern temperature control, and Märzen was one of the last to be brewed. They’d then be lagered in underground caves and cellars where it was cool until fall when they’d be served at Oktoberfest. Compared to other German lagers, Märzen is fuller in body, has a slightly sweeter malt profile, and is slightly less bitter. It has an amber-golden color, a thick, frothy head, and is crystal beer.
Buzzworks™ //
Description: Brewed with our friends at Chris King Precision Components to celebrate the riding season, this West Coast Pilsner is bursting with citrus, lychee, and strawberry hop notes. // 5.50%
Key Takeaway: Brewed featuring Belma, Citra, and Strata, this WC Pils brewed for Chris King Precision Components is a hoppy end-of-summer crusher.
Tasting Notes: Lychee • Kaffir Lime • Shifting
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy, collab with Chris King Precision Components
Beer Style: NW Pilsner
These are emerging styles, still in active development across the craft brewing world, and certain to change dramatically over the next few years. While the malt and fermentation profiles resemble classic continental pilsners, these beers feature aggressive hop aromatics and flavor from newer North American and Southern Hemisphere hop varieties typically used in IPAs. Light, sessionable, snappy, and dry, these beers offer a lighter alternative to the heavier or stronger IPAs that usually feature these flavors.
Highland Hymn //
Description: Inspired by the majestic sights and sounds of Scotland, Highland Hymn is a malt-forward crescendo of caramelized sugar and toffee notes accompanied by a robust, and complex finish. // 5.80%
Key Takeaway: Comforting, cozy, and drinkable; true to style.
Tasting Notes: Fresh Biscuit. Rich Toffee. Spontaneous Ballads.
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Scottish Ale
Scotch ale can refer to a spectrum of beers that are almost all amber to dark with prominent malt flavor and have a light hop flavor and bitterness that leads to a smooth, sometimes decadent drinking experience. Scottish ale usually refers to a beer of moderate strength, between 5% and 6%.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 8/23
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
Buzzworks // NW Pilsner
Highland Hymn // Scottish Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: No Crowler Sale or Sippin’ Sunday Sale due to closure for the company party!
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Rocky Shores // American IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: August 30th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: As rugged and unique as the rocky shorelands of the Oregon Coast, this bright and flavorful IPA showcases both southern hemisphere and PNW hops with a blend of citrus, stonefruit, and herbaceous notes.
Sticky Hands: Beer Pageant // Hop Experience Ale
Series: Sticky Hands
Releases: August 30th
Format: Draft at the Tap Room ONLY
Description: Sticky Hands all dressed up for the big show. This version of Sticky Hands had its dry hop cranked up to 11. With copious additions of Citra and Strata on top of our standard dry hopping regime, this version of Sticky Hands will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
Deep Seek: Beer Pageant // West Coast IPA
Series: Pub Life
Releases: August 30th
Format: Draft at the Tap Room ONLY
Description: Deep Seek all dressed up for the big show. This version of Deep Seek had its dry hop cranked up to 11. With copious additions of Citra, Nectar, and Chinook added on top of our standard dry hopping regime, this version of Deep Seek will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, August 22nd, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Scottish Ales
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Scotland has a long and proud brewing history. 5000 years ago, folks living in neolithic warrens brewed ales from malt steeped with bitter herbs like heather and thistle and were some of the first brewers to mix wild hops in with their brew. As time went on, they continued the tradition of brewing malt forward, lightly bittered beer, and Scottish Ale today remains more influenced by their own brewing traditions than many other brewing regions around the world, which were heavily influenced by English, Belgian, and German brewers.
Scottish Ales traditionally are named alongside a number, generally between 40 and 90, that represented how many shillings (designated by the symbol /- ) a pub would be invoiced for a hogshead of beer. A hogshead is a barrel very similar to today's bourbon barrels. Breweries might have brewed several beers under the same shilling designation. For instance, Maclay brewed a 54/- stout and a 54/- Pale. Eventually, these designations began to fall in line with the strength of ABV and would be associated with familiar terms we know today. The Scottish Ales are largely understood to be;
Light - (60/-) under 3.5%
Heavy - (70/-) between 3.5% and 4%
Export - (80/-) between 4.0% and 5.5%
Wee Heavy - (90/-) above 6%
Export beers are named as such in the UK as they are taxed at a different rate if sent out of the isles. Beers sold at home are taxed based on ABV, whereas beers sold abroad are taxed by volume, so they can make a stronger beer to compete in foreign markets.
Wee heavys are named that because they were viewed as so strong that they were sold in 6 oz. “nip” bottles.
Scottish Ales are malty, low in bitterness, and deliciously caramel-forward. They vary in strengths and color but tend to have a full, chewy mouthfeel and low-hop character.
This week, we release Highland Hymn, our take on the Scottish Ale, which falls at 5.8%, somewhere between an export and wee heavy. It is robust, with lots of toffee, caramelized sugar, and warm honeyed malts, and finishes with an uncommon degree of complexity. It’s been described as cozy and should be a welcome addition to your cellar as cooler fall weather moves in. I’m always excited when we release malt-forward beers, as they give us a break from the norm. This has been a special pet project for brewery Production Manager Danny, so if you like it, give him a high five and let him know that the work is appreciated.
From the Executive Chef
September monthly specials will drop Wednesday September 4th! Here is a sneak peek at the list! Be ready to read over more in depth information and procedures next week! XOXO
PUB SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
Shrimp & Red Curry Noodles-Spicy & creamy coconut red curry sauce, tender yakisoba, red bell peppers, zucchini, sweet onion & snap peas topped with wild caught gulf shrimp, crushed peanuts & cilantro $15.99
HB, PB & J Burger-NW beef burger served on a Bread Stop toasted brioche bun with creamy Freddy Guys’ hazelnut butter, sweet marionberry jam & crispy pork belly. $18.99
Jalapeno Popper Dip-Spicy jalapeno & cream cheese dip, topped with cheddar jack cheese & parmesan breadcrumbs. Served with house fried tortilla chips. $11.99
TR SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
El Padrino-Pepper Tree Sausage House chorizo, aleppo-lime roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro-jalapeno mayo, mixed greens and jalapeno kettle chips on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Melon & Prosciutto Salad- Fresh greens, fresh cantaloupe, prosciutto, smoked gouda, balsamic glaze, citrus basil vinaigrette and fresh basil $16.99
PUB UPDATES
Please do not hang/tape any signs or posters to the front of the host stand. GR Res signs can go in the two holders in the back, and posters can go on the corkboard or in the holders on the windows.
When coming out to the Corral, please make sure to flip the signs from “Order at the Bar” to “Please See Inside for Seating”.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: 86’d Items & Low Items Communication Awareness!! When it’s slower it can be easy to feel like you told everyone, but still miss some people. This could be good practice as we head into the start of fall.
FOH: Wine Knowledge Awareness!! Let’s freshen up our wine knowledge as this can be a difficult talking point. We would like to encourage people to taste a couple wines per shift & read up on the bottles so that we can all make more educated recommendations. We are going to be switching to 2022 Lumos Pinot Noir soon so this is perfect timing!! Goody will be updating the wine info sheet with this change as well. Also, please refer to the link on the Brewsletter for the Basic Wine Info Sheet for Caves as this will give more detailed information about wines.
Line: Fresh Garnish Awareness!!Let's make sure that when we prep the garnishes in the morning and at shift change that we flip that container so we are not just adding fresh herbs on top of older ones.
Prep: Boomstick Awareness!! Please be gentle with the boomstick. Make sure the blade is always submerged below the level of what you are blending, and move it around slowly. If you hear screeching or a bad motor noise, stop!
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thank you so much for the warm welcome to the team everyone! As I get settled into my new position, I would like to invite you all to please send any feedback you have my way on current operations, what is currently going well and what could be improved upon. Feel free to use the feedback log upstairs, or email me at: elise@block15.com
I am excited to hear from you!
Upcoming Events
Check back next week!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
Events
Corvallis Beer Week - August 29th - September 7th
Corvallis Beer Week will run from August 29th - September 7th this year. We’ll be hosting and participating in a few events this year:
Thursday, August 29th at Caves: Starting location for the Kickoff March & Pub Crawl. From 4-5 pm, we’ve invited folks to hang out and enjoy a hand-selected lineup of beers paired with a special Gather Hour menu.
Tuesday, September 3rd at the Pub: From 5-7 pm, we’re hosting a Flight & Pretzel Bites event and getting people excited about Bloktoberfest by giving out a free half-liter mug with the purchase of the pairing.
Friday, September 6th at Treebeerd’s: They’ll be celebrating their 5th Anniversary with Block 15 and Dirt Road beers pouring from 4-8 pm.
Saturday, September 7th at Avery Park: We’ll be pouring a few beers at Septembeerfest to close out the week’s celebrations.
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
Check it out! The website HUB is live with all the details about the event.
Starting September 5th, folks will be able to pre-order Stein Packages from this page. All other tickets will be sold at the door.
HIGH FIVEs
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Ben Lieberthal (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.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 10:45 am-12:45 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - August 14th, 2024
General
Corvallis Beer Week
Corvallis Beer Week will run from August 29th - September 7th this year. We’ll be hosting and participating in a few events:
Thursday, August 29th at Caves: Starting location for the Kickoff March & Pub Crawl. From 4-5 pm, we’ve invited folks to hang out and enjoy a hand-selected lineup of beers paired with small plates from our Gather Hour menu.
Tuesday, September 3rd at the Pub: From 5-7 pm, we’re hosting a Flight & Pretzel Bites event and getting people excited about Bloktoberfest by giving out a free half-liter mug with the purchase of the pairing.
Friday, September 6th at Treebeerd’s: They’ll be celebrating their 5th Anniversary with Block 15 and Dirt Road beers pouring from 4-8 pm.
Saturday, September 7th at Avery Park: We’ll be pouring a few beers at Septembeerfest to close out the week’s celebrations.
Bloktoberfest
Our big fall Oktoberfest party is just around the corner! We wanted to include a few important details in the Brewsletter ahead of our first Press Release next week, just so you’re aware if someone asks (and to get stoked!). More information will be finalized as time goes on and posted on the Information HUB.
Dates: October 11th, 5-11 pm, October 12th, 12-11 pm
Information HUB: https://block15.com/bloktoberfest-2024 (link will be live Monday, 8/19)
Stein Pre-Order Packages: Starting September 5th, folks can pre-order a Stein Package, which includes either a half or full-liter mug, their first fill of beer, and a commemorative Bloktoberfest 2024 pin.
Entertainment Lineup: Live music, games, stein-holding contests, costume contests, and more
Kinder Corner: This year, we’re adding a few more kid-friendly activities, like a kid's corner with coloring pages, face painting, a kid's pretzel toss, and a kid's costume contest.
Food & Beverages: Like last year, we’ll be featuring German-style food from Block 15, plus hosting a couple of food carts. Bloktoberfest & Deep Seek will be the featured beers from Block 15, with guest beers from Wayfinder and Ferment. Wine, cider, and N/A bevs will be available also.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Gavin! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Tandoori Baked Wings!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES
Check back next week!
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 8/16
Wandelpad //
Description: Inspired by the Trappist beers of Belgium, this Blonde Ale is crisp, complex, and refreshing. Pairing traditional malts and yeast with PNW-grown hops, it balances fruity esters, rustic flavor, and a zesty hop finish. // 6.50%
Key Takeaway: 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.
Format: Draft Only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: Belgian Blonde Ale
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: Tipping Point
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Bloktoberfest // Märzen Lager
Series: Perennial
Releases: August 23rd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Celebrate Oktoberfest Block 15-style with this amber-hued Märzen lager. Noble hops impart subtle floral and spicy aromas, while PNW-sourced Pilsner and Munich-style malts build a delicate base.
Buzzworks™ // NW Pilsner
Series: Synergy, collab with Chris King Precision Components
Releases: August 23rd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed with our friends at Chris King Precision Components to celebrate the riding season, this West Coast Pilsner is bursting with citrus, lychee, and strawberry hop notes.
Highland Hymn // Scottish Ale
Series: Perennial
Releases: August 23rd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Inspired by the majestic sights and sounds of Scotland, Highland Hymn is a malt-forward crescendo of caramelized sugar and toffee notes accompanied by a robust, and complex finish.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, August 22nd, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Wandelpad and Abbey-Style Beers
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Abbey-style beers are some of my favorites. Inspired by Belgian monks who brewed for sustenance and as a way to make a living, the beers still brewed in monasteries are referred to as Trappist beers. The monks were required to offer hospitality to guests passing through their area and were allowed to brew as a way to make money to pay for hosting these travelers. Abbey beers are beers brewed in this style outside of monasteries which contain an incredible depth of complexity and can be found at different strengths of alcohol content for any occasion. They have been brewed for generations, far longer than Belgium has been an official country. My personal favorites are the enkle and the quad, which lay at opposite ends of the Abbey spectrum.
The names of Belgian abbey-style beers relate directly to their strength and indirectly to their color. They are, in order, Belgian Enkle (1), Dubbel (2), Tripel (3), and Quad (4). Enkles are light, Dubbels are dark, Tripels are light, and Quads are dark. Color differences are due partially to differences in grain bills (the Quads and Dubbels have dark specialty malts), and partially to the color of Belgian candi syrup used to naturally condition the beers. I know we have touched on natural conditioning before, but here’s a quick refresher.
Natural conditioning is the process of capturing the carbonation formed during the fermentation process. We add Belgian Candi Syrup, a thick, sugary liquid that acts as the fuel for a second fermentation after the primary fermentation has finished. This leads to the formation of much smaller bubbles within the carbonation, which have a much smoother and creamier mouthfeel.
Belgian yeast is a major player in the final character of these styles, as well. It produces tons of fruity esters and spicy phenols, leading to classic notes such as banana, fig, clove, pepper, doughy bread, pear, bubble gum, and candied cherry.
While this style may or may not be your favorite, it is important for anyone who works in our line of work to appreciate the nuance and artistic expression that these styles offer. I encourage each of you to sample Abbey-style beers as they are available. I promise you will only like them more each time you do.
This week, we are releasing Wandelpad. Brewed at a lower ABV, close to Enkle, this Blonde Belgian offers all of the Abbey characters with less of the bite. The monks would call it a Patersbier, or Father’s beer, as the monks could drink it, and they could continue with their duties at the monastery. I love Wandelpad for its depth of character and level of complexity. We use Blonde Candi Syrup to naturally condition in the tank, and I think it’s a really good example of the style.
Do yourself a favor and open yourself up to the world of Abbey-style beers. It is nothing but rewarding, and it counts as going to church.
From the Executive Chef
Next Friday, August 23rd we will be swapping our our strawberry bell for a new version! German Chocolate!
Decadent chocolate cake with a rich coconut filling & topped with chocolate cream cheese icing. This update to a childhood classic is then topped with a classic swirl and a cherry on top!
Please don’t forget to share your personal or guests food feedback, especially on new menu items and specials! These insights really help to dial in our offerings for all our locations.
PUB UPDATES
Please focus on using/ stocking coasters for Perennial releases while they’re on draft- i.e. Animal Cookies and Fresh Flow- over using Perpetual coasters (like Gloria or Sticky Hands). This will help prevent paper product waste or having to hold onto the coasters until the next release.
Just to clarify–we no longer need to burn the downstairs server ice bin every single night and this can go back to once a week. The lists will be updated to reflect going back to the previous way.
While bartenders are swatting flies in the morning, if you have extra time and notice a particularly heavy fly area, please use the racket on them. This is the worst time of year for flies, so it can feel like an uphill battle, but taking 10 minutes to run through in the morning can help. Also, please only use the electric racket when we are closed as it draws a lot of attention and makes a lot of noise.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Smoke/Bathroom break Awareness!! It is policy to let a manager know when you are stepping off of the floor at any time. This will help ensure that all parts of the restaurant are being monitored so we can ensure fantastic service. We are all entitled to breaks, but communication is a requirement. If there is a consistent lack of communication, it can lead to a write up.
FOH: Taster Tray Awareness!! Please make sure you read Goody’s message on slack regarding taster tray/flight information and expectations. Also, when you are bussing a taster tray, make sure you are using a magic eraser on the card and returning it to the proper place behind the bar clean.
Line: Portioning Awareness!! When using a portioning scoop lets make sure we are scraping off excess product. Also when we can, let's make sure we are using a rubber spatula to get the last bit of product transferred from pan to pan.
Prep: Boomstick Awareness!! Please be gentle with the boomstick. Make sure the blade is always submerged below the level of what you are blending, and move it around slowly. If you hear screeching or a bad motor noise, stop!
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We are in the process of updating the tables to be painted gray. It’s time-consuming but we will see those get completed soon!
We will be closed on August 25th all day for the company party. If you are interested in a deep cleaning shift, please reach out to Ian.
We have a Tap Room GM hired! Please be on the lookout for an announcement this week.
Tap Room Focus Points
BOH:
Check the quality of the Elotes after a few days. If it starts to get mushy, make a new batch! We should be prepping no more than 3 days max
Please check the drip trays of the reach-in coolers. If you aren't
sure where they are, ask around and someone will point you in the right direction!FOH:
Keeping busy! Make sure we are getting out from behind the bar to interact with customers during lulls of ordering and running food.
ALL:
Find one extra thing this week to clean or touch up! If you see something that needs to be cleaned, attack it! For example, the little black ladder was filthy but got cleaned on shift. Even though that isn’t on a weekly/monthly, let’s address it when we see it!
Upcoming Events
Beer School: Exploring Hops
August 22nd 5:30-7
Topic: Hops!
For this month's class, we're covering one of our favorite beer ingredients: hops! On the cusp of fresh hop harvest season, we'll go over our experiences with hop selection, introduce you to the concepts behind our upcoming fresh hop beers, and discuss other significant aspects of working with hops and hop products.
Cost: $10
Tickets can be purchased on our website under Store > Experiences or through the Event Listing. All the updated info is on these pages if you’d like to read more about the event.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Caves Updates
Just to keep you all updated, we unfortunately had to cancel our Vegan Harvest Dinner that was to take place on August 20th. While we had good interest in the dinner, the ticket sales didn't quite hit where we needed to be in order to ensure the best experience for guests and staff. If folks have questions, please feel free to direct them to email me (Goody) at alex@block15.com
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVEs
Benny Gemetti - Shout out to Benny! Overall kind dude. But really, he’s consistent, leads by example, and takes care of his coworkers very well and it does not go unnoticed.
Siarra Edwards - She has been working so hard lately, we see you girl!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week!
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to be cleaning up spills, using wet floor signs and keeping floors clean to prevent slips, trips, and falls.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room : 1 - 4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - August 7th, 2024
General
Did you know Block 15 has a softball team?
That team just won two games in the playoffs on Tuesday night, meaning they have a shot at winning the league title over the next two Tuesday nights. The next game in their championship run is Tuesday 8/13 at 7:30pm at Pioneer Park!
Company Pic Nic - RSVP
You’re invited to the Block 15 Brewing Company BBQ! We want to thank you and your families for being a part of the Block 15 family and helping to make our dream a reality every day. This invitation is extended to your immediate family members or a significant other.
As in past years, this summer celebration is a family-friendly event. BBQ dinner, drinks, and good company provided.
Please RSVP using the Wufoo form no later than August 15th so we can have the appropriate amount of food from our BBQ caterer.
Date: Sunday, August 25th
Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Park Walnut Barn
https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/parksrec/page/walnut-barn
Time: 4-8 pm. BBQ will be served at 6 pm.
Chris King Visit - August 16th
This August, we will be releasing a collaboration beer with a company located in PDX called Chris King Precision Components. They manufacture bike components in PDX that are serviceable and last for years. This collaboration encompasses the craft of two very different products from companies who share the same audience and company vision of craft, sustainability and community.
Learn more about them: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
We hosted their team on the brew day of the beer two weeks ago, called Buzzworks NW Pilsner. They wanted to invite us to their location to get a tour from their team as well. We will be visiting on 8/16. Please reach out to me at kelsea@block15.com, if you have any questions or want to join!
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Alex S.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Cold Summer Noodles!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 8/9
Eminent Point //
Description: We're reaching for new heights with this luxurious take on an American classic. Featuring notes of pine resin, dank herb and sweet citrus, it all balances with a soft and enticing malt backbone. // 6.80%
Key Takeaway: The evolution of IPA styles in craft beer continues to reinvent what was just recently out of date. This American IPA features zero caramel malt, but still balances a pleasant malt base with an assertive mix of Simcoe, Waimea and cashmere hops.
Tasting Notes: Pine Resin. Blue Raspberry. Elevated Perspective.
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: American IPA
The classic IPA style originating in America has evolved less than other substyles. Moderate to heavy malt presence with a balance of citrus, herbal, pine, and floral hop flavors and aromas most commonly. It is fuller-bodied than West Coast IPAs and has an assertive bitterness that balances malt sweetness. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 8/9
Eminent Point // American IPA
Alluvial //
Description: Brewed in collaboration with the original breeder of the Amarillo hop, Virgil Gamache Farms. Alluvial Pale Ale will first appear at the Hop Research Council's annual meet-up hosted by Coleman Agriculture at Alluvial Hop Farm in Independence, Oregon. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: The Hop Research Council includes all facets of the hop industry - growers/processors/brewers. Virgil Gamache invited us to collaborate on this beer for a celebratory dinner held at Coleman's Alluvial Farms, part of the HRC's annual Summer Meeting hosted at OSU from August 5th to 7th. The Amarillo hops used in this beer were grown at Virgil Gamache Farms in Toppenish, Washington, where Amarillo was first developed.
Tasting Notes: Mandarin Orange • Honeysuckle • Homage
Format: Draft Only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: Pale Ale
With a lower ABV than most of our IPAs and an easy-drinking body, these pale ales have a brighter, more pronounced hop presence than other pale ales. Look forward to a lighter drinking experience all around with the fruity, explosive hop experience that you’ve come to expect from anything branded West Coast. Bright, light, and expressive, these are a perfect alternative to big, bold IPAs.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: Summer Knights & Fresh Flow
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Wandelpad // Belgian Blonde Ale
Series: Pub Life
Releases: August 16th
Format: Draft Only
Description: 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.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, August 8th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Eminent Point and the Reimagining of American IPA
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
American IPA is the style that made many of us fall in love with craft brewing. In the early days, it was enormous. Full of caramel malt sweetness attempting to balance totally unreasonable hop loads, it was an exercise in excess, and we loved it. We drank beers that bragged about high IBU, high ABV, high everything. More. More. MORE!!!
Then came the East Coast ‘Hazy’ craze, where malt sweetness and hop bitterness overloads were traded for pillowy mouthfeels and tropical aromatics. Honestly, it was just another exercise in excess, and we loved it again.
While Hazy’s may not be my favorite style to drink, brewing during their heyday taught us a lot about striving for balance over hype and producing excellent beer no matter what the popular fad of the season demands. We learned new processes, experimented with new products, and learned a lot about producing interesting and delicious beer all around.
Now it’s time for us to reimagine our old friend, American IPA, with the tools that we’ve acquired in the decade or so since it fell out of fast fashion. American IPA, at its core, really is a beautiful and delicious beer. There is a reason it was so popular, but we now know that we can make it better. We built Eminent Point around this idea, that American IPA can be aromatic, hoppy, and bright without being overly bitter or sickeningly sweet. We used Simcoe, Waimea, Talus, Nugget Salvo, and Cashmere hops, adding a diversity of aroma with hops from the PNW and New Zealand together. We also cut all caramel malt, leaving us with an understated but pleasant malt base with notes of pine resin, blue raspberry, sweet citrus, and dank herb. It’s the new version of an old favorite, and we’re really excited to brew it again. Try it yourself, and suggest a taste to fans of the new school and old heads alike.
From the Executive Chef
August monthly specials will go live today, Wednesday August 7th!
PUB
Pepper & Onions Sausage Hoagie - Grilled Pepper Tree Sausage House festival sausage, grilled peppers & onions, caper aioli and melted provolone served on a warm Bread Stop Bakery brioche roll. $16.99
Apricot & Shrimp Salad - Fresh chopped romaine, chilled lime marinated gulf shrimp, Riverland Family Farms’ grape tomatoes, red onion, Peoria Road Farm Markets’ fresh apricots and jalapeno-coconut dressing. Topped with fried wonton strips and cilantro. $14.99
Herb Fried Zucchini - House breaded zucchini spears, fried golden, topped with parmesan and served with caper aioli $8.99
TAPROOM
Apricot Chicken Sandwich - Crispy fried chicken tenders, jalapeno-apricot glaze, cilantro mayo, melted Swiss, greens and fresh tomato served on a buttery Bread Stop brioche bun. $16.99
Elotes Hot Dog - All beef hot dog in a warm brioche bun, topped with roasted street corn salad, cilantro, tajin & queso fresco. $15.99
PUB UPDATES
Just a quick note on proper pour sizes and how those look in our glasses: as long as it is feasible for the style, each beer should have about a 1/2in of head–or about the size of a nickel–and should be topped off before being run to a table. Certain styles will not retain the head (sours, high ABV barrel aged beers) so those glasses are expected and acceptable to be “short” with that 1/2in space between the wash line of the beer and the lip of the glass. Ciders and root beer fall into the same category. Filling any of our glasses to the brim is actually over-pouring (Pints are 17oz to the brim, Tulips 13.25oz, Belgians 16oz). The exceptions to the 1/2in space are 10oz glasses that can have a smaller amount of head/foam, and 5oz glasses which are 5oz to the brim.
On Mondays and Fridays we often get deliveries that land in the Server Restock Area, and it is the expectation that as part of server shift change in the afternoon, these deliveries are put away or otherwise organized.
On Mondays, the AM serving crew is responsible for moving paper goods to the breakroom where they belong, and unpacking the bulk liquor order that gets dropped in the Restock Area (the large bottles of Altos Tequila).
While some wines are delivered on Thursdays, all wine and the second delivery of paper goods should be moved and stocked into their proper place on Friday afternoons.
If you are unsure of where something lives, please ask a manager (FOH, Line, or Prep) but please do not leave this task for someone else to do! Managers will be confirming this is done midday on Mondays and Fridays.
We are no longer saving flats for the Garden Sale that happened back in June–please recycle extra flats rather than store them in the Bomb Shelter.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Continuation of Food Feedback Awareness!! We have some new items rolling out on Wednesday– Make sure you know your procedures and that we are gathering specific feedback from the FOH side when someone orders a new item.
FOH: Beer Tasting Awareness! Everyone has done a great job learning all of the new beers from the information on the brewsletter lately! If you are over 21, when a new beer releases, ask the bartender for a sample so you can get a better understanding of the notes and how you can personally describe the beer to customers!
Line: Up-stock/Re-stock Awareness! When up-stocking/re-stocking, ensure items are going into the correct table and correct door. If you are unsure where something should go please ask a kitchen manager, lead cook, or more experienced cook for confirmation.
Prep: New Specials!Make sure to read through the procedures fully before starting, and check in with the lead if you have questions.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We have a new flavor of kombucha from Happy Mountain which is Hopped Huckleberry
Hopped Huckleberry
filtered water, organic white peony tea leaves, organic kombucha culture, organic cane sugar, Simcoe hops, organic hibiscus flowers, huckleberry flavor
If you didn’t read Alex’s points about the proper pour size above, please do!
With Madie moving on, we are knee deep in the search for a GM. We have candidates to interview this week, and should hopefully have someone in place before too long. In the meantime, Ian Hutchings (COO) will be covering managerial duties and begin delegating tasks once we have someone hired. Please reach out to him if you have any questions or TR specific needs.
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: New monthly specials went live on Wednesday. Please learn and suggest these! Feel free to ask questions if needed!
FOH: Teamwork and communication! While we are in a GM transition please bring issues or topics up to Mak, Levi or Ian so we can work on solutions quickly. Support one another while on the floor as a team!
BOH: Monthly special procedures. Please read up on the new menu item recipes and procedures. Feel free to ask questions if needed!
Upcoming Events
Beer School: Exploring Hops
August 22nd 5:30-7
Topic: Hops!
For this month's class, we're covering one of our favorite beer ingredients: hops! On the cusp of fresh hop harvest season, we'll go over our experiences with hop selection, introduce you to the concepts behind our upcoming fresh hop beers, and discuss other significant aspects of working with hops and hop products.
Cost: $10
Tickets can be purchased on our website under Store > Experiences or through the Event Listing. All the updated info is on these pages if you’d like to read more about the event.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVEs
Shoutout to Helen and Paige who killed it training while we were super busy Tuesday night. Greatly appreciated both your attention to detail while also showing our newest team members how to maintain a good hustle! You two rock!!!
Shoutout to Maggie and Elias for training through a busier night than expected, and keeping incredibly positive and confident. So happy to have you join the team!!!
Siarra Edwards - Thanks for staying to close dish and also putting away the two late orders... That was super helpful.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Andrew Dillon (Brewery)
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.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - July 31st, 2024
General
Chris King Visit - August 16th
This August, we will be releasing a collaboration beer with a company located in PDX called Chris King Precision Components. They manufacture bike components in PDX that are serviceable and last for years. This collaboration encompasses the craft of two very different products from companies who share the same audience and company vision of craft, sustainability and community.
Learn more about them: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
We hosted their team on the brew day of the beer two weeks ago, called Buzzworks NW Pilsner. They wanted to invite us to their location to get a tour from their team as well. We will be visiting on 8/16. Please reach out to me at kelsea@block15.com, if you have any questions or want to join!
Company Pic Nic - RSVP
You’re invited to the Block 15 Brewing Company BBQ! We want to thank you and your families for being a part of the Block 15 family and helping to make our dream a reality every day. This invitation is extended to your immediate family members or a significant other.
As in past years, this summer celebration is a family-friendly event. BBQ dinner, drinks, and good company provided.
Please RSVP using the Wufoo form no later than August 15th so we can have the appropriate amount of food from our BBQ caterer.
Date: Sunday, August 25th
Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Park Walnut Barn
https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/parksrec/page/walnut-barn
Time: 4-8 pm. BBQ will be served at 6 pm.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Matt Williams! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Pastrami & Mushroom Sandwich!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 8/2
Kumo //
Description: An incredibly dry, Japanese-inspired rice lager, Kumo features NW-grown Pilsner malt and vibrant Liberty hops. Crisp and easy-going, Kumo breezes through like a drifting cloud in the sky. // 4.50%
Key Takeaway: We're bringing this favorite back around. After a visit to Japan in 2023, Kumo was adjusted to bring out the light and dry attributes that are true to a Japanese Rice Lager. This time around, we're adding Liberty Hops.
Tasting Notes: Bread Crust • Lemon Rind • Super-Dry
Format: Draft and Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Japanese Rice Lager
Japanese rice lagers, also known as Japanese lagers or rice lagers, are light-bodied, light-colored beers with a dry finish. They are brewed with a large proportion of rice in addition to malted barley, up to a third of the grain bill. The rice provides fermentable sugars for the yeasts that produce alcohol while also adding crispness and a subtle sweetness to the beer. Japanese rice lagers often have higher carbonation and a delicate malt flavor with subtle hop notes.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 8/2
Kumo // Japanese Rice Lager
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Dark Surroundings & Fresh Flow
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Eminent Point // American IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: August 9th
Format: Draft and Cans
Description: We're reaching for new heights with this luxurious take on an American classic. Featuring notes of pine resin, dank herb and sweet citrus, it all balances with a soft and enticing malt backbone.
Alluvial // Pale Ale
Series: Pub Life
Releases: August 9th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Brewed in collaboration with the original breeder and owner of the Amarillo hop, Virgil Gamache Farms. Alluvial Pale Ale will first appear at the Hop Research Council's annual meet up hosted by Coleman Agriculture at Alluvial Hop Farm in Independence, Oregon.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, August 8th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Alluvial Pale
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
A few weeks ago, we brewed a pale ale in collaboration with Virgil Gamache Farms in Toppenish, Washington, the breeders and owners of the hop strain Amarillo. They asked for us by name, as they’re big fans of our brewery, and they thought we would represent their product well. The beer was brewed for the Hop Research Council’s annual Summer Meeting, which will be mostly held at OSU between August 5th and 7th. Alluvial is a hoppy pale that showcases Amarillo hops, grown at Virgil Gamache, with a touch of Chinook hops, grown by Indie Hops, as support. Those attending the meeting will be enjoying a dinner event at Coleman Agriculture’s Alluvial Hop Farm in Independence, Oregon, which happens to also be the place where we’re getting some of our fresh hops this year. It’s a really exciting project, and we’re honored to have been chosen by such an esteemed organization to represent their flagship product to their peers. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!
From the Executive Chef
August monthly specials will go live Wednesday, August 7th!
PUB
Sausage and Pepper Sausage Sandwich-Grilled peppertree sausage, roasted local onions and peppers, caper aioli and melted provolone.
Creamy Coconut Shrimp Salad w/ local grape tomatoes, red onion, apricots, jalapeno-coconut dressing and tortilla strips
Herb & Panko Fried Zucchini w/ Caper Aioli
TAP ROOM
Apricot Chicken Sandwich-Chicken tenders, jalapeno-apricot glaze, cilantro mayo, melted Swiss, greens and fresh tomato.
Elotes Hot Dog-All beef hot dog topped with roasted corn elotes, cilantro, tajin, queso fresco
PUB UPDATES
Please do not prop the back employee door open for an extended period of time (longer than a quick prop to take trashes or other items into/out of the restaurant). Leaving doors open causes the A/C to not work as efficiently and also lets in a lot of flies and mosquitos.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Food Feedback Awareness!! Please engage with guests to get more food feedback whether it's positive or negative. Also be sure to communicate with the kitchen lead if & when we are needing to assess an item for quality standards and if we need to damage control be sure to also let your floating manager know the situation.
FOH: Window Cleaning Awareness! With the beautiful sunshine it's very easy to spot windows if they're not clean. Please take an extra moment after cleaning each table to check the cleanliness of the window & window sill. Let's also clean the brewbar window and front door windows frequently.
Line: Equipment Cleanliness and Upkeep Awareness! With our new chef base officially installed let's focus on keeping our kitchen equipment clean & in good working order!! Please be mindful of not slamming the doors and the drawers as this will help them last longer. Also cleaning around and under these items will aid a longer lasting equipment lifespan.
Prep: Double Checking When Looking for Items!Get a second set of eyes to double-check if you can't find something.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Please make sure to wear eye and hand protection when changing out dishwasher chemical bottles. There are gloves in the kitchen and safety glasses in multiple locations in the brewery!
Brewery safety! We should not be walking through the large bay door when entering/leaving the brewery, as this is a safety hazard. Please use the regular sized door next to it for foot traffic. There are no exceptions to this.
Please only fill out the keg return log if someone is not picking up another keg and is looking for a deposit refund. If someone is just swapping out for another order, it does not need to be written on the sheet.
Please continue to keep up with ringing in items accurately and consistently in toast and properly discounting items when needed. Employee food tabs that are please pays should be voided, not done as a walkout!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Labeling! When making lemonades, marg, smix/raz vanilla fifos, etc. please make sure we are properly labeling them and taking off any old labels to not cause confusion. Make sure it has the name of the contents, date it was made, and initial.
ALL: Everybody Love Everybody! Thank you all for your hard work, communication, positive attitudes, and being Blockstars. Keep it up!
Upcoming Events
Beer School August 22nd 5:30-7
Topic: Hops!
Cost: $10
Tickets will be on sale soon!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVEs
TR Peeps (everyone that works in the building, all departments)! Love you all, keep kicking butt!
Whole Brew Crew - I am so pumped about the sense of positivity and growth in the brewery right now. We're going to miss some folks soon, and are excited to get some new faces, but these folks work hard and play harder no matter what.
James Watts - He's a killer opener! How does he do it?!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Elias Siltanen (FOH)
Maggie Speed (FOH)
Rowan DeLine (Caves FOH)
Brigham Bergstrom (Distro)
SAFETY TIPS
Be aware of the people working around you and follow one of the Golden Rules of safety, "work as safely with others as you would have them work with you."
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - July 24th, 2024
General
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - This Thursday @ 4 pm
The next tasting is this Thursday, 7/25/24, @ 4 pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub.
Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer, you would like to taste/share, bring it in.
Your first beer is on us for anyone attending.
Chris King Visit - August 16th
This August, we will be releasing a collaboration beer with a company located in PDX called Chris King Precision Components. They manufacture bike components in PDX that are serviceable and last for years. This collaboration encompasses the craft of two very different products from companies who share the same audience and company vision of craft, sustainability and community.
Learn more about them: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
We hosted their team on the brew day of the beer two weeks ago, called Buzzworks NW Pilsner. They wanted to invite us to their location to get a tour from their team as well. We will be visiting on 8/16. Please reach out to me at kelsea@block15.com, if you have any questions or want to join!
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by James W.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Pizza Burger!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 7/26
Animal Cookies //
Description: 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%
Key Takeaway: The return of a classic Block 15 IPA. Hazy IPA done the Block 15 way.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Papaya • Navel Orange • Mesmerizing
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Hazy IPA
An IPA sub-style originating in New England, it originally evolved from American IPA to have a lighter malt bill, that had a soft finish from adjuncts containing higher protein levels and water naturally high in Chloride. Early versions retained an assertive bitterness, but that mostly softened over time giving way to a soft, juicy beer with a big, sweet body that mostly featured fruit notes (citrus, tropical, stonefruit, red fruit, etc..). Some versions can contain pine or dank notes as well. Bitterness ranges from light to moderate, and body ranges from moderate to heavy. Hazy is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 7/26
Animal Cookies // Hazy IPA
Dark Surroundings //
Description: Brewed in Collaboration with Black Tide Brewing, located in Kesennuma, Japan, this American Porter features caramelized Okinawa Sweet Potatoes in the mash and was conditioned on roasted Japanese chestnuts. // 5.00%
Key Takeaway: This beer was brewed for the Fuji to Hood: Japan/Oregon Collaboration Festival, where it will make its first public debut. The fest's location alternates between Japan and the US (Oregon) every year; this year, it will be in PDX on 7/20!
Tasting Notes: Gentle Nuttiness • Cocoa • Friendship
Format: Draft Only
Series: Synergy
Beer Style: Porter with Okinawa Sweet Potatoes and Japanese Chestnuts
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: DAB Lab SubZero at the Pub & Clouded Coast at both
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Kumo // Japanese Rice Lager
Series: Perennial
Releases: August 2nd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: An incredibly dry, Japanese-inspired rice lager, Kumo features NW-grown Pilsner malt and vibrant Liberty hops. Crisp and easy-going, Kumo breezes through like a drifting cloud in the sky.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, July 25th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Dark Surroundings and Fuji to Hood
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
XXRecently, we were invited to participate in an awesome program called Fuji to Hood. In this program, brewers from Japan and Oregon collaborate to create a beer using ingredients from the visiting region. The program alternates between locations, with the beer being brewed in the area where the event will be held that year. This year, the beer was brewed in Oregon with ingredients from Japan.
We were paired with Black Tide Brewing, situated on the Sanriku coast, surrounded by brilliant green mountains in Kesennuma, Japan. We put our heads together with their brewers and developed a porter called Dark Surroundings. We added dark purple Okinawa sweet potatoes to the mash and conditioned the beer on Kuri chestnuts. The result was a unique, mildly nutty porter that I feel really captures the essence of Black Tide and Block 15, both nestled in misty coastal mountains.
The best part of this collaboration was getting to meet and spend time with James and Yoshi, who traveled to the event and came to visit our brewery. We traded knowledge and inspiration, as well as more than a few beers. The event itself had one of the most interesting beer menus
I’ve ever seen (only one IPA!) and was a venerable Murderers Row of Oregon brewers matched with the very best Japan has to offer. Japanese vendors and artists displayed their work, and musicians played traditional music and percussion. It was incredible to spend the day immersed in another culture and learn what they had to share. They have a great respect for the Pacific Northwest’s brewing culture and acumen, and we were so happy to pass along what we knew as well.
I’ll be looking forward to taking part in this program in the years to come, and I am excited to say that Dark Surroundings will be pouring at both Block 15 locations starting this Friday. It was a crowd favorite at the event, and I hope you try it and like it as well. As always, let me know what you think, and reach out to me with any questions, comments, or feedback at garrison@block15.com
From the Executive Chef
August monthly specials will go live Wednesday, August 7th!
PUB
Sausage and Pepper Sausage Sandwich-Grilled peppertree sausage, roasted local onions and peppers, caper aioli and melted provolone.
Creamy Coconut Shrimp Salad w/ local grape tomatoes, red onion, apricots, jalapeno-coconut dressing and tortilla strips
Herb & Panko Fried Zucchini w/ Caper Aioli
TAP ROOM
Apricot Chicken Sandwich-Chicken tenders, jalapeno-apricot glaze, cilantro mayo, melted Swiss, greens and fresh tomato.
Elotes Hot Dog-All beef hot dog topped with roasted corn elotes, cilantro, tajin, queso fresco
PUB UPDATES
We have some dope Animal Cookies coasters that we can use while we have the beer on–please make sure you snag some of these when doing the restock lists come Friday morning!
The ice bin cover is getting fixed, we are going to hopefully also install some rubber bumpers to help prevent this from happening again (since it’s been twice in one year).
Pub Focus Points
ALL: 86 Item Communication Awareness!! When we have 86'd an item, make sure that we are passing this message along to EVERYONE, writing it on the whiteboard, and ensuring that someone has updated the POS. Same goes for when we have an item back in-stock.
FOH: Table Resetting Awareness! When cleaning a table, all surfaces should be wiped down (tables, chairs, table tents, salt & peppers) and the floor should be fully free of debris. If there are chairs, they should be pushed in. A table reset should look like it’s the first time that someone is sitting at that table for the day.
Line: Re-Stock Awareness! Let's focus on stocking this week! Make sure items are in the correct spot, double checking dates on items for rotation purposes, and that we are not over stocking slow moving items such as BC Crumbles, Balsamic Onions and such...if you have any questions check in with a Lead or Mgr. so we are all on the same page!!
Prep: Project Goal Times Awareness!Time to take a look at goal times again. How do you compare for projects you do often, and projects you don't usually do?
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
My last day at Block 15 will be August 4th. It has been a true pleasure working with all of you over the years. Anytime any of you are in Bend, you always have somewhere to go if you need! Come see me at the TR or grab a beer with me and Gavin before we move if you would like! Love, Madie
The dishwasher needs to have rinse aid and washing detergent added to it every time it gets filled or drained and refilled. To do so you will want to hold down the top 2 switches on the left of the dishwasher for about 20-30 seconds. If you open the dishwasher you will be able to see it coming out into the dishwasher.
This week is the last Tunes n Brews! Thank you to everyone who came to support, worked during them, etc! It wouldn’t have gone so well without you all!!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Glassware! Keep up monitoring the glassware and dishwasher. Please make sure we are serving customers drinks in clean glasses and rewash items when needed. Give glasses a once over before pouring into them.
ALL: Keep it up! Thanks for working hard, communicating, and staying informed. You are all appreciated!
Upcoming Events
Tunes, Brews & BBQ! Last one of the year!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials!
Wed 7/24 BBQ Special: Brisket Burnt Ends, Texas Toast, Watermelon, Elotes $16.99
Dessert: Peach Shortcake
Music: Tuesday String Band
Tour ‘N Taste
July 25th between 5:30 - 6:30 pm
2 tour times available: 5:30 & 6 pm from the brew staff, a first taste of Animal Cookies, and a small-bite pairing of Roasted Tomato, Feta, & Hot Honey Tartlet from Sarah.
We’re charging $5 this time around to encourage reservations. Tickets can be purchased for either the 5:30 or 6:00 tour slot on our website, through the event page or our online store under Experiences.
Each time slot is limited to 15 people. 21+ only.
If we don’t sell out, walk-ins are welcome.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Brittany Bernstien - She's doing a great job learning all our prep projects. Welcome to the team!
Patience Womack - Thanks SO MUCH for bringing down all those boxes, and thanks for checking to make sure the boxes ended up in the right spot so we can find what we need.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Ricardo Garcia Garcia (Brewery)
Thalia Rosales (FOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Slow down and make sure you’re listening for safety calls! We need to be slowing down, consistently using our corner calls, and keeping eyes forward when moving through spaces for safety purposes. We are a busy and fast paced restaurant and need to be giving time to each other to safely move through work spaces. Please take a deep breath and remember to slow down & while making safety calls.
Office Hours
Monday: Canceled.
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - July 17th, 2024
General
Lagered by the Sun!
What is it?
Lagered by the Sun represents Block 15’s commitment to sustainable brewing practices. Emphasizing community involvement, this program pays homage to three key areas: sourcing local and regional ingredients, utilizing solar energy in the lagering process, and implementing mindful brewing practices that extend to the shelves and taps.
“Lagered by The Sun encompasses many of our efforts to brew sustainably while creating unique craft beer that genuinely represents our place and the PNW. This has been an exciting project several years in the making as we studied and tested materials and techniques that have culminated in our Lagered by The Sun offerings matching the quality we strive for every day.” Says Co-Owner Nick Arzner.
Why is Lagered by the Sun so lit right now?
It’s summertime, which means it’s also a great time to enjoy a lager. Our customers have been going crazy over our perpetual Gloria! Pilsner and our newest addition, Green Truck American Light Lager. It’s a great talking point to mention that these beers are part of our Lagered by the Sun Program. Both use NW hops and malts and are brewed using solar energy located on our Southtown production facility (the TR!).
Chris King Visit
This August, we will be releasing a collaboration beer with a company located in PDX called Chris King Precision Components. They manufacture bike components in PDX that are serviceable and last for years. This collaboration encompasses the craft of two very different products from companies who share the same audience and company vision of craft, sustainability and community.
Learn more about them: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
Last week, we hosted their team on the brew day of the beer, called Buzzworks NW Pilsner. They wanted to invite us to their location to get a tour from their team as well. I put together a form for the two dates that work for them. Submit a date that works and we’ll get something on the books! - Kelsea
Block 15 Sponsored Softball Team
Come watch their last game!
Tuesday, 7/23 @ 5:45 pm at Porter
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Simon! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Summer Artisan Plate!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Releasing Friday 7/19
Turbulent Consequence, Peche //
Description: 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 mixed Suncrest and Elberta peaches and aged an additional 8 months. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: Lambic-style ale aged on one of the traditional five belgian brewing fruits, peaches. Our fruit was sourced from Olson Family Farms in Salem, Oregon.
Tasting Notes: Peach Juice • Sweet Tarts • Overripe
Format: Bottles and Draft
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Lambic Ale Matured in Oak Barrels with Elberta and Suncrest Peaches
Lambic brewing is a historically significant, pro-level brewing style that we at Block 15 are proud to help keep alive and fresh in the 21st century. Before the Industrial Revolution, Belgian breweries were taxed based on the volume of their brewery mash tun, so in order to get as much beer as possible out of each mash, they would pack it to the gills with grain. This led to a process called the turbid mash, where the mash was much thicker than in other standard brews. They would use a series of rinses, running wort to the kettle, then back through the grain, to extract the most from their grain. They then used a coolship, like ours downstairs at the pub, to cool the wort, inadvertently exposing it to wild microorganisms. These spontaneously inoculated beers would then spend some time in barrels, fermenting until they were perfect to blend. They also used aged hops as a necessity, which, as another happy accident, were higher in beta acids (anti-spoilage) and lower in alpha acids (bittering compounds) and allowed the beer to remain stable while aging without becoming overly bitter. This combination of attention to detail and artistry created the style of beer we now make and celebrate as one of the most difficult to brew and master styles in existence. We release many traditional versions of this beer, including Peche, but we also throw in a new variation of tradition here and there. Look for a balanced acidity with plenty of spontaneous funk and a touch of warm vanilla from the French oak in which it matures.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 7/19
Turbulent Consequence, Peche // Lambic Ale Matured in Oak Barrels with Elberta and Suncrest Peaches
Horchata //
Description: Decadent and refreshing, this Horchata cream ale is a brewer's take on a classic Horchata. Brewed using fresh cinnamon and nutmeg, this cream ale captures the unique and iconic flavors of the classic Mexican beverage. // 5.60%
Key Takeaway: Our take on bringing Horchata to the beer scene, this cream ale was brewed using lactose, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to combine the best parts of these two iconic beverages. This beer is the first in a series brewed on our Pub system from a recipe submitted by one of our brewers. Horchata comes from J Pascoe, who developed the recipe initially while completing the Brewing and Fermentation Science Certificate Program at the University of The Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. With the opportunity here, J had the chance to develop the idea further, and can't wait for everyone to try it.
Tasting Notes: Nutmeg • Cinnamon • Summer
Format: Draft Only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: Cream Ale
Cream Ale is another truly American invention. Developed in the 1800s, it’s closely related to pale lager. Though it’s fermented with ale yeast, it’s conditioned cold, like a lager. A touch of lactose is added during the brewing process, which lends a delicious, creamy mouthfeel and gives the beer its name. Look for a light, dry beer with a touch of hop character and a unique mouthfeel.
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beers are: R&D 2156 at the Taproom, Summer Knights Kolsch for Both Locations
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Animal Cookies // Hazy IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: July 26th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: 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.
Dark Surroundings // Porter with Okinawa Sweet Potatoes and Japanese Chestnuts
Series: Synergy
Releases: July 26th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Brewed for the Fuji to Hood collaborative beer fest. Our partner this year was Black Tide Brewing, located in Kesennuma, Japan. This American Porter features caramelized Okinawa Sweet Potatoes in the mash and was conditioned on roasted Japanese chestnuts.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, July 25th, at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Don't Forget Deep Seek!
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We release some really exciting IPAs. Many of our fans come in looking for the newest, flashiest IPA to experience fresh when they’re at our establishment. This is amazing, and while I appreciate those folks immensely, I want to take this time to reiterate just how awesome Deep Seek, one of our year-round beers, really is.
We spent countless hours and turns on the brewhouse honing Deep Seek to be the best example of West Coast IPA that it could be. As a prominent West Coast brewery known for its fresh AF IPAs and our place as an innovator in the industry, we take our namesake style seriously. Focused on balance, drinkability, and explosive hop delivery, Deep Seek is truly a world-class example of the style.
Any regular IPA drinker will recognize its rightful place on our list of perpetuals, and I’d love to see how much we can move. Feel free to suggest a sample to folks, and don’t be afraid to brag about how much time and energy we’ve spent on making it as much of a banger as it is. It’s an uncommonly good IPA, and I want the world to know! Especially if someone is from out of town or hasn’t tried our beer before, but even if they’re a regular who only drinks one beer, help me get the word out. Deep Seek is the perfect West Coast IPA.
From the Executive Chef
Check back next week!
PUB UPDATES
When cashing someone out and handing them the handheld, please remember to ask them if they requested a printed copy of their receipt. This is one of our most often missed steps in service and can result in a guest waiting at the table for a number of minutes just to get their receipt.
Another reminder that the two plants hanging above the Brewer’s Bar in front of the window are part of our plants that need to be watered each week. A few times now these have been caught just as they were completely dried out and close to dying. Please make sure to water these when watering the rest.
We have a new handheld vacuum that can be used on the stairs each morning and in the booth benches for special cleaning projects. Please be gentle with it so we can keep it around, and empty it when it’s full.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Slow Down & Safety Calls Awareness!! We have been rocking with business lately, but we still need to be slowing down, consistently using our corner calls, and keeping eyes forward when moving through spaces for safety purposes. We are a busy and fast paced restaurant and need to be giving time to each other to safely move through work spaces. Everyone has had great hustle, and everyone has been working very hard but remember to take a deep breath and please slow down & while making safety calls.
FOH: Pre-bussing Awareness! We should be prioritizing “full hands in, full hands out” if you are checking in on a table. If they have dirty dishes in front of them, we should be grabbing them. If you are hosting, food running, or moving through someone else’s section, keep an eye for dishes that you can pull from the table.
Line: Garnish Station Awareness! Lets focus not only on the amount of garnish we do throughout the day but also quality–especially the basil and radish as these two items are left out during service and will wilt if not prepped before a push!!
Prep: Dishwashing Awareness! Keep the dishwasher running! If you are dropping off dishes, push a load through. If something is cool enough to back out, let's do that earlier in the day so we don't have a huge stack of sheet pans and other dishes at close.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Clarification: Dogs are welcome in the taproom with their humans for re-ordering, cashing out, starting a tab, etc. They are not allowed to stay inside the taproom for any extended amount of time or at a table to eat unless a service dog.
There is one more batch of Blood orange concentrate left, after that it will be 86ed. The concentrate needs to be saved for the Horizon Sun cocktail as we are switched to Prickly pear for lemonades.
Please make sure we are watching our conversations while on the clock. There should be absolutely no gossiping, smack talking, or lengthy personal conversations happening while on the floor whatsoever.
We will be swapping out our taster flight cards for some new and improved ones this weekend! These new ones have spots for you to set the taster glass on top of and a place to put the beer name below.
Piroshky Piroshky will be on site on Thursday from 4-6pm in the parking lot handing out their online pick-up orders.
Please make sure when restocking beer to-go that no partial 4pks are being put behind full 4pks. Partials should always be at the front.
We are fully out of Shooting Star Rose and will be switching back to the Airlie Rose in the next week or so.
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Beer Education! It is extremely important to make sure we are staying up to date on beer education and specifically staying informed on beer releases. It is an expectation that everyone working behind the bar knows what beers are out and how to describe them and key aspects about them. One sheets live in the binder behind the bar and the brewsletter is a great resource for information. (edited)
ALL: Staying organized! It is important to make sure we clean up after ourselves, put things away properly, and maintain shared spaces to ensure efficiency and respect for each other and the Taproom.
Upcoming Events
Tunes, Brews & BBQ!
First 4 Wednesdays of July from 6 - 8:30 pm
7/17 lineup:
Band: Brutal Bridges Band
BBQ: Alabama Chicken Hindquarters, loaded potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon $15.99
Dessert: Mango Lime popsicle
Tour ‘N Taste
July 25th between 5:30 - 6:30 pm
2 tour times available: 5:30 & 6 pm from the brew staff, a first taste of Animal Cookies, and a small-bite pairing of Roasted Tomato, Feta, & Hot Honey Tartlet from Sarah.
We’re charging $5 this time around to encourage reservations. Tickets can be purchased for either the 5:30 or 6:00 tour slot on our website, through the event page or our online store under Experiences.
Each time slot is limited to 15 people. 21+ only.
If we don’t sell out, walk-ins are welcome.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Elise Pietromonaco - for caring as much as she does. She’s the best!
Levi Stalder - Thank you for being a real one, and making sure your team is well taken care of and supported.
Emma Bartlett - She is always giving 100% and stays focused on the job. We appreciate your hard work!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to wash your hands frequently.
Hands must be washed: before preparing foods or putting on gloves, after touching human body parts (other than clean arms or hands), after using the toilet,after caring for or touching an animal, after coughing, sneezing, using a tissue or handkerchief, using tobacco, eating or drinking, after engaging in any activities that might contaminate the hands, like taking out garbage, handling soiled utensils or equipment, handling cleaning chemicals, during food preparation when switching from working with raw meats and fish to ready-to-eat foods.
Office Hours
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - July 10th, 2024
General
New Dessert
We are switching out the Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake for our S’mores Cheesecake starting Friday at both locations. It has a graham cracker crust, a Belgian chocolate filling, and a delicious marshmallowy frosting on top that gets torched upon service. A summer classic!
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - This Thursday @ 4 pm
Join us this Thursday, 7/11/24 @ 4pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub.
Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share bring it in.
First beer is on us for anyone attending.
Block 15 Sponsored Softball Team
Come watch one of their last games!
Tuesday, 7/16 @ 7:30 pm at Pioneer Park field
Tuesday, 7/23 @ 5:45 pm at Porter
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Cody B! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Eggplant Parm!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 7/12
DAB Lab: SubZero //
Description: The DAB Lab series focuses on fresh, vibrant, and experimental IPAs featuring cutting-edge hop products. SubZero Hop Kief ®️, the only cryogenic dry hopping liquid, is made from New Zealand-grown Rakau hops. // 6.90%
Key Takeaway: SubZero Hop Kief® is a cryogenic (typically frozen with nitrogen) dry hopping liquid made from Rakua hops. We get this product from Freestyle Hops in New Zealand, and as of now, it is the only product on the market that uses this technique and is sold in this liquid form.
Tasting Notes: Tropical • Pine • Finish Him
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: DAB Lab
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 7/12
DAB Lab: SubZero // West Coast IPA
Willie Nelson //
Description: This bright, clean West Coast Pale Ale was inspired by our favorite capital 'O', Outlaw, Willie Nelson. Featuring New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops, this pale ale shines with white wine grape character and will always be on your mind. // 5.25%
Key Takeaway: Highlighting NZ Nelson Sauvin and offering a bright, clean pale.
Tasting Notes: White Wine • Crisp • Outlaw
Format: Draft Only
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: West Coast Pale Ale
With a lower ABV than most of our IPAs and an easy-drinking body, these pale ales have a brighter, more pronounced hop presence than other pale ales. Look forward to a lighter drinking experience all around with the fruity, explosive hop experience that you’ve come to expect from anything branded West Coast. Bright, light, and expressive, these are a perfect alternative to big, bold IPAs.
Clouded Coast //
Description: As refreshing as a cool summer day at the beach, this Belgian Wit is light yet complex, with notes of citrus and slight clove. Brewed for those who don't compromise flavor, Clouded Coast Wit is an easy drinking option for any sunny occasion. // 3.70%
Key Takeaway: A light but complex Belgian Wit, low in ABV but high in flavor and character.
Tasting Notes: Citrus • Clove • Featherweight
Format: Draft Only
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: Belgian Wit
Belgian-style witbier is brewed using unmalted wheat, sometimes oats, and malted barley. Witbiers are spiced with coriander and orange peel. A style that dates back hundreds of years, it fell into relative obscurity until it was revived by Belgian brewer Pierre Celis in the 1960s. This style is currently enjoying a renaissance, especially in the American market. “Wit” means “white.”
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Fresh Flow
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
TC Peche // Lambic Ale Matured in Oak Barrels with Elberta and Suncrest Peaches
Series: Cellars
Releases: July 19th
Format: Draft & Bottles
Description: 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 mixed Suncrest and Elberta peaches, and aged an additional 8 months.
Horchata // Cream Ale
Series: Pub Life
Releases: July 19th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Decadent and refreshing, this Horchata cream ale is a brewer's take on a classic Horchata. Brewed using fresh cinnamon and nutmeg, this cream ale captures the unique and iconic flavors of the classic Mexican beverage.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is this Thursday, July 11th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Belgian Wit
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Belgian Wit is an incredibly historic style that originated in the 14th century. Wit translates to white and refers to the beer’s light color and thick, frothy head. When Wits were invented, most of the other beer being brewed was much darker and heavier, making this a style so sought after that royalty at times restricted the use of wheat in their kingdoms to reserve the ingredient for the brewing of their personal ales.
Our new Belgian Wit, Clouded Coast, was designed after we received feedback from our staff that folks were looking for a flavorful, low-ABV option. Belgian Wit is such a delicious summer drink that we took the opportunity to design something completely new.
Clouded Coast is light yet complex, utilizing Pacific Jade hops, orange zest, and ginger to create a depth of character that while only 3.7% ABV, will not compromise on flavor.
I’m particularly excited to work with Pacific Jade for the first time. It is a New Zealand hop that is a cross of First Choice and old-line Saaz, making it a really cool hybrid of the old and new schools. Look for bold herbal notes along with fresh citrus, black pepper, orange zest, and ginger.
From the Executive Chef
TAPROOM
No menu changes at the taproom this week! The Sesame Salad is still doing very well and I am still working out kinks with the orzo salad procedure so it will be a couple weeks out.
Please take the time to fill out the food feedback form when you get notes from guests or from yourselves! We have a LOT of new badass items out there right now and feedback is super vital to ensure we are hitting our procedures and goals at 100%!
PUB
Wednesday 7/10 (today) we are replacing the Chicken Chipotle Pasta with our Oregon Pesto Pasta!
Oregon Pesto Pasta-Creamy basil-pine nut pesto sauce, white wine, sauteed snap peas, garlic & grape tomatoes, cavatappi pasta & parmesan. $15.99
After this week we will take one week off of menu changes and back at it the following week with a hummus platter & crispy seafood sandwich!
PUB UPDATES
This weekend we are going to launch the new table tents for when someone is ordering through the bar for the Game Room or Corral. Please make sure to review the message from last week’s Brewsletter as a refresher to how this new system works. If there is a server in either one of those spaces, the guest will be under a table number as they usually are.
We’re going to have new taster tray cards! These will have spaces for up to 5 samples, and blank spots below to write in the name of each beer. As you are ordering them, make sure to go from left to right (when you are facing the card, or as if you are the guest) and from least complex to most complex so that 5oz pours are in the proper order. These will be laminated so that we can reuse them. We also bought some black dry erase markers that will be best used for these cards since the lighter colors can be difficult to read.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Appropriate Phone Usage Awareness!! Cell Phones should always be left in the break room and ONLY used during breaks. Please refer to the recent message from Shelby on Sling about the Cell Phone Policy found in the handbook “Cell phones are to be left with your personal belongings in the employee break area. No cell phones are permitted while you are on shift. You may use your cell phone while on designated breaks. Using your cell phone while on shift is grounds for termination. Managers may carry cell phones to assist with daily duties.”
FOH: Utilizing the Float vs Bartender Awareness! Floats are there for answering questions and guidance for employees on the floor. Whether you need assistance with answering questions/help/guidance/damage control the Float is the person to go to first. It's best to utilize the Float and not the Bartender when we do have a Float on shift because they know what is taking place on the floor more than the Bartender. Of course if the Float is busy, this makes sense to go to the bar, but the bartender is often busy taking care of guests and making drinks, and therefore not as set up to address the situations.
Line: Temps Awareness! Several appliances were in the red last week. When doing temps keep your lead aware of what's bad and what's really bad. We may have to run some extraordinary setups to keep food safe so stay flexible.
Prep: Completed Projects Awareness!Please be on top of taking your own completed projects off the board before starting a new one.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thank you to everyone for being flexible last week, working longer shifts, coming in early, etc. It is extremely appreciated!!
We will be launching Prickly Pear lemonade this Friday! Both as NA and Fruit Vodka lemonade versions. We will continue to have blood orange till we run out!
New cocktail getting added Friday (Zachariah’s recommendation and idea!) Red Grasshopper - tequila, lime, honey simple, smoked paprika
We will be swapping our rootbeer from Steelhead to Caldera once we run out of the Steelhead we have tapped!
Please make sure we are not congregating behind the bar and talking when there are tickets in the window, customers to help/check in on, projects to do, etc. it is totally fine to take a pause for a second but try not to just stand behind the bar.
With the heat we have been experiencing, please make sure we are monitoring the temps of all refrigeration and keeping them closed as much as we can to keep the cold in!
When ringing in a 5oz pour for a brewer or management that they say is for QA/QC or Draughtlab, please make sure to use the QA/QC discount button.
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: cell phones! Please make sure we do not have cell phones out on the floor or in the kitchen. They need to be kept upstairs in the break room/put away. If there is something you need to have your phone on you for, you need to let a manager know and go off the floor to use it. Please revisit the cell phone policy document if you need a refresher.
FOH: Proper rotation of items! It is essential and required that items are being properly rotated. Packaged beer Togo, kegs, marg, lemonades, etc. Please make sure the older dates are always in the front and being used first!
Upcoming Events
Tunes, Brews & BBQ!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! 6-8:30 Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials!
This week’s lineup:
Band: Analogue Maps (Ian’s band!!)
BBQ: Blueberry smoked pork loin, Texas Toast, Mac Salad, BBQ baked beans
Dessert: Blueberry Shortcake
Piroshky Piroshky pickup!
July 18th 4-6pm!
They will be set up in the parking lot for order pick-up. If you want to place an order, use this link by 7/16!
Tour ‘N Taste
July 25th between 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Tours from the brew staff, first taste of Animal Cookies, and a small-bite pairing of Roasted Tomato, Feta & Hot Honey Tartlet from Sarah.
We’re charging $5 this time around to encourage reservations. Tickets can be purchased for either the 5:30 or 6:00 tour slot on our website, through the event page or our online store under Experiences.
Each time slot is limited to 15 people. 21+ only.
If we don’t sell out, walk-ins are welcome.
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Brandon Serrell - He's settling in well and learning how the kitchen works. We appreciate your effort!
Paul Van Handel - Paul is awesome and keeps things running! Thanks for pulling those long days and never missing a beat. His energy keeps things positive and I admire how he keeps finding cool stems in the lettuce with flowers on it. Morale booster right there! SLAY!
Cedar & Donlon - Big thanks to both of you for your help this weekend! You guys really jumped around wherever needed when we were slammed. I so greatly appreciated the sweep / mop tag team upstairs and the laps you took to bus tables. #teamwork <3
Maddie Fernandez - Maddie is doing such an awesome job at the pub! She saved the day on Sunday staying late and didn’t stop hustling! I appreciate her positive vibes and efficiency. She rocks every shift and is so helpful.
Elise Pietromonaco - You’re literally the sweetest. Ily.
Elise Pietromonaco - for caring as much as she does. She’s the best!
Entire taproom BOH -- these guys and gals are the best crew any restaurant could ask for. Whenever there are last minute schedule changes in the kitchen, I always see them keep their cool and go with the flow. They are all willing to stay beyond their scheduled shifts to help out with no complaint. I see everyone regularly working 9+ hour shifts and still being in a good mood by the time they're done. Thank you all!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
Heat stroke is potentially fatal and occurs when the body is unable to regulate its own temperature. The person can’t sweat, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature can rise quickly—to 103°F or higher within 10-15 minutes. Symptoms can include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, increased pulse, loss of consciousness, seizures and more. Call 911 immediately if someone is experiencing signs of heat stroke and move them to a cooler location. Do NOT give the person anything to drink.
Office Hours *Starting in July*
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room hours canceled this week, Pub 1-4 pm
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 - July 3rd, 2024
General
Block 15 Sponsored Softball Team
Come watch one of their last games!
Tuesday, 7/9 @ 8:50 pm at Rene Moye East field
Tuesday, 7/16 @ 7:30 pm at Pioneer Park field
Tuesday, 7/23 @ 5:45 pm at Porter
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Sarah F! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Watermelon & Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 7/5
Sticky Hands: Tropical Slam //
Description: Tropical Slam is back! Brewed with copious amounts of Citra, Mosaic, El Dorado, CTZ, Bru-1, and Nectaron, Tropical Slam delivers a bushel of citrus and tropical fruit to your day. // 8.10%
Key Takeaway: Sticky Hands base recipe brewed with hops that are very expressive in tropical fruit character, including Dynaboost and Citra Cryo LupuLN2 from Yakima Chief Hops, both created to enhance aroma without adding as much bitterness as traditional hop products.
Tasting Notes: Mango • Resin • Fresh Squeezed
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Sticky Hands
Beer Style: Double IPA
Green Truck //
Description: Our take on the classic American Light Lager, brewed always with the best Pacific Northwest grain, hops, and water. Work hard, drink easy, this beer is crafted for the crew. // 4.00%
Key Takeaway: Block 15's new classic! Our new light lager, brewed with craft in mind.
Tasting Notes: Crisp • Clean • Classic
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: American Light Lager
See Garrison’s Beer 101 for more information on this style!
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 7/5
Sticky Hands: Tropical Slam // Hop Experience Ale
Green Truck // American Light Lager
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: R&D 2156
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
DAB Lab: SubZero // West Coast IPA
Series: DAB Lab
Releases: July 12th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: The DAB Lab series focuses on fresh, vibrant, and experimental IPAs featuring cutting-edge hop products. SubZero Hop Kief ®️, the only cryogenic dry hopping liquid, is made from New Zealand-grown Rakau hops.
Willie Nelson // West Coast Pale Ale
Series: Emerging
Releases: July 12th
Format: Draft Only
Description: This bright, clean West Coast Pale Ale was inspired by our favorite capital 'O', Outlaw, Willie Nelson. Featuring New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops, this pale ale shines with white wine grape character and will always be on your mind.
Clouded Coast // Belgian Wit
Series: Emerging
Releases: July 12th
Format: Draft Only
Description: As refreshing as a cool summer day at the beach, this Belgian Wit is light yet complex, with notes of citrus and slight clove. Brewed for those who don't compromise flavor, Clouded Coast Wit is an easy drinking option for any sunny occasion.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is this Thursday, July 11th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Green Truck!
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
This week, we’re dropping Green Truck, and I’m really excited about it!
Green Truck is our take on a classic style here in The States, American Light Lager! If you’ve ever worked front of house and had a patron ask, “What do you have that’s similar to ***** Lite?” Now you have a really good answer. Green Truck is light, easy-drinking, 4% ABV, and only 132 calories in a pint. It’s a really exciting addition to our lineup, and depending on how it’s received, we’re hoping it will be around for a long time. It’s coming out just in time for the Holiday weekend, and I’d appreciate it if you’d all help get the word out and really push this one hard.
I want everybody to keep in mind that while the style is familiar to us, this is a version brewed with craft at heart. We still use only the best Pacific Northwest hops, malt, and water, and treat this beer with the same amount of love and care that we treat all of our offerings. It should drink like the best damned light lager that you’ve ever had.
Named after Ol’ Stinky, our geriatric green forklift, this beer is available at a lower price point and should open us up to an entirely new market. I know that the macro light beer fans out there can be frustrating to an employee of a craft brewery, but it’s important to me that we don’t alienate folks with different tastes and have a solid offering for anyone who comes through our doors. Light lager is a truly American contribution and has been the preferred beverage of the working class for all of our lives. When it comes down to it, that’s who we are, and I’m proud to be brewing Green Truck. Work hard, drink easy, this one’s crafted for you.
From the Executive Chef
Monthly Specials
Monthly Specials go live TODAY! Check out the info sheets linked below!
We are keeping the Summer Berry Salad on our static menu for the season!
More Summer Menu Updates
Next week we continue with our summer menu updates!
TAPROOM
Orzo Salad with zucchini, grape tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, red onion, fresh herbs, basil-citrus vinaigrette and queso fresco (Replaces sesame salad)
This will be the last static menu change at the taproom for the season!
PUB
Crispy Seafood Sandwich (replaces GTC)
Oregon Pesto Pasta (Replaces chipotle chicken pasta)
And a thank you…
Special thanks for everyone's flexibility with the quick menu shifts we have had to make over the past week or so with the broken burners at the pub! The new one is slated to be installed Thursday morning! I will keep everyone updated with how it goes, but for now the plan is to KEEP the baked mac and cheese and bring back the chicken chipotle pasta this Friday and run it until next Wednesday. If we do in fact keep the baked mac and cheese, I will also have an update on what will replace kids mac and HH mac! Keep an eye out on sling for all these handy dandy updates. 💛
PUB UPDATES
Within the next week we will be adjusting the way we start tabs and identify tables when the Corral or Game Room are operating as “Order at the Bar” spaces. See below for details!
When the GR or Corral is not staffed by a server, we will have table tents that are color coordinated with each section, and have either numbers or letters to indicate where the guest is. Corral tents will have a yellow border and letters for each card. The Game Room tents will be blue and will have numbers on each card.
When starting a tab for guests, please grab the corresponding card and let them know to place the card in a visible area at the end of the table. If they choose to move from the Game Room to the Corral, they can let us know, but they should still keep that card since it will be associated with their tab. We can relay to the kitchen and food runners that the food will be delivered to a different section.
As you start the tab, follow this template so that we have all of the info we need: Section / Number or Letter / Guest Name (or last name if easier)--should also shorthand the Game Room (GR) and Corral (CL). Example: CL / E / Goodwin. The colors will be used as easy identifiers if someone moves from one section to the other without checking in.
As you deliver food or beverages, only take the card if they are done ordering or no longer expecting items to come out.
Mutantis Gluten-Free beer will be out until next week since they are currently between batches. Once the new batch of Hop Trifecta is ready, we’ll snag it from Portland and it will be back in stock!
Heat wave! Make sure you are staying hydrated and cooling off when you’re feeling toasty. If you’re feeling woozy or overheated, please check in so we can get you taken care of. There are electrolyte packets in the first aid area, so make sure to pop those in some water!
Plants also get thirsty in the hot weather–this weekend, let’s make sure we are hitting the planters in the morning, afternoon, and evening (sundown) and watering thoroughly (several pitchers in each, each time).
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Take Out Order Accuracy Awareness!! Let’s be extra diligent when bagging up Take Out orders. Anyone bagging orders must double check the ticket to ensure the side options, protein add-ons, AND the requested sauces are in the bag. Use the screen to mark as you go, and use that as a guide for each & every To Go ticket. Kitchen, please be sure to label all entree boxes, sauce bags, AND the soup bowls of protein with ticket numbers–this helps FOH verify what needs to be bagged to match the ticket. When bagging please slow down to double check inside the containers as well to verify what you’re grabbing is correct. Staple the ticket to the bag, mark if multiple bags are used on the ticket taped to the bar, and place it on the counter by the soups/specials board (unless the guest is in house waiting). When giving the guest their order, always check the ticket for any beverages and to see that they’ve PAID. As a reminder, salads such as the Mesa have their proteins on the side in a soup bowl.
FOH: Beer restocking is very important to us! Each night it's a requirement of staff to restock the bar cooler with CANS & BOTTLES. Everything must be properly rotated by the DATE listed on the bottom of the can (oldest in front, newer date in the back). New cans should NEVER be put in front of current stock unless they are all the same date. We should always make sure the label is front facing with the can on the front left (of the 4 pack) listing the NAME, and the can on the right showing the actual LABEL (special exception would be cans like Fresh Flow that do not have the side label). Because we would like to see an improvement on this task, it is now a REQUIREMENT for whoever completes the restock to have a manager check the cooler before the task is marked off as complete. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.
Line: Protein Portioning Awareness! Let's keep a scale on the grill side–everyone who is on grill will weigh a percentage of protein drops to ensure we are giving customers an adequate amount of chicken/pork on their entree.
Prep: New Menu Items Awareness!Make sure you read the recipes through before beginning, and check in with the prep lead if you have questions.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Please make sure we are regularly cleaning out the dishwasher to avoid food/smix residue on glasses. If you notice any racks not coming out 100% clean, please clean out the dishwasher (drain completely, rinse off filter, refill) and re-wash the last rack. This is also applicable to any broken glass--the dishwasher HAS to be completely emptied and cleaned to avoid chips or cuts (tiny pieces of glass will scratch the glasses)
When doing pre-bus laps, checking in with tables, etc. please don’t forget about the tables in the grass and the High bar out front!
Please continue to make sure we are accurately ringing everything in, waste logging when needed, and pouring drinks properly!
Just a reminder: We take reservations for groups of 12 or more Mon-Thurs (no Wednesday evenings through July due to Tunes N Brews). Must be done through email at taproom@block15.com at least 24 hours in advance. Currently, we are only reserving the outside grassy tables, everything else is first come first serve.
With the extreme weather heading our way this weekend, make sure to stay hydrated and take a break in the walk-in if you need to cool off! We have hydration packets up in the break room and behind the bar.
Please make sure all the plants get extra water this weekend as well so they don’t get fried!
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: New specials! Make sure you are in the know about the new specials and obtain feedback both personal and customers!
FOH: Dishwasher awareness! Please make sure to check glassware after washing, if they still look spotty or dirty, please empty the dishwasher, rinse off the filter, refill and re-run the rack. If any glasses break in the dishwasher, the entire thing must be drained, cleaned out, and re-filled!
Upcoming Events
Tunes, Brews & BBQ!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! The first one is Wednesday, July 3rd 6 - 9 pm
BBQ Special: Memphis Style Baby Back Ribs, Mac & Cheese, Jalapeno cornbread & Honey Butter, watermelon
Popsicle: Strawberry Watermelon
Band: Summer of Love
Piroshky Piroshky pickup!
July 18th 4-6pm!
They will be set up in the parking lot for order pick-up. If you want to place an order head to this link! https://piroshkybakery.com/events/corvallis_or_07_18_24/
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Bre - being a dog
BreAnna Rae - Shoutout to BreAnna Rae for kicking ass and taking names! You’ve been a great support throughout the last couple weeks and I’ve appreciated the attention to detail that you bring whether you’re floating, on bar, and beyond. Keep it up!
Sarah G - She's so friendly and I appreciate her welcoming vibes!
Brewer Bryce - The king of rolling with the punches and the Mr. Gets-shit-done that we all need. Thanks for slaying, Bryce.
Tyler Lenz - Is consistently going the extra mile to set team members up for success. Really has an eye for seeing where he can make a big impact on improving somebodies day.
Griffin - Welcome back! We missed you.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
It’s supposed to be hot this weekend, make sure to take the necessary precautions to avoid overheating such as staying hydrated, avoiding dehydrating liquids, wearing protective clothing and pacing yourself.
Office Hours *Starting in July*
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
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 26th, 2024
General
Beer tasting with the brewery this Thursday, 4 pm @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session, and anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend.
Beach Clean Up this Sunday, 6/30, from 11 am - 1 pm
More information can be found at the end of this Brewsletter.
Please RSVP to let us (Kelsea & Shelby) know you’re coming by Friday, 6/28!
Corvallis Knights Meet the Team! Sunday, 6/30
Stop by the Pub on June 30th at 7 pm to meet the Knights Team! We will be hanging out in the Corral and your first beer will be on us (beer for staff only).
Fresh Flow Hangout - Monday, 7/1, from 1 - 4 pm
Come hang out by the river between 1 - 4 pm! We’ll have tunes, snacks, and some games. The marketing team needs some Fresh Flow content and would love staff support and hang-out time. Bring water toys, floaties, or whatever you’d like to enjoy the river.
We will meet approximately here (view in google maps). When you get to Crystal Lake, walk down the wood chip path, and there should be a little hangout area by the river to your left! We will contact those who have RSVP’d via Sling or phone before the hangout.
Please RSVP to let us (Kelsea & Holly) know you’re coming by Saturday, 6/29!
Block 15 Hosting Trivia Night 7/2 @ Common Fields
Come show off your vast amounts of useless knowledge on Tuesday, July 2nd, from 6 pm-8 pm! Block 15 will be the brewery featured for Common Field’s summer trivia series, which will feature a different brewery each week. We are fielding at least one team of up to 6, but there is no limit to how many teams we can have, so it would be great to have at least a couple of teams from Block 15! There will be special prizes from Block 15 to any team that can beat our featured brewery team's score. It will be very laid back and lots of fun. We hope to see you there!
4th of July Holiday Hours
Pub: Last seating at 7 pm; Tap Room: Last seating at 4 pm; Caves: Open standard hours
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Simon. Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Green Chili Meatloaf.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 6/28
Tipping Point //
Description: Freshly foraged, these sticky spruce tips pair with layers of cryogenic, super-critical hop extracts. This West Coast IPA collides dank and fruity notes layered with a lingering, resinous finish. // 6.50%
Key Takeaway: We added 2.5 pounds of hand-foraged spruce tips per barrel for this very special west-coast IPA.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple. Blue Raspberry. Coniferous.
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: West Coast IPA with Spruce Tips
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 6/28
Tipping Point // West Coast IPA with Spruce Tips
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Joy
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sticky Hands: Tropical Slam // Hop Experience Ale
Series: Sticky Hands
Releases: July 5th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Tropical Slam is back! Brewed with copious amounts of Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic, El Dorado, and Nectaron, Tropical Slam delivers a bushel of citrus and tropical fruit to your day.
Green Truck // American Light Lager
Series: Emerging
Releases: July 5th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Our take on the classic American Light Lager, brewed always with the best Pacific Northwest grain, hops, and water. Work hard, drink easy, this beer is crafted for the crew.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is this Thursday, June 27th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Tipping Point and Spruce Tip Brewing
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Spruce tips have been used in brewing beer for almost as long as beer has been brewed. Ancient indigenous peoples from North America infused spruce in tinctures for vitamin C to fight scurvy, and Viking brewers made spruce beer to be used in fertility rites and to increase strength in battle. Whatever the reason, spruce has stood the test of time as an ingredient in beer, and we proudly continue that tradition here at Block 15!
We’ve made a few different spruce beers through the years. The two that always come to mind for me are Holiday Friends, a sour collaboration with Fort George, and Tipping Point, our spruce tip IPA that we brew right after the tips mature.
Every Spring, our brew team (and friends) head to the coast range outside of Newport to a plot of timber owned by our friends at Starker Forestry and harvest a pickup full of soft, bright green spruce tips. The spruce trees aren’t negatively affected, and it helps Starker control the growth of the trees so that they can remain in the forest and don’t need to be thinned as often. It’s a great day for our team. We get to spend it together outside and with a little much-needed spring sunshine and fresh air.
Tipping Point is a graduated DAB Lab recipe we made as a stand-alone brand two years ago. It is a bright, fruity, piney West Coast that offers some character you may not be familiar with in an IPA. Spruce tips have a famously unique flavor and aroma that is an amazing mix of blue raspberry candy and pine resin. Not to ignore our favorite brewing ingredient, Tipping Point also has an impressive and complimentary hopping schedule that includes CTZ, HBC-586, Idaho 7, Citra CO2 extract, Ekuanot Incognito, Citra, Bru-1, and Mosiac hops. If you’ve never tried a beer flavored with spruce tips, I encourage you to seek this one out and give it a try. It’s a complex and individual beer that is a great addition to an early summer meal or a break while on the trail. Throw one in your backpack, and let me know what you think. If you get a shot of one while out and about, tag us on socials, and we’ll get it reposted!
From the Executive Chef
July Monthly Specials start July 3rd.
PUB UPDATES
Blueberry-Lavender Lemonade will be switching to Passionfruit this week once we 86 Blueberry. This will also 86 Don’t Panic, but we will add a Passionfruit Margarita to the menu for a chunk of the summer.
We will be closing at 7pm on July 4th, so anyone looking for an earlier dinner or to get beer to-go can do so up until then.
Make sure we are keeping the doors closed to the dining room and prep kitchen (rather than propping doors open for extended periods of time). Leaving the doors open encourages flies and critters to come hangout.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Breakroom Cleanliness!! Reminder to keep our breakroom clean so we can all enjoy it! This includes making sure personal belongings are organized/in cubbies and also making sure all dishes are bussed when finished with a meal.
FOH: Tempo Awareness!! When we are in the weeds, let's slow down while at tables/seating to give the kitchen and restaurant more time to stay caught up. While we do want butts in seats, we want to all keep communication high and at the correct tempo so we can ensure that the whole business is running smoothly as a cohesive unit.
BOH: Line: Floor Cleaning Awareness!! Let's make sure we are sweeping under refrigerator units, moving fryers and cleaning under them. Dishwashers, make sure we are sweeping underneath the ice machine at close.
BOH: Prep: Appliance Cleanliness!! Please make sure appliances are clean before they are put away – boomstick, robot coupe, burners, etc.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Heads up! We will only be open for lunch on the 4th of July until 4pm. Folks can come in and order food/drinks and get beer to-go all the way up until 4pm.
The first Tunes N Brews Wednesday is next week! Get excited, spread the word, and come enjoy some awesome BBQ and live music if you aren’t working!
Please make sure we are looking for and picking up debris both inside and outside throughout the day! Napkins, food, trash, chalk, etc.
ALL Folks that work at the TR: Please try to keep common/shared spaces clean and organized. (Breakroom, walk-in, barrel room, dining room, offices, etc.) There are a lot of different departments/people that use spaces in the TR so please be respectful of your coworkers and tidy up after yourself/keep those spaces clean!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Order Accuracy! Let's make sure we are still focusing on ringing in correct/accurate items in toast. Ring things in right away so they don't get forgotten about. If something is being comped or discounted, please still ring it in and use the proper discount buttons and waste discount items when necessary as well to ensure proper tracking!
ALL: Menu Changes! The ZAT will be replacing the curry cauliflower grilled cheese this Friday, make sure you know all about it. Thank you to everyone for keeping up and staying informed with all the menu changes over the past few weeks!
Upcoming Events
Beer School Thursday, June 27th, 5 - 7 pm *SOLD OUT*
Join us for our Beer Education Class hosted every other month by our Brewery Team at our South Town Production Facility and Taproom! Each class will explore a beer style’s history, our brewing techniques to create a Block 15 beer and finish with a tasting flight. In this educational experience, we will cover a staple style to any PNW brewery, the India Pale Ale. Come with questions and a note book, and get ready for beer school!
Tunes, Brews & BBQ!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! The first one is Wednesday, July 3rd 6 - 9 pm
BBQ Special: Memphis Style Baby Back Ribs, Mac & Cheese, Jalapeno cornbread & Honey Butter, watermelon
Popsicle: Strawberry Watermelon
Band: Summer of Love
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Brew Team - The whole brew team has been kicking ass. They’ve been working hard to put out a lot of great beer.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
Follow work procedures - A company creates work procedures to help comply with safety protocols and best practices, so if you follow work procedures, safety standards are likely met. It is important to follow procedures even if you think performing a task differently might save time.
Office Hours *Starting in July*
Monday: Pub 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
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 19th, 2024
General
Corvallis Knights Meet the Team! Sunday, June 30th
Stop by the Pub on June 30th at 7 pm to meet the Knights Team! We will be hanging out in the Corral and your first beer will be on us (beer for staff only).
Beach Clean Up 6/30
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
RSVP to let us (Kelsea & Shelby) know you’re coming!
Fresh Flow Hangout - July 1st
Come cool off by the river on July 1st! The marketing team needs some Fresh Flow content and would love staff support and hang-out time. We want this to be a fun time and create enthusiasm around Fresh Flow, too!
Timing-wise, this will be around 12 - 3 pm to hit a nice light on our side of the Willamette. This will probably be around Willamette Park, so it's close for folks to attend. We will contact you via Sling or phone before the hangout.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Alex S.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 6/21
Caves Saison No. 003 //
Description: Created for our sister restaurant, Caves Saison uses a solera method starting in our oak foeder. A fraction of volume is removed when peak character is reached, then new beer is added and allowed to mature, repeating again, gradually increasing complexity with age. Batch 003 spent eleven months in the foeder molding it into a lovely, fruit-forward young mixed-culture saison. // 7.20%
Key Takeaway: Brewed for Caves in a historic solera manner, using a portion of the original brew as a mother to be split in two, one portion to be blended with fresh beer for next year, one portion to be packaged for this year.
Tasting Notes: Stone Fruit • Rose Hips • Evolve
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Farmhouse Ale / Saison
Historically, saison was a beer of necessity. French for “season,” it is a style rooted in rural farmhouse breweries in Wallonia, a French-speaking region of Belgium. These ales were brewed to offer farmers a safe, low-alcohol beverage to be enjoyed during the warm summer months when brewing was difficult to control, and their labors were called elsewhere on the farm. Typically low in alcohol, light, refreshing, and high in carbonation, this style offers modern brewers a lot of creative license. Modern brewers feel free to push up the ABV and allow much more expression from wild yeast, hopping regimens, and more complex malt bills than our ancestors did.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 6/21
Caves Saison No. 003 // Farmhouse Ale
R&D 2156 //
Description: This Research and Development batch focuses on a new hop product made from New Zealand Rakau hops. Let us know what you think! // 6.90%
Key Takeaway: Brewing with a new hop product, SubZero Hop Kief, from Freestyle Hops in NZ. The number in the name of this beer refers to the batch count of beers produced on our Pub brew system since we started brewing in 2008.
Tasting Notes: Cantaloupe • Pine • Red Currant
Format: Draft Only
Series: Pub Life
Beer Style: American IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Fresh Flow
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Tipping Point // West Coast IPA Spruce Tips
Series: Orbital
Releases: June 28th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Freshly foraged, these sticky spruce tips pair with layers of cryogenic, super-critical hop extracts. This West Coast IPA collides dank and fruity notes layered with a lingering, resinous finish.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is this Thursday, June 27th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Caves Saison and a refresher on the Solera Method
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
This week, we’re releasing Caves Saison No. 003 in cans and on draught at our locations.
Caves Saison, first brewed in August of 2011, was originally brewed as a house table-style beer for our sister restaurant, then called Les Caves Bier and Kitchen. It was a mildly funky, easy-drinking Saison that was brewed in the solera method. As a reminder, the solera method is a type of conditioning in which a portion of the current batch of a beer is held back in order to be added to the next batch, with ever-increasing depth, complexity, and personality. If you are familiar with sourdough mothers, this is the same idea.
In the summer of 2022, we decided to breathe some new life into the program and started from scratch at our production facility. We began that summer with 40 Barrels of Caves saison #1, which was a “clean” batch, meaning it had no wild microorganisms at play. We packaged 10 Barrels of it into cans as it was, and put the remaining 30 Barrels into our large format casks at production, which are rife with microbial life. In the summer of 2023, we pulled 15 barrels out of the cask, canned it, and brewed another 15 barrels to replace it with. This will be the third evolution, and it is proving to get better every time. It’s light, refreshing, complex, and highly drinkable. Lots of fruity wild character, perfect for enjoying as the heat ramps up. I hope you try it and enjoy, even if you haven’t liked the saisons that you’ve tried in the past, I think that this one is really approachable.
From the Executive Chef
Menu Changes 6/19
Shrimp & Curry Noodle Bowl-Replaces Kimchi Rice Bowl
Warm coconut-red curry noodles with snap peas, red bell pepper, sweet onion & summer squash. Topped with grilled wild gulf shrimp, cilantro & crushed peanuts. $17.99
Pimento BLT (Replaces Meatloaf)
Smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, mayo and house sharp cheddar pimento cheese, served on fresh-baked & toasted artisan bread. $14.99
PUB UPDATES
There’s been a little bit of confusion on how to pre-authorize tabs, so here is a little reminder on how this should be happening:
1) Take the order on an open ticket (through quick order), not a seat. If we are on a long wait, and someone is looking to also order an appetizer, we can move them to a seat and let the kitchen know.
2) Pre-authorize the card so the tab name displays the cards/guests name and inform the guest to let the server know the name on their card to transfer to the table.
3) The host seats the guest and the server should see the drinks the guest has and ask if they have an open tab at the bar to be transferred to their seat then search for it to transfer themselves. It’s not the expectation that the bartender or bar back transfers the tab to the table.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: BIG Shout Out to ALL of YOU!! Everyone did an amazing job during this wild Graduation Weekend and we want to thank you all for your hard work, great communication, stellar attitudes, and flexibility as we navigated the bonkers weekend we all just powered through! We came out of that crazy weekend with great online reviews so we just want to say thank you & nice work to everyone!
FOH: Accurately Completing Lists Awareness! When filling out Shift Change/ Opening/ Closing Lists only sign your initials AFTER completing the task. It is easy to forget to circle back to finishing the task if it is already marked off and the restaurant gets busy. This allows others to follow up and help finish up tasks if necessary! If you do not know how to do something, ask a manager or a Lead and we will show you how.
BOH: Thanks for your excellent teamwork!! Line & Prep: Thank you for picking up shifts, staying late to help out, and keeping things running smoothly. Thanks to our line helpers also!
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Thank you to everyone who worked and helped out over the crazy weekend! Everyone absolutely crushed it, thank you for working so hard and going with the flow!
When doing a lap, take a sani rag with you to be able to wipe off tables for folks if they snagged a dirty one and to keep up on open tables staying clean
Tenders will be by weight now instead of each due to some size discrepancy we are seeing. With that, we are replacing the lil porky slider on the HH menu and kids menu with a kids size tender and fries.
FOH closers: Please make sure we are doing the full kitchen walk-thru for BOH before clocking out and locking up to ensure everything is properly turned off, closed, locked, etc. for food and building safety.
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: keep up the great communication and teamwork! It is awesome to see everyone working together and helping out wherever they can, it is much appreciated and everything goes much smoother when we all are in it together.
FOH: Desserts! Let’s really push and hype up our desserts to customers and talk about how awesome our bakery is. When checking in with tables that is an easy time to offer dessert or mention the bakery if they got a pretzel, ciabatta, etc.
Upcoming Events
Beer School Thursday, June 27th 5-7pm
Join us for our Beer Education Class hosted every other month by our Brewery Team at our South Town Production Facility and Taproom! Each class will explore a beer style’s history, our brewing techniques to create a Block 15 beer and finish with a tasting flight. In this educational experience, we will cover a staple style to any PNW brewery, the India Pale Ale. Come with questions and a note book, and get ready for beer school!
Tickets available on our website! Limited to 16 people
Tunes n Brews!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! First one is Wednesday July 3rd
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Autumn and Nic in the bakery! - Your help on Sunday at the TR was extremely helpful! Going above and beyond regular baking duties to help us with dishes, plating food, running for items, etc. definitely helped everything run smoothly, thank you!
Tyler Lenz - Truly one of the best humans out there! Thank you so much for everything you do to help the TR on a daily basis, and especially during the crazy weekend we had!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Kyli-Natacha J. Hobbs (Pub BOH)
Xavier Warfield (TR BOH)
Lucas Morton (Pub BOH)
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 the sidewalk just to the south of the parking lot entrance.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
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 12th, 2024
General
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - Every Other Thursday
Next tasting is this Thursday, 6/13/24 @ 4pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub.
Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share bring it in.
First beer is on us for anyone attending.
Beach Clean Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
RSVP to let us (Kelsea & Shelby) know you’re coming!
Fresh Flow Hangout - July 1st
Come cool off by the river on July 1st! The marketing team needs some Fresh Flow content and would love staff support and hang-out time. We want this to be a fun time and create enthusiasm around Fresh Flow, too!
Timing-wise, this will be around 12 - 3 pm to hit a nice light on our side of the Willamette. This will probably be around Willamette Park, so it's close for folks to attend. We will contact you via Sling or phone before the hangout.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by James W! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Pretzel Nachos.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 6/14
Ice Knife //
Description: Brewed with cutting-edge hop technologies, CO2 extracted Salvo™ and cryogenically frozen Strata CGX™. This West Coast IPA amplifies the most vibrant factions of sticky & pungent hop characters with a razor-sharp hop showcase of bright citrus peel oils & dense resin. // 7.00%
Key Takeaway: 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
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Releasing Friday 6/14
TC Mango Picoso //
Description: Turbulent Consequence is our turbid mashed, extended boiled, lambic-style ale spontaneously fermented and matured in our underground wild cellars. This blend was conditioned with Ancho, Guajillo, Habanero peppers, lime zest, mango, and sea salt. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: A new and exciting direction with a very traditional style. The inspiration behind this one came from the mango, chili, and lime Mexican candy, Locochas.
Tasting Notes: Spicy • Tropical Fruit • Sensational
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Lambic
Lambic is a type of beer originally brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium southwest of Brussels and in Brussels itself since the 13th century. Types of lambic beer include gueuze, kriek lambic, and framboise. It differs from most other beers in that it is fermented through exposure to wild yeasts and bacteria, as opposed to carefully cultivated strains of brewer's yeast. This process gives the beer its distinctive flavor: dry, vinous, and cidery, often with a tart aftertaste.
UPCOMING PACKAGED wine release
Pinot Noir 2021 Pigage //
Description: Biodynamically grown Pinot Noir traditionally crushed by foot stomping and macerated with their stems. Free run must fermented and conditioned in neutral oak barrels. // 13.00%
Key Takeaway: Crushed via traditional foot stomp or pigage. Allowed to ferment and macerate in the vessel it was crushed in alongside its stems. Free run to neutral oak barrels for conditioning. A single-barrel blend.
Tasting Notes: Black Currant • Musk • Rustic
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
AVA: Van Duzer
Vineyard: Johan Vineyards
Vineyard Management: Biodynamic
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 6/14
Ice Knife // West Coast IPA
TC Mango Picoso // Lambic Ale with Mango, Chili, Lime, and Sea Salt
Pinot Noir 2021 Pigage
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday of a specific beer.
This week’s beer is: Oregona
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Caves Saison No. 003 // Farmhouse Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: June 21st
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Created for our sister restaurant, Caves Saison uses a solera method starting in our oak foeder. A fraction of volume is removed when peak character is reached, then new beer is added and allowed to mature, repeating again, gradually increasing complexity with age. Batch 003 spent eleven months in the foeder molding it into a lovely, fruit-forward young mixed-culture saison.
R&D Batch // American IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: June 21st
Format: Draft Only
Description: This draft-only Research and Development batch focuses on a new hop product called SubZero Hop Kief ®️, a cryogenic dry hopping liquid made from New Zealand-grown Rakau hops. Let us know what you think!
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is this Thursday, June 13th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Ice Knife
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Hop growers use many different techniques and technologies to process their crops. Originally, brewers only had dried whole-cone hops to choose from, and even drying the hops was a technological jump at one point in time. Now we have all sorts of distillates, powders, pellets, syrups, and many other forms to choose from.
This week we’re packaging Ice Knife, which is a West Coast IPA that uses some of the most cutting-edge hop tech available. One product is Crosby’s CGX cryogenic hop pellet. The hop product is so concentrated that we can use half of the pellets that we would normally use which is better for efficiency and environmental impact. The other cool product we use in Ice Knife is Salvo, which is a syrupy hop distillate in which the alpha acids have been removed. This allows us to use hops solely for their aroma, with no added bitterness.
The combination of these two products, along with a really complimentary blend of hop pellets in the dry-hop and the boil, creates a unique and very enjoyable experience. Ice Knife has been recieved really well in its prior releases, and we are very excited to bring it back. When telling folks about this beer, it’s safe to say that it’s about as technologically advanced as an IPA can get at this point. Give one a try, and let me know what you think.
From the Executive Chef
Limited Menu for Grads/Dads weekend
We will be running a limited menu, like we did for spring family weekend, this Friday-Sunday for graduation and Fathers Day! We will remove fish & fries, Korean rice bowl, grilled turkey & cheddar and the shawarma salad.
Menu Changes 6/19
Shrimp & Curry Noodle Bowl-Replaces Kimchi Rice Bowl
Warm coconut-red curry noodles with snap peas, red bell pepper, sweet onion & summer squash. Topped with grilled wild gulf shrimp, cilantro & crushed peanuts. $17.99
Pimento BLT (Replaces Meatloaf)
Smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, mayo and house sharp cheddar pimento cheese, served on fresh-baked & toasted artisan bread. $14.99
PUB UPDATES
With it being a busy weekend (and leading up to the busy weekend) HOSTS–Please remember to suggest folks grab a drink at Caves when we are on a long wait. There are copies of Caves menus in the Host stand for guests to look at. You can say something along the lines of “While you are waiting, feel free to grab a drink at our bar, or head next door to our sister Restaurant Caves.” If you do send someone to Caves, it can be helpful to make a note in their guest details so that you know where to find them.
Just a reminder: when the Men’s or Women’s softball teams come in, they get 2 pitchers OR 2 Crowlers comped per our sponsorship agreement. You’ll discount these using the Manager Comp button, not the Manager Amount or Item Off button.
On the note of discounts, Manager Comp should only be used when we are anticipating discounting an item when the customer walks through the door (i.e. softball team, visiting brewery, beer/wine trade with a winery, etc). This should only be used with manager approval. Manager Item/Amount Off should be used when we are damage-controlling a table or when we want to thank someone for a kickass job/say thank you.
The two hanging planters above the Brewer’s Bar should be watered with the other indoor plants that we water. We’ve noticed that these have been missed nearly every single time as they keep drying out and looking sad. Please make sure these are hit when you water plants. If you are unsure of which plants these are, please ask a manager.
When coming into the Corral section, please make sure to check your table signs and flip them if they say to order from the bar to prevent any confusion for guests. Also, we should be wiping these cards down as we wipe tables, and thoroughly wiping each side of the cards when bringing them in at night.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Teamwork & Communication Awareness!! We have a busy weekend ahead of us, so let’s be sure that we are communicating 86’d items, calling our safety calls, pre-bussing, & communicating with your LEADS/FLOATS/LINE LEADS if you have any questions or in need of assistance. If able, and a coworker is in the weeds, keep an eye on the ways you can assist in their section/station–Let’s go Blockstars!!
FOH: Silverware Awareness! Since we are low on silverware let’s all be consistently running the plastic 1/3 pan of dirty utensils to the dish to be washed! Also be sure when scraping plates to be careful not to accidentally toss any utensils or bullets into the compost/trash… we need those!!
LINE: Busy Weekend Preparedness! Let's keep our stations clean, organized, and up-stocked in order to make things easier while we are busy. Let’s also do what you can to be flexible to support other co workers & together we will crush it this weekend!!
PREP: Clean Dishes Awareness! Make sure dishes are fully sprayed off before they go in the dishwasher, and that you aren't accidentally spraying debris under the dishwasher door. If dishes are coming out dirty, drain and clean out the dishwasher, and check the jets for blockages.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Reminder that when taking cash for a transaction, it is extremely important to fully close out the tab in the moment to make sure that cash is accounted for and the tab isn't left to think it is a walk-out! Please also make sure the correct change is being given and put tips in the tip jar right away.
It is important that we are continuously collecting feedback on food items, beer, drinks, etc.! It is a great way to interact with customers when pre-bussing or checking in, make sure to pass it along to a manager and ride it on the feedback sheet in the kitchen (can be both good or bad)
As we get into summer and business ramps up, it is important to remember that we are going to be interacting with a lot of different people from all over, and a lot that have never experienced the Taproom before. It is on us to make sure we show them a great time, provide top-tier service, and make them feel welcome and want to come back. We all have a lot going on outside of work, but when at work we need to make sure we are really giving our best to each other and our customers.
Along with that, I really do extremely appreciate all the hard work everyone has been putting in lately! You all have been great to each other covering shifts, helping out, and being super supportive of each other, and I love seeing that! The Taproom wouldn’t be what it is without all of you wonderful people, thanks for being rock stars! -Madie
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Positive customer interactions! Please make sure we are always trying to give every customer that comes in a warm, inviting, and welcoming environment and lead interactions with positive intentions. Customers can see and feel our attitudes which can affect their experience!
ALL: Graduation! OSU graduation is this Saturday. Please give yourself a few extra minutes getting to work and be ready to rock and roll the busy weekend! We are going to crush it!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Upcoming Events
Grads and Dads 6/10-6/17
Online: All merch will be 25% off and free shipping for orders over $50
In person at the TR:
Merch will be 25% off
6/14-6/17 Cellar Stash sale - curated list of bottles $10 and 20% off if you buy 4 or more.
Beer School Thursday, June 27th 5-7pm
Join us for our Beer Education Class hosted every other month by our Brewery Team at our South Town Production Facility and Taproom! Each class will explore a beer style’s history, our brewing techniques to create a Block 15 beer and finish with a tasting flight. In this educational experience, we will cover a staple style to any PNW brewery, the India Pale Ale. Come with questions and a note book, and get ready for beer school!
Tickets available on our website! Limited to 16 people
Tunes n Brews!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! First one is Wednesday July 3rd
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Weekend TR crew FOH and BOH! - You all absolutely crushed it this weekend with the big frisbee crews that came in. Everyone had great attitudes, did whatever was needed, made sure folks were taken care of well and the kitchen hardly had ticket times over 25 minutes during our huge rushes. Thank you all for being amazing!!
Brewery Team - Lots of hard work has gone into making sure the space looks clean and organized. Good work, all!
Madie Briese - Madie is a great manager with a true sense of hospitality. I appreciate the welcome vibe that she projects when she's behind the bar, and her professionalism when dealing with bigger issues.
Cora Priest - She's had a great first week in the prep kitchen! Welcome to the team.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Diego Jaramillo (Caves FOH)
James Gottlieb (Pub FOH)
Makenna White (Caves FOH)
Isaieh Heiken (Caves/TR FOH)
Chloe Rosas (Caves FOH)
Welcome back!
Karina Smith (Pub FOH)
Sam White (Pub BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Being aware of your surroundings is paramount to avoiding workplace injuries. It is important to look for spills or items on the floor that could be tripped over and keep emergency exits clear and uncluttered so they are accessible in the event of an emergency.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up!
Join us on June 30th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for our annual beach clean-up in Newport (Nye Beach) in celebration of World Ocean Month with our chosen People’s Pint Program nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project! This is a fun way to hang out with co-workers and the community while doing our part in cleaning the beach… and it’s just fun in general :)
We will be at the Historic Nye Beach "Turn Around" parking lot on NW Beach Drive with the Block 15 Tent. For directions, head HERE. Please come prepared for the elements (we've had sun the past few years, but you never know with Oregon!) and please carpool! Invite your friends and family, everyone is welcome.
Please bring:
Water bottle + Water
Jacket/raincoat
Snacks (we will provide a few)
gardening gloves or gloves to pick up trash with
anything to help pick up trash (magnets, sand sifter, etc.)
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 5th, 2024
General
Smoking/Vaping Areas at the Tap Room
This is a reminder to keep smoking/vaping in appropriate areas. The breezeway between buildings is a non-smoking area at all times, as it is a work area for the Brewery and Distro teams and has air intakes for bringing fresh air into the brewery. (From Matt W.)
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Olivia! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Prosciutto & Mozzarella Bruschetta.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 6/7
Summer Knights //
Description: Brewed as the MVP for the season roster, celebrate the warm season under stadium lights with a cold one. Crisp hops and smooth malts make this brew the perfect choice for any occasion. // 5.30%
Key Takeaway: Brewed to celebrate our partnership with the Corvallis Knights Baseball team, this Kölsch is brewed to be imminently drinkable, a perfect balance of malt sweetness, hops, and smooth lager character. Light, crisp, refreshing.
Tasting Notes: Biscuit • Crisp • Grand Slam
Format: Draft & Cans
Special Release Info: Until we can access stock in early July, this item will only be available in the Corvallis community (our locations, the stadium, and Corvallis zip codes 97330-97339).
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Kölsch
Kölsch is a lager-like style named for the region in which it is traditionally brewed, Cologne, Germany. It is pale yellow in color and light in body, with a crisp old-world hop character. It is always a very refreshing beer and finishes clean. Kölsch is lager-like in the fact that it is fermented warm with ale yeast but conditioned cold like a lager. The brewing process is similar to altbier.
Alumni Club: Portland Chapter //
Description: Welcoming a new member annually, the Alumni Club celebrates the OSU's lasting impact on the brewing industry. This year, we are working with the crew at Lazy Days Brewing in Portland OR. This sessionable West Coast IPA has a crisp body paired with a refreshing blend of hop characters like pine, grapefruit, and citrus. // 6.00%
Key Takeaway: Brewed in collaboration with Lazy Days Brewing, this west coast IPA is brewed with Chinook, Simcoe, and Mckenzie hops to create a sessionable West Coast IPA with strong character of pine, grapefruit, and citrus.
Tasting Notes: Citrus Pith • Dank • Celebratory
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
Fresh Flow //
Description: Ready to float into the finest beer dispensers around the Pacific Northwest, this summertime IPA features a soft malt base beneath a tidal wave of exotic tropical and juicy citrus hop varietals. // 6.50%
Key Takeaway: Summer is nearly upon us and that means our summer seasonal IPA, Fresh Flow is hitting the market for the season.
Tasting Notes: Clementine • Papaya • Runoff Season
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Hazy IPA
An IPA sub-style originating in New England, it originally evolved from American IPA to have a lighter malt bill, that had a soft finish from adjuncts containing higher protein levels and water naturally high in Chloride. Early versions retained an assertive bitterness, but that mostly softened over time giving way to a soft, juicy beer with a big, sweet body that mostly featured fruit notes (citrus, tropical, stonefruit, red fruit, etc..). Some versions can contain pine or dank notes as well. Bitterness ranges from light to moderate, and body ranges from moderate to heavy. Hazy is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 6/7
Summer Knights // Kölsch
Alumni Club: Portland Chapter // West Coast IPA
Fresh Flow // IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday
This week’s beer is: Joy
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
TC Mango Picoso // Lambic-Style ale with Mango, Chili, Lime, and Sea Salt
Series: Cellars
Releases: June 14th
Format: Draft & Bottles
Description: Turbulent Consequence is our turbid mashed, extended boiled, lambic-style ale spontaneously fermented and matured in our underground wild cellars. This blend was conditioned with Ancho, Guajillo, Habanero peppers, lime zest, mango, and sea salt.
Ice Knife // West Coast IPA
Series: Emerging
Releases: June 14th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed with cutting-edge hop technologies, CO2 extracted Salvo™ and cryogenically frozen Strata CGX™. This West Coast IPA amplifies the most vibrant factions of sticky & pungent hop characters with a razor-sharp hop showcase of bright citrus peel oils & dense resin.
Pinot Noir // 2021 Pigage
Series: Wine / Cellars
Releases: June 14th
Format: Draft & Bottles
Description: Biodynamically grown Pinot Noir traditionally crushed by foot stomping and macerated with their stems. Free run must fermented and conditioned in neutral oak barrels.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, June 13th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Perennial Drop
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Summer is upon us! With the beginning of the new season, come two big seasonal releases! This week we have two perennial beers dropping in-house and in cans for distro, Fresh Flow IPA and Summer Knights Kölsch. These beers have made their return and are here to stay for the duration of the summer.
Fresh Flow is a beautifully soft, fruit-forward, summer IPA that falls on the hazier side. We brewed a full 80 barrels of it (the biggest tank we have) with more to be brewed midsummer, so know that it’ll be around and fresh for the whole season. We’re counting on you to push this one hard and really talk it up! It should be the perfect beer to please any IPA lover but is approachable enough to suggest it to your more reserved friends and customers, too.
The second perennial dropping this week is one of my very favorite beers that we make. Summer Knights Kölsch is a beer that we have brewed for many years as the official beer of the Corvallis Knights, our town’s West Coast League baseball team. I have a ton of memories working for Block 15 at the Knights games, handing out raffle tickets to everyone who purchased a Summer Knights beer. It was a blast and I’m so glad that we’re making our return to Goss Stadium this summer. This Kölsch strikes a perfect balance between bready malt character, crisp hops, and refreshing lager-like fermentation character from its cold conditioning. Paired with a ballpark dog, it’s as close to heaven as I’m probably going to get. This is another beer that we are going to be brewing often throughout the summer, as we also supply the ballpark with it for the duration of the season. Look forward to having one after work, at home, and in the stands. Knights tickets are notoriously cheap and it’s a really great time. If you haven't been to a game, or it’s been a while, I can’t recommend it enough. Look for me at the game, or at work, and let me know what you think of the beer.
From the Executive Chef
MONTHLY SPECIALS! Releasing today!
PUB
Peanut & Ginger Chicken Sandwich-Soy and ginger marinated & grilled chicken thigh, sesame-napa cabbage slaw, house peanut & red curry sauce, and mayo on a toasted baguette.
Tahini Baba Ganoush-Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip served with Groundwork Organics snap peas, cucumbers & radishes, red bell peppers and house baked flatbread.
Summer Berry Salad Groundwork Organics’ salad greens, creamy citrus-parmesan dressing, roasted sunflower seeds, fresh local berries, julienned radishes & basil and balsamic pickled onions.
TAPROOM
Strawberry-Chipotle Burger NW beef burger, local strawberry & chipotle sauce, melted brie cheese, crisp lettuce, sweet onion and mayo on a toasted brioche bun.
Strawberry & Chevre Bruschetta - Toasted baguette with creamy chevre cheese, Groundwork Organics’’ strawberries & basil and balsamic glaze.
PUB UPDATES
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Take-Out Order Accuracy Awareness–We have had some feedback of missed sauces, sides, and inaccurate orders as of recent. Let’s be sure that we are thoroughly reading tickets when packaging & again when we are bagging orders for guests.
FOH: FOH to BOH Communication Awareness–Whenever there is a question about a ticket when running, an adjustment needing to be made on a ticket, or anything regarding a ticket that is up or being sent GO TO THE LEAD on the Line no matter what!! If you ask someone on the fryer side they will instruct you to talk to the Lead, even if they think they can help, as the Lead is in control of the Line. In order to keep the flow running smoothly the Lead needs to be in control and the Line needs to not be disrupted–especially when we are busy!
LINE: FOH to BOH Communication Awareness! BOH, if someone in the FOH is asking you for things, tell them to go to the LEAD even if you think you can help. In order to keep the flow running smoothly the Lead needs to be in control.
PREP: Putting Things Where They Go Awareness! Take the extra second to put something away correctly or reorganize if needed to make things easy to find (especially on the line shelf).
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
This is a reminder to keep smoking/vaping in appropriate areas. The breezeway between buildings is a non-smoking area at all times, as it is a work area for the Brewery and Distro teams and has air intakes for bringing fresh air into the brewery. (From Matt W.)
If the weather is going to be over 80 degrees, all the potted plants and hanging flower baskets need to be watered twice during the day at least 1 or 2 full pitchers each time.
OSU Graduation is next Saturday! Just a reminder we are not accepting any reservations next week 6/10-6/17.
We will be running a Dads and Grads merch and cellar stash sale next week! Merch will be online and at the TR it will run 6/10-17 and the cellar stash sale will run 6/14-6/17.
Merch will be 25% off and if ordering online, free shipping for orders over $50 also. (There will be a discount button to use)
Cellar stash sale will be a list of curated bottles for $10 and if you buy 4 or more receive 20% off. (Bottles will be listed under “500ml cellar stash” page in toast and there will be a button for the 20% off if buying 4 or more)
Reminder: Please make sure we are upholding our dress code policy and having a Block 15 logo visible on an outer layer when on the clock.
It is crucial that we are still providing exceptional customer service and service to all our customers. Please make sure we are continuing to check in with tables consistently, offering suggestions, and going above and beyond!
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: New Specials! Make sure you are aware of the new monthly specials, procedures, etc. gather any feedback you can this week!
FOH: Table check-ins! Please make sure we are still checking in with as many tables as possible, giving great hospitality, and doing our best to provide top tier service!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Upcoming Events
Grads and Dads 6/10-6/17
Online: All merch will be 25% off and free shipping for orders over $50
In person at the TR:
Merch will be 25% off
6/14-6/17 Cellar Stash sale - curated list of bottles $10 and 20% off if you buy 4 or more.
Beer School Thursday, June 27th 5-7pm
Join us for our Beer Education Class hosted every other month by our Brewery Team at our South Town Production Facility and Taproom! Each class will explore a beer style’s history, our brewing techniques to create a Block 15 beer and finish with a tasting flight. In this educational experience, we will cover a staple style to any PNW brewery, the India Pale Ale. Come with questions and a note book, and get ready for beer school!
Tickets available on our website!
Tunes n Brews!
First 4 Wednesdays of July! Live music and bomb.com BBQ specials! First one is Wednesday July 3rd
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Ian H. - Thanks for dealing with our plumbing issues... we appreciate it.
Rachel Zmolek - Rachel has been doing an amazing job. Whether it be providing warm, top-notch service at the restaurants, or at the accounting desk, she's crushing it.
Nicole Ceperich - Nicole's been doing a great job learning to bar tend at Caves. Her service with a smile is infectious and a wonderful thing to be greeted by.
Annalee Anglin - I love the positive, attentive energy she brings to work! She's been learning to bar tend at Caves and is doing a great job.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Brandon Serrell (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Maintain correct posture: make sure your posture is correct when you lift, push, pull, or carry things to avoid straining your back or neck.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up - June 30th 11 am - 1 pm
With that, we will be hosting a beach clean-up in Newport, OR (at Nye Beach) on June 30th to celebrate World Ocean’s Day and do our part in cleaning up our beach! This is our 3rd year in a row doing this and it is a fun way to get outside and help our environment!
Date: June 30th
Time: 11 am - 1 pm
Location: Nye Beach
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 - May 29th, 2024
General
NCAA regionals this weekend
OSU Baseball is hosting the NCAA Regionals tournament this weekend! There will be 3 visiting schools and their fans in town. There's going to be at least 6 games throughout the weekend, the first two on Friday are at 1pm and 6pm. Depending on how the games play out they could go all the way till Monday evening. Be prepared for more traffic in town, give yourself a few extra minutes for getting to and from work and be ready to see some busy pops throughout the weekend!
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - every other Thursday
Next tasting is this Thursday, 5/30/24 @ 4pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub. Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share bring it in. First beer is on us for anyone attending.
Group Ride - last Chance
Last chance for Employee Group Ride 4pks! This week is the last week to snag some tasty Group Ride cans! $8.40/4pk for employees and no other discounts are applicable.
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Gavin! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Chopped Pork Torta.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
Releasing Friday 5/31
Cassidy //
Description: Inspired by Nick & Kristen’s daughter, Cassidy is matured in Sauternes wine barrels and conditioned on spring flowers and honey from her grandpa's hive. Blended every spring since 2015, each bottle contains a portion of all previous years' blends. // 8.40%
Key Takeaway: A lovely and robust wild farmhouse ale, Cassidy finishes pleasantly dry, with a floral kick. A unique staple in our wild lineup.
Tasting Notes: Floral • Rustic • Celebratory
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Wild Ale with Honey, Hibiscus and Rose Petals
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 5/31
Cassidy // Wild Ale with Honey, Hibiscus and Rose Petals
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday
This week’s beers are: Vital Vibe (both) and The Beer Walker (Pub only)
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Flow // IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: June 7th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Ready to float into the finest beer dispensers around the Pacific Northwest, this summertime IPA features a soft malt base beneath a tidal wave of exotic tropical and juicy citrus hop varietals.
Summer Knights // Kolsch
Series: Perennial
Releases: June 7th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed as the MVP for the season roster, celebrate the warm season under stadium lights with a cold one. Crisp hops and smooth malts make this brew the perfect choice for any occasion.
Alumni Club: Portland Chapter // West Coast IPA
Series: Synergy, Collaboration with Lazy Days Brewing
Releases: June 7th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Welcoming a new member annually, the Alumni Club celebrates the OSU's lasting impact on the brewing industry. This year, we are working with the crew at Lazy Days Brewing in Portland OR. This sessionable West Coast IPA has a crisp body paired with a refreshing blend of hop characters like pine, grapefruit, and citrus.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, May 30th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Pub Brewing
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
If you work at the Pub, you may have noticed an increased presence of our brew team on-site. Folks who have worked there for a while may remember when there were brewers working at the pub every day, but during the pandemic, we were forced to redirect our attention to the production brewery for a host of reasons. That’s in the past now, and we are going to get that place back up and spinning like a top!
We are going to use the pub to brew old favorites that we can't justify brewing 20 barrels of at the taproom but just can't live without, as well as new and experimental beers that are a fundamental part of Block 15 Brewing's culture.
Brewing at the pub is exciting to me because it’s so visible to the public and engages us with new faces on the street. It allows us to meet folks who only work downtown that we wouldn’t get face time with otherwise. The pub has changed a lot over the years, but in many ways, it’s the same place where many of us brewed our first batch. It’s going to allow us to continue learning and changing, and for that, I’m grateful.
This week we’ve got two exciting brews taking place in the old house. Wednesday 5/29, Brewer J is whipping up some Horchata Cream Ale, a recipe of their own that they developed during their time brewing in Philadelphia, representing new beer that sounds so good that it simply must be brewed. Then, on Thursday 5/30, founding brewer Nick is brewing Cassidy, a beer he brews every year to commemorate the birth of his oldest daughter of the same name. Make sure to pop your head into the brewhouse, say hi, and ask questions.
From the Executive Chef
Strawberry Bell replacing Carrot Cake Bell
This Wednesday 5/30, the Carrot Cake Bell will be replaced by 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 a fresh strawberry. $8
With this coming out, please reference the dessert photos displayed in both kitchens for proper garnishing of the berries for both the bell and cheesecake!
MONTHLY SPECIALS for June!
Pub and TR monthly specials go live NEXT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5th. We had to switch the date due to a bit of a strawberry shortage! I am also pivoting from the fried pickles until we can get the cucumbers locally from Beene Farms, who we have always loved featuring for this dish! We will instead have our tahini baba ganoush featuring veggies from both Riverland Family Farm and Groundwork Organics out of the Eugene area! Over the next week please read through the descriptions and procedures so you are ready to go!
PUB
Peanut & Ginger Chicken Sandwich-Soy and ginger marinated & grilled chicken thigh, sesame-napa cabbage slaw, house peanut & red curry sauce, and mayo on a toasted baguette. $14.99
Tahini Baba Ganoush-Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip served with Riverland Family Farms’ snap peas and Groundwork Organics cucumbers & radishes, red bell peppers and house baked flatbread.$11.99
Citrus Berry Salad GTF’s salad greens, creamy citrus-parmesan vinaigrette, roasted sunflower seeds, fresh local berries, radishes, basil & pickled red onion. $12.99
TAPROOM
Strawberry-Chipotle Burger NW beef burger, Riverland Family Farms’ strawberry & chipotle sauce, melted brie cheese, crisp lettuce & sweet onion on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Strawberry & Chevre Bruschetta - Toasted baguette with creamy chevre cheese, Riverland Family Farms’ strawberries & basil and balsamic glaze. $11.99
PUB UPDATES
Though the weather isn’t exactly summer ready right now, the Corral is up and ready to go! As our Focus Point says, and as was stated in a Sling message, we will need to communicate and all be on the same page to be successful! A manager will let you know when the Corral is staffed by a server, and when it is bar service so that we can confidently guide our guests. We will also have signs on each Corral table that will need to be flipped depending on the service that we are giving. There may also be times where we slate 100’s as bar service and staff the Corral, but again, this will all be communicated to those on the floor. When it’s not too hot, folks often want to sit out in the sun, not the shade so this will allow us to seat the most desirable sections.
We have added a new container of allergy medicine, some insect bite/sting treatment, and electrolyte/hydration mix packets in the first aid kit by the office. If you need something, check it out! If we are running low on an item or if you can think of something else that would be helpful, ask a manager to help pass it onto someone who can place an order.
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Flow Awareness & Feedback–We'll be figuring out the Corral and how that affects sections and the flow. Keep an eye out for pinch points and communicate those with your float/manager on staff so we can evaluate. Please keep feedback constructive.
FOH: Corral Communication Awareness–Let’s make sure that we are aware when the Corral is bar service vs server and communicating this to guests correctly. We’ll need to make sure that we are all on the same page and communicating well to avoid any confusion for customers.
LINE: Proper Scoop Cleaning Awareness! Scoops have not been getting adequately cleaned. Keep in mind that banh mi scoops will need to be scrubbed before entering the dishwasher. If there's pork residue left on a scoop, that renders the whole scoop bucket unsanitary.
PREP: Do a Project You Haven’t Done in A While Awareness!It’s time to do a project that you haven't done in a while. Burgers? Chicken? SV? Smoker stuff? Closing dish? Any small project you haven't gotten a chance to do yet? Go ahead and try it out!
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
If you take the last of something (cider cans, liquor, ginger beer, toilet bowl cleaner bottles, etc.) make sure to leave a note in the communication log so a manager can order more and please make sure to grab the empty box or container, don't leave it empty.
Make sure we are dating items correctly. Whenever backing something out (like smix, raz van syrup, sauces, etc) Make sure you put the date from when the original thing was made not when you backed it out.
We are in the works of getting some N/A Cosmic Crisp Cider cans from 2Towns to add to our N/A offerings. It will still be for +21 ages only.
Keep getting feedback from yourself and customers on our new menu items and make sure you are writing it on the log in the kitchen! And also take note if people are missing something that is no longer on the menu too.
Please keep the dirty keg area tidy! The brewers have requested that we keep the back area where we stack used/empty kegs tidier, so they aren’t having to interact with it when on the brewery floor. Try to stack & organize kegs as best you can to keep the shared space as clean and tidy as possible! Break down extra flats/boxes, keep personal items on the cart or up in the break room, etc.
Please make sure we are consistently keeping the water cups separate from pints and 10oz glassware in the dirty racks. Pints and 10oz go in the top red/blue rack and plastic/metal water cups go in the bottom shelf red/blue rack.\
Let’s make sure we are spot sweeping/mopping throughout the day and thoroughly sweeping/mopping at night, especially under the bar seats and tables!
Tap Room Focus Points
ALL: Please triple check or have a 2nd person check the walk-in before 86ing anything. All wine bottles live on the same shelf as the ice tea, smix, and cellar bottles. Back up desserts live on the bottom right of the packaged beer shelving.
FOH: Staying informed! Please make sure you know and are talking to guests about upcoming TR events, menu changes, beer releases, etc! Hype up with guests and use it as a way to turn a negative situation into a positive (a food item they love is gone but you can spin that if you know what tasty new stuff is coming out)
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Upcoming Events
Spring/Summer Trivia! Thursday, May 30th
5:30-8pm Hosted by Ian!
Teams up to 6 people, tables are first come first serve
Corvallis Knights Season Ticket pickup Monday, June 3rd
5-7pm about ~50 people
The Knights will have a table set up outside for folks to pick up their season ticket packets and will also be giving each person a drink voucher to redeem at the register. (they will all go on a Knights tab they will pay for at the end)
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Molly Branstetter - She always has a positive attitude and can make you you laugh during the longest shifts. You rock girly pop!
Jack Kellems - So positive, great communication, and aware of kitchen needs (stocking plates, grabbing fifos). Thank you!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Brittany Bernstien (BOH)
Cora Priest (BOH)
Piper Winder (BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to keep any areas that have been taped off clear of debris or other items. These areas have been taped off as a safety precaution and it is vital that those spaces are kept clear.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Month of June
For the month of June, we will be hosting a People’s Pint Tap! What is a People’s Pint Tap you ask? For the whole month, we dedicate a portion of proceeds from a beer (or tap space) that goes directly toward an organization! This includes packaged and draft sales from the beer of choice.
People’s Pint Tap beer: Gloria!
Organization: Ocean Blue Project
A grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization with a compelling mission – to rehabilitate and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers. We work to keep pollutants from entering ecosystems through the recovery of plastics from ocean, beach, and river clean-ups, solutions, collaborative community-driven service learning projects, and youth education. Our commitment to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem drives our work, and we empower individuals and communities to join us in this vital mission.
Beach Clean-Up - June 30th 11 am - 1 pm
With that, we will be hosting a beach clean-up in Newport, OR (at Nye Beach) on June 30th to celebrate World Ocean’s Day and do our part in cleaning up our beach! This is our 3rd year in a row doing this and it is a fun way to get outside and help our environment!
Date: June 30th
Time: 11 am - 1 pm
Location: Nye Beach
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 - May 22nd, 2024
General
Sticky Vortex Limits
There will be a THREE 4pk limit per person on Sticky Vortex Cans at both locations for at least the first week of them being released!
Beer Tasting with the Brewers - every other Thursday
Next tasting is 5/30/24 @ 4pm in the Game Room at the downtown Pub. Come join us to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. A casual session anyone is welcome to attend.
If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share bring it in. First beer is on us for anyone attending.
Group Ride Employee Sale - Get them before they’re gone
We’re still running a sale at both locations to push Group Ride 4 packs! Cost is $ 8.40 per 4 pack for employees ONLY. Deal only available for 4 pack purchases (AKA no single cans, must buy a 4 pack) Sale good until end of May. Available at either location. NO employee 25% discount due to them already being discounted. Thanks - Ian
Fluffhead T-shirt Order!
Hi folks! I’m ordering Fluffhead T-shirts. These shirts are coming from Comfort Colors (the same shirts as our Lagered by the Sun but without the pocket). I want to allow staff to purchase one if they want at cost! Shirts will be around $19.50 - Kelsea
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Corndog(Connor)! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Corndog’s Corndog.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 5/24
Sticky Vortex //
Description: Part two of our collaboration with Fort George Brewing, this brew pulls you into a pine, citrus, and diesel vortex crafted with the best parts of two iconic IPAs: Vortex and Sticky Hands. // 7.70%
Key Takeaway: Brewed in collaboration with our friends over at Fort George, Sticky Vortex is our version of the mashup of our 2 flagship beers, Sticky Hands and Vortex.
Tasting Notes: Diesel • Ripe Kiwi • Kaleidoscope
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
Oregona //
Description: Named for a historic sternwheeler, and made to benefit the Friends of Historic Butteville. We collaborated with The Oregon Hophouse to feature 2b, McKenzie, and Anchor hops; all varieties from their breeding program. // 7.40%
Key Takeaway: Collaboration with organic hop pioneer Oregon Hophouse, designed to showcase the history of Oregon's esteemed hop industry.
Tasting Notes: Honeydew • Navel Orange • Locality
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy
Beer Style: IPA
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 5/24
Sticky Vortex // West Coast IPA
Oregona // IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday
This week’s beer is: The Beer Walker
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Cassidy // Wild Ale with Honey, Hibiscus and Rose Petals
Series: Cellars
Releases: May 31st
Format: Draft & Bottles
Description: Inspired by Nick & Kristen’s daughter, Cassidy is matured in Sauternes wine barrels and conditioned on spring flowers and honey from her grandpa's hive. Blended every spring since 2015, each bottle contains a portion of all previous years' blends.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
4:00 Pm Every other Thursday @ the Pub
Join us every other Thursday in the Game Room at the Pub to taste through beers, discuss our beers, brewing, or any other related topics you have questions about. This is a casual session anyone is welcome to attend. If you have an interesting bottle of beer you would like to taste/share with the group, bring it in. Your first beer is on us if you attend. The next tasting is Thursday, May 30th at 4 pm!
Beer 101: Double Collab Week!
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
This week we’re releasing two different collaboration brews! Sometimes I get asked, “Why would we collaborate with our competitors?” My favorite part about the brewing industry is how rarely we look at anyone in the field in that light. It’s far more productive to look at fellow breweries as friends and comrades than strictly competitors. Collaborations are an important part of the modern brewing industry, as they keep ideas fresh and allow for the sharing of ideas outside the brewery. They build and strengthen relationships within the industry. They also provide new market opportunities for both businesses, and they’re just really fun to do! A well-planned collaboration should be a big win for all involved. Look for anything in our Synergy series to experience collaborations between Block 15 and our favorite breweries and businesses.
The first collaboration release this Friday is Oregona IPA. We brewed this beer for the second year in a row with The Oregon Hophouse. They offer Oregon Tilth-certified organic hops grown on the Leavy farm. The Leavys have owned their farm since 1912 and have been growing hops there since the 1920s. They planted on French Prarie near Butteville, which would become one of the oldest hop-growing regions in Oregon. The Oregona was a sternwheel ship that was used to ferry hops up and down the Willamette before roads were as pervasive as they are now. They utilize farm compost, cover crops to inhibit weeds and introduce natural predators to control pests. They are a pioneer and shining example of organic farming and produce some of the finest organic hops in the world. We’re proud to brew the beer they serve. Look for an assertive, melon-forward hop character on the palate with an aroma unique among Block 15’s IPAs.
The second collab release this week is Sticky Vortex. We brewed it in collaboration with our longtime friends at Fort George Brewery. Our CEO Nick and Director of Brewery Ops Matt traveled to Astoria to share ideas and design a pair of beers showcasing the best of our favorite IPAs from both breweries, Sticky Hands and Vortex IPA. That day, they brewed Vortex Hands and about a month later we brewed Sticky Vortex. It was a really cool experiment; while the beers are not identical recipes, they used the same ratio of ingredients. The same amount of grain and hops went into both beers, but we used ours and they used theirs. I think it’s a really great beer, with a nice kiwi, clementine, and diesel hop character, high quality of bitterness, and clean experience all around.
Let me know what you think about the releases on Friday, and if you have any questions or ideas for sweet collaborations, hit me up at garrison@block15.com I appreciate any and all of the feedback that I get.
From the Executive Chef
TAPROOM MENU UPDATES!
Wednesday May 22nd we have two new sandwiches on the menu! We are also no longer serving wings at the taproom. I know this is a tough one, but we will still have them downtown! See the linked doc to be armed with all the knowledge on these new items and what they are replacing.
MONTHLY SPECIALS for June!
Pub and TR monthly specials go live next Wednesday, 5/29!
PUB
Peanut & Ginger Chicken Sandwich-Soy and ginger marinated & grilled chicken thigh, sesame-napa cabbage slaw, house peanut & red curry sauce, and mayo on a toasted baguette. $14.99
Fried Pickles House pickled Beene Farm cucumbers, beer battered and fried to perfection. Served with spicy tomato ranch. $9.99
Lemon & Parmesan Kale Salad Julienned GTF’s lacinato kale, lemon parmesan vinaigrette, roasted sunflower seeds, fresh Riverland Family Farms’ strawberries, radishes & red onion. $12.99
TAPROOM
Strawberry-Chipotle Burger NW beef burger, Riverland Family Farms’ strawberry & chipotle sauce, melted brie cheese, crisp lettuce & sweet onion on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Strawberry & Chevre Bruschetta Toasted baguette with creamy chevre cheese, Riverland Family Farms’ strawberries & basil and balsamic glaze. $11.99
PUB UPDATES
Pub Focus Points
ALL: HOSPITALITY FOCUS–Positive Communication! No negative conversations about guests/service/staff on the floor whether on or off shift. No congregating at the host stand, and keep personal conversations light & to a minimum. Goody has sent out a message to everyone on Sling with more details pertaining to this focus, and it is a requirement to read.
FOH: Bussing Silverware to Dish Awareness–Be sure to continuously check & bring all the full dirty silverware containers to the dish pit so we can clean silverware as often as possible–it’s a pain to run out of clean utensils during a rush! Also, please only use the plastic ⅓ pans filled with pre-soak at the bus stations.
LINE: Bread Firing Awareness! Let's make sure we are prioritizing firing bread first when a ticket walks in so that the bread has enough time in the oven to become hot & crispy.
PREP: Closing List Completion! Be sure to sign off on the things you have done/are doing, and double check the list before you leave for the day.
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We now have small blue carabiners that will live on the ends of the patio tables (near the bottom leg area) for folks to easily clip dog leashes to. This is just to help be more convenient and know that your dog is secure to the table if you need to pop inside or just for ease of mind and make our patio even more dog friendly.
We will be replacing chicken wings on the happy hour menu with a 1/2 size clam dip for the time being
Reminder on House Comp Discounts: This button should only be used for when you have been informed AHEAD of time that we are taking care of someone's food, drink, package beer tab. EX: Williams tells you that the head brewer from Fort George is coming in for dinner tomorrow and he wants to cover their first round of drinks. You would house comp off those drinks since we knew we were taking care of them. Any other comps for damage control, employee appreciation, etc. should be manager item off or manager amount off.
Alabama Bbq and pesto will be leaving as sauce options with the menu change this week
Please make sure you have read Goody’s sling message about personal conversations in customer facing areas! It is on us to hold each other accountable and make sure we are keeping a positive workplace environment for us all to work and thrive together as a team.
Apricot Cosmic Crisp cans will go into rotation and on the menu this Friday!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Keep up the great work! Thank you all for being so flexible, hardworking, and keeping up our hospitality standards over the last couple of weeks. We have a super awesome strong crew right now and each of you are so appreciated! As we get into summer, let's hit the ground running and keep it up!
ALL: Menu changes! Make sure you are aware of items that are coming and going! This will be continuing to happen consistently over the next couple of weeks so it is important to stay up to date and communicate with each other and customers as needed in a positive way!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Upcoming Events
May 23rd 5:30-7 - Tour n Taste and the Taproom! Guided Brewery tours are back!
3 tour times offered 5:30, 6, 6:30 - show up at your time slot of choice!
A small bite created by Sarah will be paired with Vital Vibe to taste
Ages 21 and over
Spring/Summer Trivia! Thursday, May 30th
5:30-8pm Hosted by Ian
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Annalee Anglin - She has been covering shifts left and right for people and it is extremely appreciated! She works really hard, does an amazing job, and is a true team player. Thank you so much Annalee for being so wonderful, we are lucky to have you!<3
Danny Perston - Danny is always willing to go the extra mile to help out a coworker in any department and I think he's really coming into his own as a brewery manager. He also looked super cool on Wednesday in his cutoff sweatshirt and bandana. Tres chic.
Max & Kaidyn - Congratulations to Max for becoming a part of the FOH team at the pub! We can’t wait to see you bring your positive energy to the host stand and share that with our guests. Great job so far tackling your training shifts despite it being busy! You’ve been crushing it. And shout out to Kaidyn for being a great trainer. I was really impressed with your communication and calm energy when we picked up speed. You offered great tips and thorough conversations to ensure Max is set up for success! Awesome job. What an iconic duo!
Brana Drummond - Brana rocks. She has great service and is so knowledgeable about our products. I’m always impressed by her ability to handle a really busy section and communication to take on more tables. Also she’s a beast when it comes to food running. She always does an awesome job and I appreciate her being so efficient!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Please welcome the following folks to the team:
Greg Barkley (Distro)
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 the sidewalk just to the south of the parking lot entrance by Willamette Graystone.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back later!
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 - May 15th, 2024
General
Happy Hour event this Friday, 5/17
To celebrate bike month and give our Happy Hour a bit of a marketing boost, we will be running surprise Happy Hour this Friday 5/17 at both locations from 2pm-6pm!
Tap Room Reservations
The barrel room is no longer available for reservations for the time being as well as we are no longer taking reservations on Friday-Sundays moving forward. Folks are welcome to give us a heads up if they have a large party but we are not going to reserve specific tables for them, first come first serve seating!
Brewery Tours at the Tap Room
We are bringing brewery tours back to the Taproom! First one is Thursday, May 23rd 5:30-7pm!
3 tour times offered 5:30, 6, 6:30 - show up at your time slot of choice!
A small bite created by Sarah will be paired with Vital Vibe to taste
Ages 21 and over
Sticky Hands T-Shirt Re-order
Hi folks! I’m ordering Sticky Hands T-shirts. I want to allow staff to purchase one if they want at cost! Shirts will be around $13. - Kelsea
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Prep! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Caprese Burger with fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and a balsamic reduction.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Cans
Releasing Friday 5/17
Vital Vibe //
Description: Bring on the West Coast vibes with this bright and approachable IPA. Featuring a harmonious pairing of hops, it shines with notes of melon, kiwi, and pear with a crisp, snappy finish.
Key Takeaway: Graduated through our creative process from experimental batch to stand-alone brand. We took one of our most popular emerging IPAs of 2023, Consortium: Mosaic x HBC-586, and developed a stand-alone brand for it.
Tasting Notes: Candied Peach • Orange Juice • Just Vibes
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: West Coast IPA
An IPA Sub-style that originated in California. It has evolved over the years to showcase a balance of bright fruit, resinous pine, and dank (cannabis-forward) hop flavors and aromas, with a moderate to light malt presence and a dry finish with an assertive bitterness. West Coast is still a rapidly evolving style. The Variations of IPAs have become America’s primary contribution to the pantheon of world beer styles.
COMING UP ON DRAFT
Releasing Friday 5/17
Vital Vibe // West Coast IPA
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE for Sippin’ Sunday
20% off all packaged beer to-go, $5 Crowlers and $10 Growler fills all-day Sunday
This week’s beer is: Board Shorts
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sticky Vortex // West Coast IPA
Series: Synergy
Releases: May 24th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Part two of our collaboration with Fort George Brewing, this brew pulls you into a pine, citrus, and diesel vortex crafted with the best parts of two iconic IPAs: Vortex and Sticky Hands.
Oregona // IPA
Series: Synergy
Releases: May 24th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Named for a historic sternwheeler, and made to benefit the Friends of Historic Butteville. We collaborated with The Oregon Hophouse to feature 2b, McKenzie, and Anchor hops; all varieties from their breeding program.
BEER EDUCATION
2:30 pm Tuesdays @ the Tap Room
Join us at the Tap Room every week for an educational session where you can taste and learn about the week’s releases. All are welcome!
Beer 101: Vital Vibe, Series Definitions, and the Graduation of Block 15 Beers
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
One of my favorite things about brewing at Block 15 is that it’s given me the opportunity to brew historic, traditional styles and be part of keeping them alive. While those styles are valued and protected here, we also have room to be creative and innovative and strive to bring modernity to an ancient art.
We have several programs that you should be familiar with that are focused on allowing us to experiment with and test brand-new, cutting-edge products and processes. The DAB Lab focuses on new hop products, like CO2 extracts, and lupulin powders etc., Consortium focuses on new blends of hops, which often lead to a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Future Focus allows us to design a beer around one single new ingredient to allow it to stretch itself and shine, be it a new hop, yeast, or malt. Selection Series beers fall in this category as well, as they allow us to see what selected hop lots are like in a beer all on their own.
Sometimes, we strike gold, and an experimental beer is remarkable enough to be brought up from AAA ball to the Majors. We call this graduation, and Vital Vibe is a perfect example. Graduated from Consortium: Mosaic x HBC-586, Vital Vibe proved to be a balanced, approachable IPA with an amazing palate and nose consisting of peachie-o’s candy, kiwi, pear, melon, and orange juice, paired with a crisp, clean finish. We loved it so much that we couldn’t help but bring it back and make it an Orbital.
This brings us to our beer series. If you’re a newer employee or even if you've never really understood the series before, I’ll explain how it works below.
Perpetual Series
These are beers that are available year-round. Our six Perpetual Beers are:
Sticky Hands Hop Experience Ale
Fluffhead Hazy IPA
Joy Hazy Pale Ale
Gloria! Bohemian-Style Pilsner
Nebula Oat Stout
Deep Seek West Coast IPA
Perennial Series
Beers that are available every year seasonally. They include but aren’t limited to:
Love Potion #9
Charmed Life
Group Ride
Favorable Fortune
Board Shorts
Animal Cookies
Nugg Hugg
Fresh Flow
Flicker
Sol Fresco
Bloktoberfest
Orbital Series
Available Periodically, generally at a higher price point than Perpetual or Perennial beers. Some examples include:
Consortium
Wandelpad
Island in the Sky
The Incredible
Tipping Point
Tropicolor
Emerging Series
New and/or experimental beers. Typically made in a smaller capacity. Recent examples include:
Keen as!
Noyster Stout
Rocky Shores
Flannel Fakeout
Liquid Opulence
Demo Tape Side A and Side B
Eminent Point
Paradise Inferno
Synergy Series
Beers Brewed in collaboration with another brewery or business. Recent examples include:
Alumni Club
Oregona
Boots First
Headhaze
Something Big and Resinous
Cellar Series
Mostly barrel-aged beers, made in a very limited capacity. Recent Examples include:
Super Nebula and its variants
Kriek
Willa
Framboise Claret
Figgy Pudding
Hypnosis
Tequila Gose
Green Light
I hope that this list has cleared up some questions, made clear how our series work, and explained what graduation means in our brewery. We love seeing new beers be successful in the market and getting the chance to really hone one in and make it perfect. This Friday, Vital Vibe drops in cans and on draught. Give it a try, and as always, I look forward to hearing what you think about it. Let me know at garrison@block15.com, your feedback is a big piece of what keeps our beer getting better all the time!
From the Executive Chef
TAPROOM MENU UPDATES!
Wednesday May 15th we will be beginning our staggered summer menu launch! See the linked doc to be armed with all the knowledge on these new items and what they are replacing.
PUB MENU UPDATES
Wednesday May 15th we will also be beginning our staggered summer menu launch for the pub! See the linked doc to be armed with all the knowledge on these new items and what they are replacing.
Please reach out if you have any questions regarding menu changes! XOXO
NEW BAKERY HIGHLIGHT!
Check out some rad info on our Bier Bread Pretzel, including its origin story and in-depth info from Lindsey! There are great bits of information that are fantastic talking points to share with guests. The highlight info is also below for quick reference! Happy pretzel-slinging!
Make sure you check out the newest pub Food & Beverage Discovery sheet below in the objectives section!
PUB UPDATES
This Friday, May 17th, we are offering a bonus Happy Hour from 2-6pm to celebrate that May has been marked as Bike Month here in Corvallis. We will have the same offerings as our standard Happy Hour, but just on a Friday and for an hour longer. Buttons will be adjusted to extend for this, so you can use the same screens and discount button.
Please see the note about plant watering on the Read and Sign! Sarah and her mom spent time refreshing the pots and planters, so let’s keep these looking bright and beautiful!
As a reminder, since folks are asking again, we plan to have the Corral back up for the summer starting on May 27th! With this being an added section that can fluctuate in desire for people to sit out there, let’s remember to be flexible to what sections usually look like, and where you would “normally” go based on shift start times. We are adding shifts to account for this, but we will all have to see how the flow changes and adjust accordingly. If you have feedback or questions, please feel free to pass them along, but also be mindful of keeping this feedback constructive and positive. As we head closer to it opening, I (Goody) will send out a message with expectations and tips/tricks for success!
Pub Focus Points
ALL: Non Work Related Conversations Awareness—Non work related conversations should not be happening in active work areas (ex. kitchen, soup station, entryways to the bar/kitchen). It’s ok to say hi, ask how the weekend was, ask about an event that someone went to, but these conversations should be brief and not impede someone’s ability to work. There can be times when we think we’re being quiet, but it’s still hard for the Line Lead to communicate to those on the line with the distractions, or hard for the bartenders/food runners/servers to get where they need to go if folks are congregating.
FOH: Kitchen Window Communication Awareness–When you have questions for the kitchen regarding a ticket, make sure to speak to the line lead rather than the cooks on fryers. This will streamline communication and allow the lead to make the appropriate person aware of what needs to be completed.
LINE: Closing Scoop Removal Awareness—We have been great about removing & washing scoops on the line and on the saute station, but most mornings the scoops under fryer station (hushpuppies and salmon spread) have been left behind overnight.
PREP:Tape Stacks Awareness–If you are stacking old labels/tape, please be the one responsible for throwing out that pile of tape at the end of the day. They've been sticking around too long... get it...
Pub Company Direction Objectives
Consistently promote and encourage teamwork and strengthen the ties within our team–we are our most successful when we work together and support/understand each other.
Promote ongoing education on all things Block 15 through monthly "Deep Dives" on items from the kitchen, and from the brewery/bar. Each month (roughly) Sarah and myself will send out our information on respective Deep Dives on menu items. Food & Beverage Discovery 5/15/24
Demonstrate to every guest that we are happy they have joined us. Make connections and show genuine interest and excitement!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
This Friday, May 17th, we are offering a bonus Happy Hour from 2-6pm to celebrate that May has been marked as Bike Month here in Corvallis. We will have the same offerings as our standard Happy Hour, but just on a Friday and for an hour longer. Buttons will be adjusted to extend for this, so you can use the same screens and discount button.
Reminder: If you change a keg, make sure that the empty shells go into the dirty keg pile outside the walk-in. It is crucial that we take out empty kegs to keep the space tidy and keep accurate inventory.
With the nice weather now sticking around, we should be setting up/breaking down the outside water station and umbrellas daily! Both have been added to the opening and closing lists.
Please make sure we put out the no open beverages sign out between us and 4 Spirits daily! At close it can get put by the umbrellas/bbq storage area
Once we run out of two berry dream 2 Towns cans, we will be switching to Apricot Cosmic Crisp.
We will be adding the Shooting Star Rose back to the wine line-up this Friday! Will be by the glass or bottle.
Ridgeback Red will be back on draft on Friday as well as Kriek 2022 draft.
Reminder: Please do not pick up dirty glassware by the rims of the glasses. Use a tray, bus tub, or carry by the bottoms of the glasses.
Thank you to everyone for crushing the busy Mother’s Day weekend! You all kicked some serious butt!!
Tap Room Focus Points
FOH: Lists! As we get busier and into the summer months, it is important we are looking at and initialing off on shift change, cleaning lists, plant watering schedule, etc. It helps us to make sure everything is getting done and being efficient during busier times!
ALL: Menu changes! We will be rolling out quite a few menu changes pretty consistently over the next few weeks so make sure you are staying to date on what is coming/going/changing!
2024 Objectives
Elevate engagement through impactful community-centered opportunities and events
Enhance the visibility of the Block 15 Bakery and unique Taproom menu items
Amplify the customer convenience factor
Upcoming Events
May 23rd 5:30-7 - Tour n Taste and the Taproom! Guided Brewery tours are back!
3 tour times offered 5:30, 6, 6:30 - show up at your time slot of choice!
A small bite created by Sarah will be paired with Vital Vibe to taste
Ages 21 and over
Spring/Summer Trivia! Thursday, May 30th
5:30-8pm Hosted by Ian
Bakery Highlight: Bier Bread Pretzel
The bier pretzel recipe comes to us from our fearless leader Nick Arzner! He researched pretzel recipes and made test batches at home before handing it off to our fledgling little bakery back in the early days. Blocktoberfest 2009 spurred the idea, and the resulting product was kept on the menu at Caves when she originally opened in 2011. To quote the recipe, in regards to shaping the dough, "Every pretzel should have a smile".
Pretzels have a rich history in the beer world, originating in south Germany in the 6th or 7th century. Here is a good article about the history of the beer pretzel!
When the taproom opened in 2015, since we moved our bakery operations from the pub to the new space, we thought the pretzel would be a wonderful addition to the menu as a quick fire taproom item and as a way to really highlight the bakery! And then it quickly hopped onto the menu at the pub!
Pretzel is a fantastic vegetarian option, but it does contain butter so it is not a vegan offering.
Interesting Facts & Tidbits About our Pretzel from Lindsey!
In a world where soft pretzels aren't hard to find on pub menus, I think ours stand out as exceptional amongst a sea of bland, dry, bready offerings. What sets our pretzels apart from less tasty counterparts out there? It could be the fact that we use 100% Gloria! pilsner in place of any water (literally putting the "bier" in bier pretzel)! It's also thanks to the addition of a little whole wheat flour (from our friends at Camas Country Mill). And it's most certainly helped by all the butter in the dough, not to mention the melted butter that's brushed on top at time of service. Once everything is mixed into a smooth dough, it gets a slow rise in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps the most impactful step in our pretzel-making process is the two-stage cooking method. Akin to bagels, our shaped pretzels get dipped in a boiling baking soda solution prior to going in the oven. This chemical reaction results in a beautiful dark brown color, a slightly chewy crust, and more pronounced flavor in the end.
These days we make pretzels for all 3 locations and they are in production most bake days. They require following a lot of steps, but it's a labor of love. At this point we could all make pretzels in our sleep. If we had to. Don't actually take me up on that!
Try to highlight and/or suggest this item to 3 different customers per shift you work!
Caves Updates
We have an exciting new food and beverage focus here! Please take the time to read through it and soak up all the knowledge! We look forward to your follow up questions and thoughts!
Thursday we are launching our Miso & Sugar Snap Pea Salad! It replaces our brussel sprouts and is also our menu focus for the moment!
Miso & Sugar Snap Pea Salad-Fresh GTF salad greens, Riverland Family Farms’ snap peas, white miso & lemon vinaigrette, toasted walnuts, parmigiano reggiano, watermelon radishes. $11
2024 Caves Direction Objectives:
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
Caves Direction Objectives
Deliver elevated consistency through the Caves experience
Hit our service and food standards every single time! Show our guests why we should be their regular spot and what sets us apart with our elevated experience.
Keep eyes up and out and move through the restaurant rather than just behind the bar when making loops. Offer to grab another beverage, refill waters, or pre-bus tables, even if they aren’t yours.
Amplify education and enthusiasm within our food and beverage programs
Through elevated and thorough education on new menu items and revisiting tried and true classics, or beverages with more history and information.
HIGH FIVE SECTION
ALL Taproom Peeps! - Thank you all for being so flexible and rolling with the punches these last few weeks. You all have been working so hard and providing awesome feedback and ideas and it is extremely appreciated! Keep up the great work!!
Shelby Mosel - Shelby is so responsive to employee questions and suggestions. She's always happy to help figure stuff out or give input on a situation.
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Check back next week!
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure to always stay alert and aware of your surroundings along with always using safety words when going around corners etc.
Office Hours
Monday: Tap Room 10 am - 1 pm, Pub 2 - 5 pm
Thursday: Tap Room 1-4 pm
Friday: Pub 1-4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back later!
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!