Internal Brewsletter - January 15th, 2025
General
Tap Room Closure 1/13-1/20
We’re updating the Brewery floors at the Tap Room starting Monday, January 13th, and aim to reopen between the 18th and 20th (but very likely after the 20th). Cascade Floors is adding a new coating to our production areas, which will be loud and dusty. Once it’s finished, our floors will be more protected and will extend the life of the surface.
Please direct customers to visit the Pub or Caves during the closure!
Bourbon Month 2025
With Bourbon Month just around the corner, we’re gearing up for our staff educations to talk all things bourbon and Bourbon Month here at Block 15! In the coming weeks, you’ll be scheduled a time to meet at the Pub and go over some info that will be key in having a fun and busy Bourbon Month. This first document goes over what to expect from the month, specials we’ll have, and fun events that we will hold. Look it over and come ready to learn!
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! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Pork Katsu!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This Week’s Releases
Releasing Friday, January 17th
Love Potion #9 //
Description: Brewed with an irresistible blend of dark malts, rich chocolate, and raspberries, this potion offers velvety notes of chocolate ganache and juicy fresh berries. // 7.00%
Key Takeaway: This beer gets chocolate character from four directions. Cacao Nibs and Husks, chocolate extract, dark roasted chocolate malt, and red raspberry lend color, flavor, aroma, and to this delectable Valentine's stout.
Tasting Notes: Chocolate Ganache • Raspberry Syrup • Entrancing
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
Beer Style: Stout with Chocolate and Raspberries
There are many different substyles of Stouts, but we don’t always design beers with a specific sub-style in mind. Adjunct beers often fall under this category, as we are trying to design a beer that, first and foremost, integrates with the adjuncts we intend to use. If it doesn't go well with the beer, there’s no point in making a beer with a specialty ingredient, almost certainly the most expensive thing in the recipe. Style-wise, these beers usually fall under extra sout, foreign export stout, imperial stout, or tropical stout as far as guidelines go. They are dark with an intense malt flavor that leans to chocolate, coffee, nutty, caramel, dark fruit, and other roasted malt notes with a sweetness and bitterness that balance to produce a drinkable beer that highlights the extra ingredients we add.
Amalfi Gold //
Description: Inspired by our favorite Italian Liqueur, we added fresh lemon zest and vanilla to this select blend of barrels from our wild cellar. Bright, tart, and citrusy, enjoy a taste of the Amalfi Coast from the comfort of your home. // 6.90%
Key Takeaway: House-zested Italian Lemons and the Tonotocs Mexican Vanilla make this extra special blend even more unique.
Tasting Notes: Lemon • Vanilla • Vibrance
Format: Draft Only
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Limoncello Wild Ale
Upcoming Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
The Incredible // Triple IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: January 24th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Beyond belief, our triple IPA pushes boundaries with the monumental hop characters of fresh tropical fruit and sticky resin soaring above a pristine malt foundation for incredible balance.
A Nugg Hugg // Hazy IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: January 24th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: A sticky squeeze of hop nugs embraces you with this aromatic, juicy IPA that draws on a heady charge of hops to deliver luscious waves of candied peaches, pineapple, mango, and spruce.
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: Ol Saint Nick AND Fluffhead at the Pub
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
The next Happy Hour is this Thursday, 1/23!
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.
From the Executive Chef
Check back next week!
Pub Updates
This Friday we will temporarily have some N/A Sauvignon Blanc called “Sucré” (soo-kray) from Silt Wine Company and in collaboration with Hemly Cider available for those looking to take a break from drinking. It comes in a 12oz bottle, but we will offer it as a 6oz pour to make it more approachable. This has some slight haze and bubble to it, but is not meant to be fully sparkling. When serving it, please gently tilt the bottle to incorporate anything that might have settled for more consistent pours.
Tap Room Updates
We hope you all have a wonderful time off this week, or are able to find hours at other locations if needed!
After washing bar mats each evening please lay flat & upside down to dry separately. Stacking them when they’re still wet can allow bacteria growth, so this is a good rule to follow with any tools after cleaning.
When putting away glassware at close, please check the clean racks below before double stacking glassware on top of clean racks
Everyone has a method to closing! The pyramid with racks is fine behind the bar at the end of the night after you clean your shelves, however, you are required to thoroughly mop underneath that rack when you are done. Sometimes that spot is a bit slimy in the morning when opening. We should always be moping behind the bar anyways!
Heads up, Love Potion #9 and Amalfi gold release 1/17 during the taproom closure but will still be available at the pub! When we reopen at the Taproom we will have added those 2 beers to the taplist to keep on schedule with releases.
Caves Updates
Valentine’s Day at Caves
This year, we’ll be running a couple of food specials. Reservations are encouraged and can me made through our website per usual. More info to come.
Events
Bourbon Month
Bourbon Month is coming in February! Please take a minute to read the document at the top of the Brewsletter. We have a series of events within the month.
Our Bourbon Month web page is live! Any materials (like posters or table tents) with QR codes will lead here. You can direct customers here too, as it’s a good overview of everything we’re doing.
Super Bowl at the Tap Room
February 9th
We’ll have the game on the big screen (with sound on), and chicken wings.
High Fives
Kaidyn - Kaidyn is always willing to step up and cover shifts when needed. From the pub to the tap room, he seems to be everywhere at once.
Max Spears - Always comes to work with a smile & a great attitude!
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.
The People’s Pint / Cheers for Charity / Dine Out
Check back next week.
Internal Brewsletter - January 8th, 2025
General
Tap Room Closure 1/13-1/20
We’re updating the Brewery floors at the Tap Room starting Monday, January 13th, and aim to reopen between the 18th and 20th (but very likely after the 20th). Cascade Floors is adding a new coating to our production areas, which will be loud and dusty. Once it’s finished, our floors will be more protected and will extend the life of the surface.
Please direct customers to visit the Pub or Caves during the closure!
Bourbon Month 2025
Next week we will be dropping info about Bourbon Month and what you can expect when it comes to service, events, and fun new specials! This is a super busy and very exciting month for both staff and our guests and I can’t wait to share it with you all. FOH folks, you will be scheduled education classes in the coming weeks where we will go over the details, answer questions, and taste through the release beers (if you are over 21). Let me know if you have any questions! - Goody
Have You RSVP’d to the Holiday Party???
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our Southtown Tap Room on January 13th from 5 pm - 9 pm. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
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 Mars! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Potato Leek Casserole!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This Week’s Releases
Releasing Friday, January 10th
Sticky Hands: The Kine //
Description: Rolled up tight with the stickiest, top shelf hops grown right here in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy a blast of heady herb, blue spruce, and orange skunk wrapped up tight in our loudest Sticky yet. // 8.10%
Key Takeaway: Sticky Hands: The Kine brings all our favorite aspects of Sticky Hands but with the dankness dialed up to 11. This beer comes from deep in the Block 15 archives - before we revived it in 2023, it hadn't flowed from our taps since 2014.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple • Cannabis • Lifted
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Sticky Hands
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!
Love Potion #9 // Stout with Chocolate & Raspberries
Series: Perennial
Releases: January 17th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Brewed with an irresistible blend of dark malts, rich chocolate, and raspberries, this potion offers velvety notes of chocolate ganache and juicy fresh berries.
Amalfi Gold // Limoncello Wild Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: January 17th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Inspired by our favorite Italian Liqueur, we added fresh lemon zest and vanilla to this select blend of barrels from our wild cellar. Bright, tart, and citrusy, enjoy a taste of the Amalfi Coast from the comfort of your home.
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: Hoppy Holidays & Ol’ Saint Nick (Pub Only), and Fresh Pow (Taproom Only)
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
The next Happy Hour is this Thursday, 1/9!
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.
Beer 101: Sticky Hands, The Kine
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
It’s come to my attention that some of you youngins aren't familiar with the concept of kine bud. Well, sit back and let Uncle Gary drop some old school on you, it’s time for beer (and weed) education.
When I was a young man, weed was illegal. That’s right, you’d go to jail just for having a little of it! Isn’t that insane?! Don't get me started on the way we’d risk our lives to get ahold of it. It also didn't come in nearly as many forms and strains as it comes in now. You could basically buy flower or hash, and it was either schwag (brown, dry, sticks and stems ish), or if you were very lucky and well connected with various criminals, you could get kine bud. Dorks mispronounced it as kind, and kind bud is also a term in that community to this day.
Kine comes from a Hawaiian Pidgin phrase Da Kine. It’s a fun phrase that can mean almost anything to a native Hawaiian speaker and has been described in a surfing dictionary as “the word you use when you don't use the word.” Its definition changes from situation to situation with context, but to non-native speakers, kine has but one real definition: that sweet sticky herrrb.
So, why would we name a Sticky Hands variant after a slang term for really good pot? Simply put, cannabis and hops are as closely related as they can be. They contain many of the same flower structures that produce similar tricomes, responsible for making many of the same terpenes, oils, and other chemicals that impart flavors and aromas. When we say that a beer is exhibiting dank herbal notes, this relationship is what we’re referencing. Sticky Hands, The Kine uses several hops that really exemplify that characteristic and presents about as dank-forward as an IPA can.
If you didn’t know, now you know. Roll up a bone and crack open a Sticky The Kine. It’s a match made in hippy heaven.
From the Executive Chef
January monthly specials will go live today at both locations!
Tap Room
Porkstrami Egg Rolls-House brined and smoked “porkstrami”, sauerkraut, swiss cheese & stone ground mustard egg roll served with our spicy reuben sauce. $10.99
Mash Paddle Melt-Seasoned NW beef patty, garlic sauteed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese & house dressing on toasted artisan bread. $16.99
Pub
Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich - Breaded & fried eggplant with creamy marinara, melted provolone & fresh basil on house toasted ciabatta. $15.99
Chicken Chipotle Pasta - Cavatappi pasta, mushrooms & sweet onions and chipotle-parmesan cream sauce with smoked chicken, aleppo pepper and green onions. $17.99
Porkstrami Sandwich - Thinly sliced house made Carlton Farms pork shoulder pastrami, on toasted artisan bread with grilled sweet onions, Tillamook Swiss, house pickles and classic yellow mustard. $16.99
Sunday BBQ Chicken Plate at the Pub
This Sunday our BBQ Chicken Plate will be back in action! We are adjusting the times this is available from 11am-3pm, due to quality issues. We will be doing a social post to let guests know, and will update the menu & website to reflect the time change!
Pub Updates
We officially have a new cider on at the Pub! We are featuring the Dusty Apple from Helvatia Cider out of Hillsboro, OR (and our newest addition to the Block 15 Distro line-up). This cider is a little bit drier than the Yonder was, but is still very refreshing and crowd pleasing. Reminder: we cannot put any cider in a Crowler, but we can do a Growler fill if requested.
Please remember to be mindful of trips behind the bar, especially when there is already more than one person in that space. When running food, we should be dropping it on the customer side, not the bar side. Grey glass racks in the kitchen should be utilized first during higher business times (often bartenders want glasses directly to the bar towards close, or when its slow) but consistent traffic behind the bar can cause run ins and clog up flow. Using the racks also helps to prevent the top of the dishwasher from looking messy or cluttered. Lastly, please be mindful of conversations or floor updates not happening in the space between the register and entrance to the kitchen. Often folks need to get to that end to help guests and it’s becoming clogged more often. Thank you for helping to keep a tight and fast-paced area a little more easy to navigate!
Tap Room Updates
The Taproom closure is finalized: 1/13-1/20*. However, our reopening date is subject to change! Please reach out to Sarah or Rachel (your scheduling manager) if you are interested in project cleaning hours during this time period. If you intend on taking that time off it still needs to be approved by them!
All questions regarding Taproom reservation requests should be directed to taproom@block15.com. Please do not direct them towards managers' specific work email (if a manager is on their weekend the customer waits longer for a response than necessary, so this helps streamline the process).
Andy will begin managing online keg sales this week so please begin directing customers to andy@block15.com with questions about their Online Keg Sale order or Corni Fills. FOH will still manage the hand off to customers and Green tagging corni’s when they are dropped off by customers. Those will continue to be found in the office drawers behind the bar labeled “service”. Always log exactly what keg is received from customers when they drop off empty shells please! This log is located in the white bar binder in a slip that says “keg sales”. Including name, date and phone number (very important!!) so we can make sure to refund their deposit.
Changing the organization of the cocktail fridge to make it more user friendly. We purchased FOH ONLY fifos that are clearly labeled on the bottom of the squeeze bottle with sharpie.
Smix concentrate and margarita now have pour spouts on the backer in use for those products. Make sure to use the one with the pour spout so we are using the oldest product first and keeping proper rotation! Simple syrup & Honey simple syrup (or “honey water” which is the same thing) should now be stored in these fifos with a squeeze top lid when in the cocktail fridge. Large backers/ any backstock should be stored in the Red Cocktail Crate in the walk in to save space.
When hangers are pulled from apparel- please make a run at the end of your shift to the mezzanine and store in the apparel backstock area. You will see a large pile of hangers in there already. Please neatly add to this collection!
A good indication if we offer something to go in crowler form is if we have a button made or not in the system (always best to ring something in before making it!) Regarding products added to our draft selection: Hop Water and Helvetia Cider cannot be crowlered
Ordering both size formats of tequila now, intentionally! Please ONLY make batched margarita from the Large format tequila bottles. Single pours of tequila can come from small bottle so it fits in well
We are now going to carry Tito’s Vodka, as a gluten free verified option for vodka. This will also be slightly higher quality than Slaptail.
Vermouth is to be stored in the fridge. We are going to receive a fresh bottle (smaller format) that is to be stored in the fridge, always. Sidenote: Anything that needs refrigerated after opening should always be dated the day it was opened with sharpie on the bottle!
Caves Updates
Events
Bourbon Month is coming! Keep an eye out for more information in the Brewsletter and through Sling. Here’s a peek at our updated logo:
High Fives
Levi - The outdoor tables at the tap room look awesome and fresh!
Marketing - Keep it up!
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.
The People’s Pint / Cheers for Charity / Dine Out
Check back next week.
Internal Brewsletter - December 18th, 2024
General
New desserts dropping after Christmas! Expect to see these on Friday 12/27.
*Brand new* Cherry Pie Panna Cotta (dairy free) - A vanilla bean flecked panna cotta made with coconut milk topped with cherry pie filling and streusel. This dessert is made without dairy but is not vegan because of the gelatin. The cherries and streusel will be added at plating.
Original Cocobells replacing the peppermint bell. Our chocolate stout cake, fluffy cream cheese filling and ganache on top.
Festive Fridays
Feel free to wear your (family-friendly) holiday sweaters or accessories each Friday through the holiday season!
Holiday Hours
Christmas Eve:
Pub: 11 am - 4 pm
Tap Room: Closed
Caves: Closed
Christmas Day:
All locations closed
Holiday Party January 13th
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our Southtown Tap Room on January 13th from 5 pm - 9 pm. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
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 Rachel! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Rolls!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
Pub Prep Kitchen Spotify Wrapped
For your enjoyment…
This Week’s Releases
Releasing Friday, December 20th
The Prophecies //
Description: Inspired by a favorite Abbey quad enjoyed on a visit to Belgium. Blending specialty malts, dark Belgian candi sugar, & Abbey yeast with hints of dark fruit and Dutch cocoa with a rich yet delightful finish. // 10.30%
Key Takeaway: Naturally conditioned in tank prior to canning, we have adapted the bottle conditioning technique we used to use to accommodate moving the packaging format. This increases the time it resides in the brewery. It is a commitment to quality, not efficiency.
Tasting Notes: Ginger Bread • Burnt Sugar • Rustic
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: Belgian Quadrupel
An abbey beer sometimes referred to as “Belgian Strong Dark Ale,” the name Quad follows the convention of Dubbel and Tripel, each rising in strength. These beers are usually between 8% and 14% abv and feature a rich malt flavor, including plummy or figgy fruit notes, chocolate, caramel, and molasses. The characteristic Belgian yeast aromatics of baking spice and pear lean more to black pepper. These are rich but well-attenuated beers that are often highly carbonated, almost always attained with re-fermentation, or natural conditioning, where carbon dioxide from a second fermentation is captured to create the necessary balance and mouthfeel.
Upcoming Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Block Water: Citrus Shift // Sparkling Hop Water with CBD
Series: Emerging
Releases: December 27th
Format: Draft Only
Description: Jump into the new year with our latest beverage, Block Water. This sparkling water is steeped in Citra hops and boosted with house-made lemon peel, orange peel, elderflower, and lemon verbena extracts. All natural and alcohol-free, we also added CBD to bring in the zen after the holiday craze.
Squirrel Stash // Brown Ale
Series: Perennial
Releases: January 3rd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: An artistic brown ale brewed with a host of specialty malts and English yeast. Soft body and a malt profile with notes of toasted nuts, baker’s chocolate, and coffee with a dry finish.
Fresca Pils // Italian Pilsner
Series: Perennial
Releases: January 3rd
Format: Draft Only
Description: A crisp, hop-forward Italian-style pilsner brewed with Northwest pilsner malt and generously hopped with European Styrian hops, lending zippy notes of citrus, berries, and fresh-cut grass.
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: Hoppy Holidays
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
The next meet-up will be on December 19th!
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.
Beer 101: Advanced Hop Products
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We use many different advanced hop products at Block 15, and our desire to constantly experiment and innovate with how to apply those products has set Block 15 apart from other breweries. Sticky Hands’ use of critical CO2 extract set it apart from other Oregon IPA, and we continue that innovation today. We now use both Salvo and CO2 extract in Sticky Hands and are always seeking ways to make that beer as much of a hop experience as possible.
Advanced hop products are any hops that have been processed beyond just pelletizing. When they are harvested hops are delicate and prone to mildew and degradation very quickly. To avoid this, they are kilned to quickly dry them but preserve their delicate aroma and flavors. Once dried, they are run through a pelletizing mill where they are compacted before packaging. This is how most hops come to us.
We also use advanced products, such as CO2 extract, cryogenic concentrated hops, and hop oils. These products are made from individual hop varieties and are designed to provide flavor and aroma consistent with the hops they are made from.
CO2 Extract
We use CO2 extract widely in our IPAs. These products are created using supercritical CO2, which is in a liquid form, to extract alpha acids (essential to create bitterness), beta acids (antimicrobial), and essential oils (all of the flavor and aroma compounds we want). Some CO2 extracts are further processed to remove alpha or beta acids. We have several beers coming this winter that feature Salvo, a newer extract that doesn’t produce bitterness but is loaded with essential oils for a high-impact flavor addition. Most of these products are solid at room temperature and must be heated before use, which limits how they can be added.
Cryogenic Hops
In this process, kilned hops are frozen with liquid nitrogen and sifted to remove non-flavor-implementing vegetal material from the flavor-rich lupulin glands, then pelletized for ease of use. They are roughly twice as potent as normal pellets. Several hop processing and distribution companies now make cryogenic products; Hopsteiner makes Lupulin Pellets, Yakima Chief makes Cryo, Barth Haas makes Lupomax, and Crosby makes CGX.
Hop Oil
Sometimes made from whole leaf hops, sometimes from CO2 extract, hop oils, like salvo, add no bitterness to the beer, but are loaded with essential oils that impart bright, fresh hop flavor. These products are liquid at room temperature and can be added later, often just before packaging. We commonly use Glacier Hop Ranch’s Hopzoil, Oast House’s Fusion Terpenes, and Hopsteiner’s Steam Distilled Hop Oil. Joy gets a good dose of Hopzoil. We are currently trialing Yakima Chief’s Hyperboost in Sticky Hands and Deep Seek.
Hop processing is an industry undergoing constant innovation with new products released constantly. One of the more recent products is fresh hops that have been frozen with liquid nitrogen to preserve them longer. Along with a constant stream of new hop varieties, there is no shortage of products for us to experiment with as we continue to strive to be an innovator in the industry.
I hope this helps to clear up the differences between some of the products that we mention in brewery literature regularly. I know it’s a lot of information to keep up with, but if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask! Ask me or any brewer, at any time, or send me an email, at garrison@block15.com.
From the Executive Chef
January monthly specials will go live on Wednesday, January 8th, at both locations!
Tap Room
Porkstrami Egg Rolls-House brined and smoked “porkstrami”, sauerkraut, swiss cheese & stone ground mustard egg roll served with our spicy Reuben sauce. $10.99
Mash Paddle Melt-Seasoned NW beef patty, garlic sauteed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese & house dressing on toasted artisan bread. $16.99
Pub
Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich - Breaded & fried eggplant with creamy marinara, melted provolone & fresh basil on house toasted ciabatta. $15.99
Chicken Chipotle Pasta - Cavatappi pasta, mushrooms & sweet onions and chipotle-parmesan cream sauce with smoked chicken, aleppo pepper and green onions. $17.99
Porkstrami Sandwich - Thinly sliced house made Carlton Farms pork shoulder pastrami, on toasted artisan bread with grilled sweet onions, Tillamook Swiss, house pickles and classic yellow mustard. $16.99
Pub Updates
Tap Room Updates
The Taproom location will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day due to hours of operations. We hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends!
The glass rinser is turned off to the second tap box intentionally, to see if we can diagnose exactly where the leak is being created. Please use glass rinsers closest to the clean glassware for the time being. Also, please write in maintenance log if you are still squeegying that area or if it is staying dry now that those are off! Thank you all for your patience as we figure out the problem.
We are going to get rid of the glass Iced Tea dispenser and move to storing Iced Tea in a labeled/ dated pitcher just like the Lemonades in the cocktail fridge. As long as we only fill 1 pitcher of each at a time, there should be plenty of room in the fridge. This will also help with proper product rotation!
Strawberry lemonade concentrate will now be stored in a plastic long neck bottle with a pour spout. We will be receiving new fifos soon, that will be for Bar/ cocktail use ONLY to help prevent any off flavors in bar products. Please remove tape from all backers, fifos or other bar containers before you wash them since we are putting a brand new set in rotation. Thank you! :)
There is now a reservation calendar (created by the wonderful Makayla) to update you if we have a reservation that day, what time, how many people, and if they paid a deposit highlighted in yellow. You can find this by the roster board! FOH staff, you will be responsible for verifying this information and providing this deposit back to the customer, once the party has arrived and they have reached their cap. A detailed message will be sent out over Sling to provide step by step details on how to do this!
Caves Updates
Events
High Fives
Connor Hastings - Welcome back!
Danny Perston - Danny has an incredible passion for beer and loves to share his knowledge with those around him. He always picks up the phone to answer questions for brewers in need. Love this guy and his energy!
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:
The People’s Pint / Cheers for Charity / Dine Out
Check back next week.
Internal Brewsletter - December 11th, 2024
General
Festive Fridays
Feel free to wear your (family-friendly) holiday sweaters or accessories each Friday through the holiday season!
Holiday Hours
Christmas Eve:
Pub: 11 am - 4 pm
Tap Room: Closed
Caves: Closed
Christmas Day:
All locations closed
Holiday Party January 13th
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our Southtown Tap Room on January 13th from 5 pm - 9 pm. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
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 Garrison! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Chicago Dog!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This Week’s Releases
Releasing Friday, December 13th
Hoppy New Year //
Description: Welcome in 2025 with a bang of the finest Northwest-grown hops, a crisp body orchestrated by a dance of specialty malts, and a bubbly finish. Hoppy New Year from Block 15! // 8.80%
Key Takeaway: Ring in the new year with an ipa that pairs the citrus character of Amarillo, citra and Wai-iti with the tropical and herbal character of Talus and Nelson Sauvin. Also features Pure Idaho pilsner malt from Great Western Malting Co.
Tasting Notes: Orange Peel • Herbaceous • Snappy
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
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.
Continuous Darkness //
Description: Embrace the darkest days of the year with this luscious concoction that balances notes of chocolate, caramel, espresso, and decadent dark fruits, concentrated to velvety heights by an extended boil. // 14.00%
Key Takeaway: Implementing several new techniques to make something unique, Continuous Darkness is a step beyond for us. No adjuncts were used to make this exceptionally big stout.
Tasting Notes: Bitter Chocolate • Espresso • Indulgent
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Emerging
Beer Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Also more simply referred to as “Imperial Stout,” the term Imperial originates from the late 1700s when a London-made strong “export stout” was shipped to the Russian Imperial Court at the request of Catherine the Great. The Lonon-based brewery that exclusively made this beer, Anchor Brewing, later renamed Barclay Perkins, saw the marketing opportunity to rename this beer to “Russian Imperial Stout,” this is the origin of the term “Imperial” in describing beer with exceptionally high strength. As the name implies, this is a strong beer, usually between 8% and 12%, but some American examples can exceed 15% ABV. Dark with a strong roasted malt character, they often present notes of dried fruit, chocolate, and coffee flavors with a warm, bittersweet finish.
Upcoming Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
The Prophecies // Belgian Quad
Series: Orbital
Releases: December 20th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Inspired by a favorite Abbey quad enjoyed on a visit to Belgium. Blending specialty malts, dark Belgian candi sugar, & Abbey yeast with hints of dark fruit and Dutch cocoa with a rich yet delightful 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
The next meet-up will be on December 19th!
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.
Beer 101: Continuous Darkness
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Continuous Darkness is a really interesting beer, and it gives us an opportunity to talk about the different ways we can change the beer we make. We talk a lot about barrel aging and using new exciting hop products and varieties, but what happens if we take those both off the table? What if we want to brew something big, powerful, and full of character but can’t use those two common levers from our program? One answer is to use a more interesting and complex grain bill and play with the duration of key steps during the hot side brewing process.
Let's compare Continuous Darkness to another of our favorite dark beers, like Nebula, for a look at just how intense this big mama really is. Nebula has seven distinct malts used, including five specifically darker malts, that come to a total of 1290 lbs per turn. Continuous Darkness has ten distinct malts, with seven darker varieties, for a total of 2262 lbs per turn. That means that there are considerably (almost twice as many) more sugars available from the malt in a single batch of Continuous Darkness than in Nebula, which means that much more can be converted to ABV during fermentation. Nebula is also boiled for 70 minutes, and CD is boiled for 240 minutes. This gives the wort a lot of time to condense through evaporation, increasing the viscosity and giving it a really special mouthfeel, which the style is famous for. Increasing the boil also increases Maillard reaction influence, which refers to the flavor and aroma caused by chemical reactions that take place during a cooking, toasting, or burning process. Think about the difference in aroma between bread and toast.
Russian Imperial stout is one of my favorite styles, especially this time of year. They are big, bold, flavorful, and pack a serious punch that is great for chasing off those winter blues.
From the Executive Chef
Pub Updates
The Pink Moon will be temporarily falling off the menu for a few weeks while we feature an Egg Nog at the Pub. This Egg Nog will have a blend of rums, coconut, banana liqueur, and sherry in it, and is a little bit lighter-bodied than the classic, ultra creamy versions. We’re going to feature this same recipe at Caves as well. It’s very approachable and great for this holiday season.
Tap Room Updates
Caves Updates
Congratulations to Aidan for stepping into the Caves GM role as I (Goody) begin my transition out of Block 15. We will spend some time training, but feel free to direct questions and feedback his way!
Events
High Fives
Makenna White - For her beautiful holiday decorating skills at the taproom, it looks lovely! Thank you for your hard work.
Whitney Parks - She's doing an excellent job at both locations. Thanks for your efforts and always being willing to help where it's needed.
Holly - I am really enjoying the window decorations. That was a great idea!
Spencer, Zach and Myles - Making training a lot of fun, easy to understand and in general showing how much the distribution team works together has been awesome to watch. As well as be a part of this 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:
Neil Abrew - Distro driver
Charles Clack - Prep cook
The People’s Pint / Cheers for Charity / Dine Out
Check back next week.
Internal Brewsletter - December 4th, 2024
General
New Dessert
The Peppermint Bells are coming out today. Please see the SOP for plating instructions. At service, they get a sprinkle of peppermint candy!
Let’s try to push the last few pumpkin bells this week and tell customers to get them before they're gone!
Holiday Party
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our South town Tap Room. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
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 David! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Hawaiin Burger!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
This Week’s Releases
Releasing Friday, December 6th
Vital Vibe //
Description: We’ve harmonized Citra and Mosaic with Krush, the new king of aura. Experience the bass of citrus and stone fruits amplified by the highs of tropical fruits. Pour up and discover your Vital Vibe and that B15 feeling. // 6.60%
Key Takeaway: This beer was originally made for the experimental hop project Consortium: Mosaic x HBC-586. One of our most popular emerging IPAs, it was graduated to a stand-alone brand, Vital Vibe, in late 2023. HBC-586 went through a 17-year process as an experimental hop variety and was officially released as a commercial hop brand, Krush™, in 2024.
Tasting Notes: Candied Peach • Orange Juice • Aura
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.
Barrel ‘97 //
Description: We descended into our subterranean wild cellar to hand-select the three barrels used in this unique wild red wheat farmhouse blend. // 7.90%
Key Takeaway: Special, hand selected three barrel blend from our downtown wild cellar
Tasting Notes: Dried Flowers • Funky Tart • Warm Honey
Format: Draft Only
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Wild Ale
Upcoming Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hoppy New Year // Imperial IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: December 13th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Welcome in 2025 with a bang of the finest Northwest-grown hops, a crisp body orchestrated by a dance of specialty malts, and a bubbly finish. Hoppy New Year from Block 15!
Continuous Darkness // Russian Imperial Stout
Series: Emerging
Releases: December 13th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Embrace the darkest days of the year with this luscious concoction that balances notes of chocolate, caramel, espresso, and decadent dark fruits, concentrated to velvety heights by an extended boil.
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: Ol’ Saint Nick
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
The next meet-up will be on December 5th.
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.
Beer 101: Vital Vibe
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Vital Vibe is a graduation of a beer that was designed in one of our experimental brew programs. The Consortium series was used to test the synergy between two hops that we’ve never used together before and don't know how they’ll get along. Some hops don't behave harmoniously together and can add off flavors to a beer when mixed.
However, sometimes, two hops create a product greater than the sum of their parts. When we first brewed Consortium: Mosaic x HBC-586, we knew that we had something special. This is the third return of the combo as the graduated brand Vital Vibe, and it gives some of my favorite hop characteristics: fruit candy, stone fruits like peach and apricot, and tropical fruits like papaya, mango, and pineapple. It has more body than a lot of our IPAs and has a really satisfying balance and depth of complexity.
A little inside baseball on HBC-586, it recently graduated in its own way. After 17 years as an experimental hop, it was finally released this year as a commercially available product under the brand name Krush. It is an incredibly lively variety that bursts with orange, mango, guava, peach, mixed berries, and resin notes, and we’re happy to see it sticking around for good!
Grab a Vital Vibe, pour up, and as always, let me know what you think!
From the Executive Chef
Pub Menu updates begin today
Bucatini & Meatball Parma Rosa (Replaces Pesto Pasta)
Bucatini pasta, house-made creamy fontina-tomato sauce, parmesan, basil, and a jumbo beef & pork meatball. $17.99
Bucatini is hollow, long pasta that is a little thicker than a traditional spaghetti noodle.
Alabama Slammer (Replaces Grilled Turkey & Cheddar)
Smoked & pulled chicken, house dill pickles, banana peppers and our horseradish-based Alabama White BBQ sauce on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun. $17.99
December Monthly Specials
December Monthly Specials come out the 4th! Be sure to freshen up and read the attached info sheet! They will also be posted in their respective kitchens for reference!
TAP ROOM - TR DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Coconut Curry Chicken & Rice
Tender coconut curry chicken breast, spicy serrano cucumbers & shallots, peanut ginger sauce & cilantro over a bed of coconut rice. $13.99
French Dip Sandwich
Tender roast bottom round, tangy horseradish cream, melted provolone cheese on a toasted house baked baguette. Served with a side of warm jus. $18.99
PUB - PUB DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Tahini Baba Ganoush
Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip with fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots and house baked flatbread. $11.99
Mushroom & Beef Stroganoff
Stout braised Oregon beef chuck with The Mushroomery chanterelle, shitake & porcini mushrooms and sweet onions in a savory sour cream sauce, with radiatore pasta & fried parsley. $19.99
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
Thinly sliced & grilled mortadella, arugula-hazelnut pesto, melted provolone cheese, banana peppers and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. $16.99
Pub Updates
We have a new cider replacing the 2 Towns OutCider since they have stopped producing it. Details are below! This will likely move over either this weekend, or early next week and we will reprint menus at that time.
Style: Semi Dry Cider
Cidery: Yonder - Wenatchee, WA
Name: Vantage
ABV: 6.5%
Tasting Notes: Peach. Red Berries. Subtle Spice. (though there is no actual “spice” in this cider, just the nature of the yeast and apples)
Price/Pour: $6.50 / 16oz
We are switching from Prickly Pearadise to a Spiced Apple Cosmic Crisp this Friday!
Tap Room Updates
With Pups on the Patio scheduled this weekend, we should see an uptick of people and their furry friends! To ensure it is a fun and welcoming event, please allow customers to come in and order with their dog on leash, and then return outside (obviously if it is a service dog this rule does not apply!) We will have free doggie biscuits made by our bakery along with activities such as paw print ornament making. I hope if you’re not working you’ll consider bringing your own pet in to enjoy the fun, Cheers!
Caves Updates
Events
Pups on the Patio at the Tap Room - December 7th
Belgian Beer Dinner at Caves - December 10th
SOLD OUT - woo!
Santa’s Folly at Caves - December 14th
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:
Serena Carrier - Host at the pub
Nico Campbell - Dishwasher at the pub
Trina Conroy - Host at the pub
The People’s Pint / Cheers for Charity / Dine Out
Check back next week.
Internal Brewsletter - November 27th, 2024
General
Holiday Party
Please use this form to RSVP for the Block 15 Holiday Party! This year, we will be holding it at our South town Tap Room. We've got lots of fun activities planned such as:
Kegeritas
Pinatas
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Holiday Baking Competition with fabulous prizes
DJ Scottie with a community playlist
Photobooth
Food catered by Grindz Hawaiian from Albany
Afterparty at Squirrels 9pm - 12am!
This party is for adults only, and each employee is allowed a plus 1. If the plus 1 is a former employee, please include their name in the spot below!
New seasonal Cocobell
Brand new cocobell flavor running alongside December monthly’s, dropping on 12/4! Introducing the Peppermint Bell, layers of white chocolate cake filled with a candy cane speckled filling, topped with dark chocolate ganache and a peppermint swirl. Crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top at service (the bits will stick to the swirly).
Employee Provision
A weekly special served at the Pub, the idea of which comes primarily from Block 15 employees.
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday, November 29th
Hop Pen Pals //
Description: Dear Behemoth, Thank you for designing this lighter-bodied NZ IPA that bursts with peeled pineapple and mandarin oranges from your Southern Hemisphere hops. Enclosed is a WC recipe for your brewing enjoyment. - Your friends, The Block 15 Brewers // 6.70%
Key Takeaway: This is our second collaboration with our friends from Behemoth Brewing in Aukland, New Zealand. We decided to do a recipe swap, sending them a West Coast American IPA, and they reciprocated with a New Zealand IPA. We're excited to work with a bunch of ultra-new school Southern Hemisphere hops for an authentic NZ IPA.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple • Citrus Candy • No Worries
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy, collab with Behemoth Brewing
Beer Style: New Zealand IPA
Lighter in body and ABV, these beers are sessionable. Lots of hop character without much bitterness and a lot of tropical and white wine hop aroma from exotic NZ hops like Riwaka, Rakau, Pacific Jade, Pacific Sunrise, Superdelic, Nectaron, Motueka, and more.
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Vital Vibe // West Coast IPA
Series: Orbital
Releases: December 7th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: We’ve harmonized Citra and Mosaic with Krush, the new king of aura. Experience the bass of citrus and stone fruits amplified by the highs of tropical fruits. Pour up and discover your Vital Vibe and that B15 feeling.
Barrel ‘97 // Wild Ale
Series: Cellars
Releases: December 7th
Format: Draft Only
Description: We descended into our subterranean wild cellar to hand-select the three barrels used in this unique wild red wheat farmhouse blend.
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: Fluffhead
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
This is on pause because of Thanksgiving - The next meet up will be December 5th!
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.
Beer 101: New Zealand IPA
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We’ve talked before about the different variations of IPA, the three that we usually focus on are American, West Coast, and Hazy or New England IPA. There are, however, even more variations within the industry that are less focused on or have become less popular in the recent past. Brut IPA, English IPA, Black IPA, Belgian IPA, and Rye IPA all have different attributes and characteristics that set them apart from the pack, and a recent arrival on the scene (in the US) is New Zealand IPA.
New Zealand has a long, proud brewing history. They also have completely different soil chemistry than most of the world and an opposite growing season due to their location on the planet. This causes the same hops that we grow here to present differently when grown there. It also allows them to grow hops that we simply can't recreate without their unique terroir. They are secluded from the rest of the world, and are free of many of the diseases and pests that affect other growing regions, allowing them to have the world's strongest, largest organic hop program. They simply don't need to use as many chemical pesticides as the rest of us.
This is all to say that New Zealand produces hops that are different from anywhere else in the world. Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, Superdelic, Riwaka, Rakau, and Motueka are a few of the unique hop varieties that are only grown in New Zealand and have amazingly novel characteristics like lollipop, white wine, mojito, and lychee. The fact that their hops are so different has driven them to produce an IPA that is completely different to complement them.
The New Zealand IPA is a famously balanced, lighter in body and ABV version of the style we know and love. Usually around 6% and charged with NZ hops, this beer presents completely differently than the IPA that we are used to. It also usually has a less pronounced bitterness with a crisp, clean finish. Luckily, we have good friends at Behemoth Brewing in Auckland who sent us a recipe for a legit NZ IPA to help us get our foot in the door on the development of our own recipe.
Hop Pen Pals hits the shelves this week, and I hope you give it a try. As I said, it’s completely different from almost any other beer we’ve ever made. The weight, mouthfeel, hop characteristics, and finish are unique to our portfolio, and I’m excited about how it turned out. As always, give ‘er a shot and let me know what you think!!
From the Executive Chef
Pub Menu updates begin today
Bucatini & Meatball Parma Rosa (Replaces Pesto Pasta)
Bucatini pasta, house-made creamy fontina-tomato sauce, parmesan, basil, and a jumbo beef & pork meatball. $17.99
Bucatini is hollow, long pasta that is a little thicker than a traditional spaghetti noodle.
Alabama Slammer (Replaces Grilled Turkey & Cheddar)
Smoked & pulled chicken, house dill pickles, banana peppers and our horseradish-based Alabama White BBQ sauce on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun. $17.99
December Monthly Specials
December Monthly Specials come out the 4th! Be sure to freshen up and read the attached info sheet! They will also be posted in their respective kitchens for reference!
TAP ROOM - TR DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Coconut Curry Chicken & Rice
Tender coconut curry chicken breast, spicy serrano cucumbers & shallots, peanut ginger sauce & cilantro over a bed of coconut rice. $13.99
French Dip Sandwich
Tender roast bottom round, tangy horseradish cream, melted provolone cheese on a toasted house baked baguette. Served with a side of warm jus. $18.99
PUB - PUB DECEMBER 2024 SPECIALS INFO SHEET
Tahini Baba Ganoush
Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip with fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots and house baked flatbread. $11.99
Mushroom & Beef Stroganoff
Stout braised Oregon beef chuck with The Mushroomery chanterelle, shitake & porcini mushrooms and sweet onions in a savory sour cream sauce, with radiatore pasta & fried parsley. $19.99
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
Thinly sliced & grilled mortadella, arugula-hazelnut pesto, melted provolone cheese, banana peppers and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. $16.99
Allergen Cheat Sheet
New and updated allergen cheat sheet lists have been printed and posted in all 3 kitchens! Caves is in the back hallway, TR’s is on the clipboard in the kitchen and the pubs is in the front of the food bible! These are a great tool for assessing allergen needs for guests quickly. If a super specific question is asked and it is not stated on the sheet, a manager can still check recipes etc. to get the answer for you. Please let me know if you have any questions or see something that should be added.
PUB UPDATES
We have a new cider replacing the 2 Towns OutCider since they have stopped producing it. Details are below! This will likely move over either this weekend, or early next week and we will reprint menus at that time.
Style: Semi Dry Cider
Cidery: Yonder - Wenatchee, WA
Name: Vantage
ABV: 6.5%
Tasting Notes: Peach. Red Berries. Subtle Spice. (though there is no actual “spice” in this cider, just the nature of the yeast and apples)
Price/Pour: $6.50 / 16oz
We are switching from Prickly Pearadise to a Spiced Apple Cosmic Crisp this Friday!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Caves Updates
Our Belgian Dinner is sold out! If folks missed out on this opportunity, let them know to sign up for our newsletter and keep their eyes peeled for the Bourbon Dinner in February.
Events
Pups on the Patio at the Tap Room - December 7th
Belgian Beer Dinner at Caves - December 10th
SOLD OUT - woo!
Santa’s Folly at Caves - December 14th
HIGH FIVEs
Garrison Schmidt - He's been killing it with great writeups for the brewsletter and supporting the brew team with what they need.
Makayla - Thank you for staging the new Fresh Pow merch! It looks great.
I am thankful for my friends at Block 15. High fives to everybody.
High five to James B for being so handsome but acting like just a regular guy
Ian Hutchings - Ian wears a lot of hats and puts in tons of work behind the scenes to keep things running around here. He's not afraid to take on the dirty work when it is necessary. His hard work doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Matt Williams - Thank you for offering to help move the coaster boxes to the mezzanine!
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:
Manny Rebollo - Distro Driver
Kim Smith - Tap Room Server
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - Last week!
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - November 20th, 2024
General
Holiday Hours
Thanksgiving
All locations closed
Christmas Eve
Pub Open 11 am - 4 pm
Tap Room and Caves Closed
Christmas Day
All locations closed
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 W.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Fettucinni Wrapped Hot Dog!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday, 11/22
Fresh Pow //
Description: Amplified for the winter season, we have piled on the pow, doubling one of our favorite NZ hops. Slide into a resinous, citrusy, and tropical hop avalanche with a pillowy, soft body. Powabunga! // 7.00%
Key Takeaway: Brewed with a complex hop bill to amplify tropical and citrus fruit characters, Fresh Pow pairs a soft body and higher ABV for a perfect cold weather crusher.
Tasting Notes: Mango • Diesel • Powabunga
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.
Marketing - Fresh Pow
We’re excited to release our Winter Seasonal, Fresh Pow Hazy IPA this Friday. The brewery makes this beer fresh through January, so it’s always tasting killer. This year, the beer was made with MORE POW - but what does that mean?
Garrison describes it best: “We modernized the hops for this year’s release of Fresh Pow, making it more fruity and less pine-forward than previous iterations. For fans of the New Zealand variety Nelson Sauvin, we doubled it, removed Chinook from the dry hop, and added Comet Salvo for a more prominent hop presence without adding bitterness to the final product.”
Window Decor
Our locations are getting the winter treatment with Fresh Pow scenes placed on a few of the windows. Keep an eye out for these scenes as they get installed this week by yours truly.
Merch
We’ve brought in some new merch items for the release this year: Blankets and Specialty Stickers. We also have new Fresh Pow Coasters. Returning merch from last year: Hats and koozies.
To learn all the details about this beer, I’ve created a landing page on our website that has all the things you need to know. Feel free to share it with customers, too!
Cheers,
Holly
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hop Pen Pals // New Zealand IPA
Series: Synergy, collaboration with Behemoth Brewing in New Zealand
Releases: November 29th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Dear Behemoth, Thank you for designing this lighter-bodied NZ IPA that bursts with peeled pineapple and mandarin oranges from your Southern Hemisphere hops. Enclosed is a WC recipe for your brewing enjoyment. - Your friends, The Block 15 Brewers
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: Highland Hymn
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
This is on pause because of Thanksgiving - The next meet up will be December 5th!
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.
Beer 101: What gets dry-hopped?
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
We talk a lot about dry hopping beer. It’s in a bunch of our beer descriptions, one sheets, write-ups, etc., but I realize that it has been a minute since we talked about what that process looks like and why we do it. If you’re new to the crew or just need a refresher, this one’s for you.
Hops are added to beer at different times during the brewing process for various purposes. Generally speaking, the earlier in the process you add the hops, the more bitterness they impart, and the later that you add them, the more aroma. This is because heat and the duration of exposure are the deciding factors for a process called isomerization. During isomerization, hop oils convert to compounds that contribute to bitterness, flavor, or aroma. The flavor and aroma compounds evaporate above 170 degrees, and all that is left are the bittering compounds. Most beers get some hops added throughout the boil stage of the brew, a little at the beginning for bitterness and more toward the end for aroma. Sometimes, we add some to the whirlpool after the boil to really get another boost of aroma.
For the beers that we want to really burst with the smell of hops, we add dry hops to them. That simply means that we add another shot of hops after the beer is done fermenting. At the production facility, we use the hop rocket, a small steel tank on wheels that is filled with hop pellets, pressurized, and shot up the arm over the top of the beer in a tank.
All of our IPAs get dry-hopped, but a lot of other beers do, too. For example, Ridgeback Red, Joy Pale, and Fresca Pils all get dry-hopped. These are all beers whose style doesn’t necessarily require a dry hop. That’s to say that there are plenty of red ales on the market that don’t have a dry hop, think Charmed Life, but we want Ridgeback to really pop with hop aroma, so we add a dry-hop.
Dry hops are a way to amplify hop aroma across the board but are also a really great way to set a beer apart from the crowd completely. For instance, when we made Sticky Hands and Deep Seek Beer Pageant, the only thing we changed was amping up the dry-hop to increase their aroma. Soon, we’ll be releasing Hop Pen Pals, a collaboration brew we did with Behemoth Brewing in New Zealand that was dry-hopped with Nectaron, Riwaka, and Superdelic hops, all from New Zealand. It’s unlike any IPA I’ve ever tried. Give it a shot, and as always, let me know what you think. I also want to reiterate that I am always happy to answer any questions about our beer and would love to chat about it with any and all of you. Hit me up at garrison@block15.com any time.
From the Executive Chef
Tap Room Updates
This Friday we will be replacing The Z.A.T and The Tempeh BLT at the Tap Room!
Curry Cauliflower Grilled Cheese (Replaces ZAT)
Roasted local cauliflower with lemon & yellow curry, Zante currants, crushed cashews, fresh cilantro and citrus aioli on toasted house artisan bread with melted provolone. $14.99
Maple & Mustard Tempeh Sandwich (Replaces Tempeh BLT)
Crispy tempeh tossed in our maple & stone ground mustard sauce, fresh spinach & apples and caramelized onions on house baked ciabatta bread. $15.99
Since the tap room has 2 new menu items launching Friday, we will not run a game day special, so the kitchen can focus on getting familiar with the new menu items!
Game Day Menu at The Pub this weekend
Game Day menu at the pub is a go! We will have the same limitations as the previous menu and run a vegetarian red lentil chili as our special!
Pullman Washington is the home of the Cougars, who the beavers play this weekend, and is also home to the National Lentil Festival! GO Beavs!
December Monthly Specials!
TAP ROOM
Coconut Curry Chicken & Rice
Tender coconut curry chicken breast, spicy serrano cucumbers & shallots, peanut ginger sauce & cilantro over a bed of coconut rice. $13.99
French Dip Sandwich
Tender roast bottom round, tangy horseradish cream, melted provolone cheese on a toasted house baked baguette. Served with a side of warm jus. $18.99
PUB
Tahini Baba Ganoush
Roasted Eggplant, garlic and tahini dip with fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots and house baked flatbread. $11.99
Mushroom & Beef Stroganoff
Stout braised Oregon beef chuck with The Mushroomery chanterelle, shitake & porcini mushrooms and sweet onions in a savory sour cream sauce, with radiatore pasta & fried parsley. $19.99
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
Thinly sliced & grilled mortadella, arugula-hazelnut pesto, melted provolone cheese, banana peppers and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. $16.99
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Caves Updates
Events
Pups on the Patio at the Tap Room - December 7th
Belgian Beer Dinner at Caves - December 10th
Santa’s Folly at Caves - December 14th
HIGH FIVEs
Maggie Speed - Maggie was an incredible trainer, always showing patience and giving thoughtful critiques. She never fails to bring such positive energy to every shift!!
Lily Smalling - Lily is such a joy to have on shift and anytime I’m working with her I have a great day. You’re amazing!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Congrats to Chris M. for accepting a tap room kitchen lead position!
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - November 13th, 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 Lily! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Sweet Chili ‘n Fritos!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday, 11/15
Hoppy Holidays //
Description: This yuletide IPA is brewed with a sleighful of hops, orange zest, and foraged spruce tips. Our gift of pine and citrus is wrapped in a warm malt backbone that is sure to bring holiday cheer. // 9.20%
Key Takeaway: 250 Pounds of Spruce tips went into the beer, which were hand-foraged by our staff at Starker Forests in the Coast Range. 100 pounds of orange zest add the perfect amount of fruity flavor.
Tasting Notes: Jolly Rancher. Sweet Orange. Festive.
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: Imperial IPA with Citrus and Spruce Tips
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Pow // Hazy IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: November 22nd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Amplified for the winter season, we have piled on the pow, doubling one of our favorite NZ hops. Slide into a resinous, citrusy, and tropical hop avalanche with a pillowy, soft body. Powabunga!
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: Deep Seek
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
The next tasting is Thursday, November 14th, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: HopPY HOLIDAYS
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!
Hoppy Holidays releases this week and is our second spruce tip release of the year. Unique to this beer, however, is the use of orange zest in the last few seconds of the boil to complement and amplify the sensory experience unlike anything else we make.
The name Hoppy Holidays, while solid gold as far as beer names go, almost does this beer a disservice. It implies that the beer is hoppy, sure, but buries the lead on the incredible nose that opens up when you’re served one. Blue raspberry, spice, vibrant orange, and pine blend to make a holiday beer so aromatic you’ll wonder how we can possibly get away with just calling it hoppy. Perfect for sharing with friends and family who are fans of IPAs as well as folks who generally aren’t fans of the style, this beer has enough going on that it defies the usual guidelines of IPA. Give one a try, and let me know what you think. Hoppy Holidays!
From the Executive Chef
New Menu items at the pub today!
Next week at the pub we will be bringing back our Meatloaf Sandwich (replacing Pimento BLT) and Magic Mushrooms (Replacing Hummus)
Magic Mushrooms-Local mushrooms stuffed with Pepper Tree Chicago style sausage, cream cheese, and a three cheese blend. Topped with toasted bread crumbs and parsley, served bubbling hot. $13.99
Meatloaf Sandwich-Scratch made pork & beef meatloaf, served with house pickles, melted Tillamook Swiss cheese, sweet glazed onions, and stone ground mustard aioli on toasted house-baked ciabatta bread. $17.99
Tap Room Updates starting 11/22
Next Friday (11/22) we will be replacing both of our standard vegetarian sandwiches at the taproom! A wintery tempeh sandwich will take the place of the tempeh BLT, and our curry cauliflower grilled cheese will replace the z.a.t! Details will be added to sling by this Friday, so be sure to take a peek!
PUB UPDATES
Sunday 11/17 we can start applying 20% off SUNDAY Discount to Fall Release bottle sales (Imagine, Imagine Stroopwafel, Figgy, and Willa).
We are officially onto the Hop Gloss Hazy IPA from Mutantis for GF offerings!
Hot Spiked Cider will be back on the menu this week and we have some other fun changes coming down the pipeline for this cozy season.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We’re now accepting Barrel Room reservations, please guide someone to emailing taproom@block15.com when wanting to submit a reservation request.
Reservation Policy lives here: Large Party Reservations for Block 15 & CavesFamiliarize yourself with our new company policy to make it easy to answer questions. There will be a refundable deposit attached to reservations now (unless approved on short notice) which will be listed on the reservation calendar located in the kitchen by the roster board. Refund the deposit back to 1 customer’s card of their choosing (usually the organizer of the event), once the minimum tab balance has been met ($200) There are no exceptions to this unless a manager approves. The customers are welcome to add packaged beer to go, apparel, etc. to help reach this limit if need be. Refund deposit by going to “Discounts”>“Refund Reservation Deposit”
Holly & Sarah applied some amazing improvements to our food menu! These changes include adding the Kids menu and a new Doggy Menu to the backside of our food menu. They also made it much easier for customers to find upgrades/ add ons/ dressings & sauces, and be sure to still encourage/offer these with every order! Review these changes so you’re familiar with the new layout.
It is now noted on the menu that “all tabs left open at the end of the business day will be closed by the restaurant with a 18% gratuity applied”. Please see my recent announcement for further details before applying this.
At close, please be diligent about putting the Closed sign out!
Many changes to the taproom Fall/ Winter Schedule are being made! Pay close attention to your start times, they most likely have changed. Some shift cutting can be expected in the near future so please be prepared to have longer shifts and to be a Real Mid (expect 8 hour shifts or so) when scheduled a mid shift.
Sunday 11/17 we can start applying 20% off SUNDAY Discount to Fall Release bottle sales (Imagine, Imagine Stroopwafel, Figgy, and Willa).
For the winter we have removed mopping Monday and Wednesday Night closes (Woohoo!). With the expectation of spot mopping where necessary.
Other projects will be added on Mon. & Wed. Closes i.e. high dusting the ceiling vents (please sweep and wipe down tables/ chairs, bar afterwards) so make sure to check out the changes to your checklists.
Monday through Thursday it’s not necessary to have the second water station outside (for the winter). While we only have one water station please be diligent about checking/ refilling the one container.
Our tablets are extremely useful on busy nights! Make sure to keep a tablet (shmoopty) on you as the food runner/ float to assist with closing out tabs or ringing in another round of drinks! This is tremendously helpful to shorten the line on gameday nights like we experienced this weekend.
86 Red Grasshopper cocktail for the season. Hot toddy will be added to the menu to replace. Cost: $8.00
Recipe: preheat coffee cup with hot water. Dump. Then add: 1.5 oz Buffalo, 3/4 oz honey simple syrup, 3/4 oz. Lemon juice, top with hot water and stir. Garnish with lemon wedge.
Caves Updates
Tickets for our Being Belgian Beer Dinner are about to go on sale soon! Familiarize yourself with the info that will be dropped via Sling and get ready to talk to guests about this cool experience!
Events
HIGH FIVEs
Great job to all staff that worked over the busy weekend! Know how much you are appreciated!!!
Shout out to the Caves crew for rocking long shifts during a crazy busy weekend. You all crushed it and had such killer attitudes all the way through. You’re all badasses and so appreciated!
That was a HUGE turnout for Family Weekend! Thank you all for everything and for helping to make such awesome experiences for the guests. Now we have a little space to breathe!
If you have kudos or kind words to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
Human resources
STAFF SECTION
Congratulations to Max, Maggie, and Kylie who will all be stepping into dual serving/hosting roles in the coming months!
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - November 6th, 2024
General
Veterans Day
Monday, November 11th is Veteran’s Day and we will be offering a meal and beverage on the house at all locations (Pub, Tap Room, and Caves) to those who have served or are actively serving. We are not requiring proof or military ID. There are discount buttons at all locations that we will use for these discounts. We will send out a Sling message with more details/info, but that is something that we are offering.
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 The Mouthbreather!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
No new releases this week
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Citrus and Spruce Tips
Series: Orbital
Releases: November 15th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: This yuletide IPA is brewed with a sleighful of hops, orange zest, and foraged spruce tips. Our gift of pine and citrus is wrapped in a warm malt backbone that is sure to bring holiday cheer.
Fresh Pow // Hazy IPA
Series: Perennial
Releases: November 22nd
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Amplified for the winter season, we have piled on the pow, doubling one of our favorite NZ hops. Slide into a resinous, citrusy, and tropical hop avalanche with a pillowy, soft body. Powabunga!
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: Joy, Flicker
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
The next tasting is Thursday, November 14th, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: Hop Pen Pals
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
This week, we brewed a really fun collaboration with our friends at Behemoth Brewing in Aukland, New Zealand. Their owners are Andrew and Hannah Childs, a husband and wife team. He’s from New Zealand, and she’s from Oregon. Her brother is a close friend of mine, and this is our second collaboration with them, the first being Something Big & Resinous West Coast IPA last October. The idea behind this collaboration was to trade recipes for beers that our respective regions are famous for. We wrote them a recipe for a West Coast IPA, and they wrote a New Zealand IPA recipe for us. We swapped and are excited for the release of Hop Pen Pals, which will be light in body and hop bitterness, lower ABV, and packed with exotic New Zealand hops like Motueka, Pacific Jade, Riwaka, Superdelic, and Nectaron. I’m hoping that this will be an IPA that is unlike many that you have tried before. Let me know what you think. I hope you like it.
From the Executive Chef
November Monthly Specials!
PUB
Seafood Arancini - Breaded and fried parmesan risotto, filled with gulf shrimp and pacific cod. Served with spiced pumpkin mole sauce $14.99
The Gobbler - Our juicy turkey burger topped with cornbread-sage stuffing & turkey gravy, with orange-cranberry relish on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Autumn Harvest Salad - Fresh greens, Tillamook smoked cheddar, fresh apples, toasted pumpkin seeds, and maple dijon vinaigrette. $11.99
Bacon Suggested add on!
TAP ROOM
Toasted Pumpkin & Asiago Ravioli - Ravioli filled with creamy pumpkin & asiago cheese, lightly breaded and fried to perfection. Served with house marinara $10.99
Smoked Beet Reuben - Pastrami style cured and lightly smoked beets, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and house Reuben sauce on our house baked toasted pumpernickel. $16.99
New Menu Designs
Our new and improved menu format dropped today! Holly and I would LOVE any feedback from you all, or that you receive from guests regarding them! Thank you Holly for making them look so snazzy!
New Seasonal Pub Items
Next week at the pub we will be bringing back our Meatloaf Sandwich (replacing Pimento BLT) and Magic Mushrooms (Replacing Hummus)
Magic Mushrooms-Local mushrooms stuffed with Pepper Tree Chicago style sausage, cream cheese, and a three cheese blend. Topped with toasted bread crumbs and parsley, served bubbling hot. $13.99
Meatloaf Sandwich-Scratch made pork & beef meatloaf, served with house pickles, melted Tillamook Swiss cheese, sweet glazed onions, and stone ground mustard aioli on toasted house-baked ciabatta bread. $17.99
Food Feedback
Don’t forget to share feedback on all our new menu items, including monthly specials!
PUB UPDATES
We have Mutantis back! In place of the Helles we have the Doom Loop Light Lager for something crisp and refreshing, and once the Hop Trifecta runs out, we will offer Hop Gloss which is a silky and well balanced hazy IPA.
TAP ROOM UPDATES
We have Flicker back on draft temporarily. Please push this product as we would like it to phase it out with Fresh POW!
Fluffhead draft is still out for another week or so. Please offer Joy or Story of the Ghost as alternative Hazy options. If neither of those options fit their needs you can always offer to open a Fluffhead can “In house.” Don’t forget the corkage fee of $1 please!
86 when kick: Fieldstone Farmhouse, Story of the Ghost & Cheers to the Land
Other than these 3 beers, everything has a back up keg or plenty of draft left in inventory to make it through the weekend!
Many edits have been made to the opening/ closing/ shift change and projects list. Closely review as you are on shift because expectations may have changed! We are very open to positive, constructive feedback so feel free to write notes on the side to let management know or email me directly if something could be added or improved 🙂
Caves Updates
We have a Dine-Out happening at Caves this Thursday where we will donate 25% of sales to Bryon, Nick and Steven, the three Corvallis business owners who recently lost their home to a fire. Come to Caves and support!
Events
HIGH FIVEs
Shelby Mosel - THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST HR WE COULD EVER HAVE ASKED FOR!!! I hope you know how much of a positive difference you have made in our lives. We will miss you so much! <3
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:
Ryan Lollar (TR BOH)
SAFETY TIPS
What to do if there is a fire: Sound verbal alarm and guide patrons calmly to the exits, call 9-1-1, if the fire is small and you are able to contain it safely, attempt to extinguish it, if the fire is large evacuate the building and close the doors behind you and go to the assigned meeting place.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - October 30th, 2024
General
Downtown Trick or Treating
Downtown Trick or Treating is happening this Halloween! From 2-5pm, kiddos will be out and about trick or treating at local businesses. We’ll have plenty of candy on deck here at the Pub, and will have some available from 4-5pm when Caves opens. Feel free to dress up in your family-friendly costumes!
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 Ian H.! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Pork Belly Reuben!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 11/1
Sticky Hands: Solar Flare //
Description: Inspired by the star of our system, Solar Flare was designed to capture the radiance of a supermassive burst from the sun. Launch into explosive aroma from heaps of Strata, Nectaron, and Eclipse hops. // 8.10%
Key Takeaway: Brewed using an ultra-modern hop load of Strata, Nectaron, and Eclipse, this beer was brewed to capture the essence and energy of our star. Brimming with bright, sunny tropical citrus, pear, pineapple, and pine flavors, this beer is our newest addition to the famous Sticky Hands legacy.
Tasting Notes: Pineapple • Mandarin • Radiance
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Sticky Hands
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.
Releasing on Draft 11/1, Bottles available 11/2
Imagine //
Description: A blend of Belgian-inspired imperial stouts matured for one and two years in freshly-emptied Willett bourbon barrels. Deep, dark, and decadent, our strongest offering blended once a year. // 14.00%
Key Takeaway: Belgian style stout that each year is matured in a different bourbon distillery barrels. Made with a trappist yeast that has high attenuating power, this allows us to really push that starting gravity and make this one big-big-big beer.
Tasting Notes: Chocolate • Coffee • Roasty
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels
Imagine: Stroopwafel //
Description: A limited blend of Belgian-inspired imperial Stouts aged in Willett Bourbon Barrels and conditioned on stroopwafels from our bakery, adding decadent caramel, waffle cone, and cinnamon notes. // 14.00%
Key Takeaway: A variation on our BBA Imagine, the Stroopwafel variant has been conditioned on house made Stroopwafels to add depth and complexity, introducing flavors of caramel, sugar cones, and cinnamon to the already complex palate of Imagine.
Tasting Notes: Waffle Cone • Salted Caramel • Lavish
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Belgian-Style Imperial Stout Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Stroopwafels
Figgy Pudding //
Description: Our yearly holiday offering is brewed with specialty malts and brown sugar, steeped with cloves, nutmeg, and fig, and matured in freshly emptied brandy barrels. The perfect beer to share with friends and family around a cozy fireplace. // 13.10%
Key Takeaway: One of our oldest BA offerings, Figgy pudding is a unique Barleywine offering, gently spiced with just enough cognac character to balance it's complex malt sweetness
Tasting Notes: Spice • Molasses • Warm
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: English-style Barleywine ale matured in Brandy Barrels with Spice
Willa //
Description: Blended each year in celebration of our found brewers' daughters' birth. A solera-style blending of red wine barrel matured farmhouse ales each year contains a portion of prior vintages dating back to 2017. Lively, bright, and complex, this beer is almost as unique as Willa herself. // 8.00%
Key Takeaway: Willa is a complex dark sour that contains a portion of all prior vintages, and is conditioned in Willamette valley ex-Pinot Noir barrels.
Tasting Notes: Mild Acidity • Orchard Fruit • Tart • Honey
Format: Draft & Bottles
Series: Cellars
Beer Style: Red Farmhouse Ale Matured in Red Wine Barrels
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Check back next week! No new releases for the week of November 8th.
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: Green Truck
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
The next tasting is Thursday, October 31st, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: Sticky Hands Variants
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Sticky Hands is (obviously) the most popular beer we’ve ever made. Because of this, we like to give fans of the beer (and ourselves) glimpses into what could be in parallel sticky universes. What would Sticky Hands be like if we brewed it while shipwrecked on a desert island? Boom, turn up the palm trees, Sticky Hands Tropical Slam.
What would Sticky be like if we brewed it while listening to Slightly Stoopid and watching Up in Smoke? Sticky Hands: The Kine is born. Roll up another one.
Recently, our brew team asked ourselves, what would Sticky Hands be like if we were, for some reason, influenced by a supermassive lick of flame from the sun? Throw on your sunnies, here comes Sticky Hands: Solar Flare.
Brewed to honor the star of our system, Solar Flare is designed to capture the essence and energy of our girl in the sky. Radiating with citrus and fruit-forward hops like Citra and Nectaron, this variant also features a lot of our current favorite space-themed hops, like Eclipse, Apollo, and Strata. We are releasing this beer during a period when we are experiencing more solar storms than at any point in recent history: a solar maximum. We’re taking that as a sign that the sun is pumped about this release, and you should too. Give it a try, it's one of my favorite Sticky variants we’ve made in a while, and let me know what you think.
From the Executive Chef
Hello! Here are our upcoming menu updates for both locations! Please take the time to look over them and begin to get guests excited about some old favorites coming back! Remember as folks are disappointed when we remove a menu item, to be positive about highlighting the new item as well as assuring them that these are seasonal items and our fan favorites will make a comeback in the future! Make sure to check in every week to be in the know of what is changing!
PUB Changes Wednesday 10/30
The Forager Burger (Replaces the caprese burger) - NW beef patty, butter sauteed mixed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, pickle, and garlic aioli on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun 18.99
Tempeh & Peanut Rice Bowl (Replaces berry salad) - Crispy lemongrass tempeh, over coconut basmati rice with edamame, carrots, avocado & shaved cabbage. Topped with our ginger-peanut sauce, cilantro, green onion and crushed peanuts. 15.99 (Vegan and gluten free entree option)
TAP ROOM Changes Friday 11/1
Krab Rangoon Dip (Replaces clam dip) - Hot and savory Krab & cream cheese dip with green onion and served with fried wonton chips. 10.99
Sweet & Smoky Nuts (Replaces jerk hazelnuts) - Mix of Freddy Guys’ hazelnuts, peanuts & pecans in our sweet and smoky spice blend 5.99
November Monthly Specials!
PUB
Seafood Arancini - Breaded and fried parmesan risotto, filled with gulf shrimp and pacific cod. Served with spiced pumpkin mole sauce $14.99
The Gobbler - Our juicy turkey burger topped with cornbread-sage stuffing & turkey gravy, with orange-cranberry relish on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Autumn Harvest Salad - Fresh greens, Tillamook smoked cheddar, fresh apples, toasted pumpkin seeds, and maple dijon vinaigrette. $11.99
Bacon Suggested add on!
TAP ROOM
Toasted Pumpkin & Asiago Ravioli - Ravioli filled with creamy pumpkin & asiago cheese, lightly breaded and fried to perfection. Served with house marinara $10.99
Smoked Beet Reuben - Pastrami style cured and lightly smoked beets, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and house Reuben sauce on our house baked toasted pumpernickel. $16.99
PUB UPDATES
The Game Room is getting a name change! Once upon a time, we had darts and a shuffleboard in that space, though through a remodel and the pandemic we removed those aspects to allow minors and more seating space. Now we have a room called the Game Room that is without any games. With this in mind, we are changing the name of the space to the Brewer’s Lounge. We recognize that this will be something we need to relearn and change how we think about sections as tables 11 and 12 are in the “Brewer’s Lounge”. Changes are being made on the back end of things, and we will come up with a fluid and intuitive naming convention, but the tables in each section will not change. We’ll send out an update via Sling noting how we will refer to sections in the future.
We’re switching up our lemonade flavor this Friday to a Marionberry lemonade for the fall season. We will run through passionfruit lemonade and have the Passionfruit Marg on the menu until the last batch is gone.
The folks at Mutantis are between batches and have phased out the Helles, so we will be switching to Hop Gloss IPA and Doom Loop Light Lager next week once we swing by PDX when the order is ready. We have a number in for the Hop Trifecta, and we may be out for a day or two.
3 Fools Tempranillo will be back this week!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Caves Updates
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release - November 1st - 3rd
This weekend we’re releasing four beers as part of our Late Fall Bottle Release: Imagine, Imagine: Stroopwafel, Figgy Pudding, and Willa. These limited-run beers are something special we look forward to each year. To celebrate, we host a few events:
SOLD OUT! Brewers Dinner - November 1st at 6 pm
Learn how the beers were made directly from our brewers over a 4-course Pairing Dinner curated by our Executive Chef, Sarah. Ticket includes an allotment of bottles.
TICKETS CLOSED: Guided Pairings - November 2nd from 11 am - 2 pm
Guided tasting with our with our staff alongside small-bite pairings by our Executive Chef, Sarah, at our Southtown Taproom and Production Facility. Public bottle pre-order opportunity included with ticket purchase.
General Bottle Sale - Begins November 2nd
Bottles will be available for sale on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limits will be in effect.
HIGH FIVEs
The whole team for doing a great job while I was on PTO. Thanks for the new kitchen! - Ian COO (not anonymous 🤷)
Spencer Gunn - He is a great trainer and an even better friend to have.
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:
Emma Albright
Ryan Lollar
Salem Magdaleno
Wiley Kavanaugh
Aubrey Sciarrotta
SAFETY TIPS
Make sure your emergency contact list is updated - if you think your emergency contact has changed from when you would have originally started please give your manager your updated emergency contact information to be added to your employee folder.
Office Hours
Pub: Monday: 1-4 pm, Wednesday: 10 am - 1 pm
Tap Room: Monday: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Tuesday: 1 - 4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - October 23rd, 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 Alex! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Lomo Saltado!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 10/25
Ol’ Saint Nick //
Description: Ol' Saint Nick is a generously malt-forward winter ale - artfully constructed with a base of selected malts and hops, offering notes of toffee, cocoa, plum, and caramel with citrusy hops and a pleasant lingering finish. // 9.00%
Key Takeaway: A turn of the season winter warmer. It's a delicate balancing act of sweet malt and hop bitterness that creates an incredibly drinkable seasonal taster. A very complex malt bill leads to nuanced, malt-forward winter ale.
Tasting Notes: Brown Sugar • Toffee • Fireside
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Artist - Frankie Smith frankiesmithart.com
Beer Style: Winter Ale
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Sticky Hands: Solar Flare // Hop Experience Ale
Series: Sticky Hands
Releases: November 1st
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Inspired by the star of our system, Solar Flare was designed to capture the radiance of a supermassive burst from the sun. Launch into explosive aroma from heaps of Strata, Nectaron, and Eclipse hops.
Late Fall Bottle Release Beers - Draft Releasing Nov 1st; Bottles Releasing Saturday, November 2nd
Imagine
Imagine: Stroopwafel
Figgy Pudding
Willa
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: Flicker
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
The next tasting is Thursday, October 31st, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: A Brief History of Barrel Ag(e)ing
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
The first barrels appear in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics from at least 2600 BCE. Pliny the Elder, who lived in the first century CE, noted Europeans using barrels to store beverages and the different classes of coopers, including a cooper who only made barrels for wine. Barrel-aging beer in Britain dates back to Anglo-Saxon times and continues into the present.
Most of the traditions of barrel-aging beer that influenced craft beer come from Belgium and Great Britain. Much of the Belgian tradition comes from the history of Lambic beers that originated in the 13th century. Block 15 uses a process similar to this in making Turbulent Consequence and many of our other wild beers. In this process, barrels are used to mature beer over a prolonged period where various microorganisms continue to slowly ferment and create unique characteristics.
The history of cask, or barrel-aging beer in Great Britain, is a long and complex topic, far too great to cover here, but we can scratch the surface. One important note on historic British barrel-aged beers is that the aging was meant to mature the beers, not to impart wood flavors in the beer or to prolong fermentation. Brewers went to great lengths to make sure the barrels were neutral in flavor. Aged beers were usually stronger styles that needed time to soften flavors before they could be sold. Two very famous styles of beer that were often barrel-aged were Imperial Stout and India Pale Ale. Both were matured in barrels and shipped in barrels since they were both largely exported.
The tradition of barrel aging India Pale Ale followed to the United States, where P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company continued the tradition of aging their IPA in barrels from the founding of the brewery in 1840 until it closed in the early 1990s. This tradition did not continue heavily after the rebound of popularity in the style from the 1980s through today.
The idea of aging beer in barrels specifically to impart flavor from the barrels is quite a new concept, with the advent of Bourbon barrel-aging beer beginning in the early 1990s. Goose Island is, as far as we know, the first brewery to age a beer in Bourbon barrels. Sometime between 1992 and 1994, they laid down the first batches of Bourbon County Brand Stout in ex-bourbon barrels in order to impart the specific flavor of the spirit as well as the charred oak barrels into a beer, which happened to be an Imperial Stout. The results were transcendent and created a new process that was quickly copied by brewers across the country.
There are two schools of thought on how to barrel age beer in spirits barrels. In one process, the beer is gently aged at a consistent temperature, usually near cellar temperature. The other process is where the beer is aged in a non-climate controlled space, similar to the room's bourbon itself is aged, where the temperature swings greatly and constantly forces beer in and out of the wood.
Block 15 has been releasing Bourbon barrel-aged stouts since 2009, when the first Super Nebula release kicked off a tradition that continues today. The barrels change every year, but the idea is to gently age the beer in quality bourbon barrels for a year in a climate-controlled space in the barrel room at the taproom, where the characteristics of the spirits and the gentle microoxidation from the aging process mature the beer into a robust yet balanced product. The idea of using ex-spirits barrels to age beer and impart unique flavors has proven to be one of the greatest innovations of the American Craft beer era.
From the Executive Chef
Here are our upcoming menu updates for both locations! Please take the time to look over them and begin to get guests excited about some old favorites coming back! Remember as folks are disappointed when we remove a menu item, to be positive about highlighting the new item as well as assuring them that these are seasonal items and our fan favorites will make a comeback in the future! Make sure to check in every week to be in the know of what is changing!
PUB Changes Wednesday 10/30
The Forager Burger (Replaces the caprese burger) - NW beef patty, butter sauteed mixed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, sweet onion, pickle, and garlic aioli on a toasted Bread Stop brioche pub bun 18.99
Tempeh & Peanut Rice Bowl (Replaces berry salad) - Crispy lemongrass tempeh, over coconut basmati rice with edamame, carrots, avocado & shaved cabbage. Topped with our ginger-peanut sauce, cilantro, green onion and crushed peanuts. 15.99 (Vegan and gluten free entree option)
TAP ROOM Changes Friday 11/1
Krab Rangoon Dip (Replaces clam dip) - Hot and savory Krab & cream cheese dip with green onion and served with fried wonton chips. 10.99
Sweet & Smoky Nuts (Replaces jerk hazelnuts) - Mix of Freddy Guys’ hazelnuts, peanuts & pecans in our sweet and smoky spice blend 5.99
November Monthly Specials!
PUB
Seafood Arancini - Breaded and fried parmesan risotto, filled with gulf shrimp and pacific cod. Served with spiced pumpkin mole sauce $14.99
The Gobbler - Our juicy turkey burger topped with cornbread-sage stuffing & turkey gravy, with orange-cranberry relish on a toasted brioche bun. $17.99
Autumn Harvest Salad - Fresh greens, Tillamook smoked cheddar, fresh apples, toasted pumpkin seeds, and maple dijon vinaigrette. $11.99
Bacon Suggested add on!
TAP ROOM
Toasted Pumpkin & Asiago Ravioli - Ravioli filled with creamy pumpkin & asiago cheese, lightly breaded and fried to perfection. Served with house marinara $10.99
Smoked Beet Reuben - Pastrami style cured and lightly smoked beets, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and house Reuben sauce on our house baked toasted pumpernickel. $16.99
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Late Fall Bottle release products (Imagine, Imagine Stroopwafel, Willa, and Figgy Pudding) will be eliminated from the Sippin’ Sunday Discount the first 2 weeks of release (11/3 & 11/10- no Sunday discount offered on these bottles, except to Mug Club members who can ALWAYS receive their 10% off) after the 2 week period, they will be available to discount on Sunday’s starting 11/17
Now that we have phased out the Read and Sign it is very important and a requirement that we are up to date on reading all Sling messages prior to stepping on the floor! Remember you are always welcome to clock in up to 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time (as long as you are using it for work purposes) even on days you do not have a “scheduled” check in. Please remember to emoji each message after reading! Declining to do so will lead to follow up by a manager. We want to set you up for success by everyone being on the same page at the start of their shift!
Caves Updates
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release - November 1st - 3rd
Next week, we’ll be releasing four beers as part of our Late Fall Bottle Release: Imagine, Imagine: Stroopwafel, Figgy Pudding, and Willa. These limited-run beers are something special we look forward to each year. To celebrate, we host a few events:
SOLD OUT! Brewers Dinner - November 1st at 6 pm
Learn how the beers were made directly from our brewers over a 4-course Pairing Dinner curated by our Executive Chef, Sarah. Ticket includes an allotment of bottles.
Guided Pairings - November 2nd from 11 am - 2 pm
Guided tasting with our with our staff alongside small-bite pairings by our Executive Chef, Sarah, at our Southtown Taproom and Production Facility. Public bottle pre-order opportunity included with ticket purchase.
General Bottle Sale - Begins November 2nd
Bottles will be available for sale on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limits will be in effect.
HIGH FIVEs
Cody O.! - Cody is just a true joy to work with! We are lucky to have him!
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:
Liam Knipple (Caves BOH)
Anne Carlson (FOH)
Ewan McLain (BOH)
Luke Walker (Caves FOH)
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
Pub: Monday: 1-4 pm, Wednesday: 10 am - 1 pm
Tap Room: Monday: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Tuesday: 1 - 4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria!
Each pint or can purchased helps them offer assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
Internal Brewsletter - October 16th, 2024
General
Thank you!
THANK YOU TO ALL who worked Bloktoberfest, behind the scenes or in the tent, y’all came together to make such a successful event!
New Desserts launching Friday 10/18
Pumpkin Bells - a (very not basic) spiced pumpkin cake with our classic cream cheese frosting and a sweet n’ spicy mix of pecans and pepitas on top along with a cinnamon swirl.
Blood Orange Basque Cheesecake - a light and dreamy crustless cheesecake that’s “burnt” to achieve a dramatic, dark color on top. Infused with orange zest, topped with chocolate ganache decor and house-candied blood orange and resting on a blood orange coulis (sauce) on the plate. Made without gluten.
Halloween Costumes
Let’s bring some fun energy to the Pub and Taproom locations the next 2 weekends! Please wear your favorite (work appropriate/ family friendly) Halloween costumes/ outfits for Spooky Saturday’s (10/19 & 10/26).
Bloktoberfest Pins
We have plenty of Bloktoberfest pins to sell at all locations! Coming soon to the Pub and TR merch inventory. They’re listed on our website also: https://block15.com/merch/bloktoberfest-2024-enamel-pin
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 a Block 15 Preview, brought to you by Sarah! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Vegan Rice Bowl!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 10/18
Cheers to the Land //
Description: In collaboration with Oregon Agriculture Trust, Cheers to the Land was brewed with Great Western Pure Oregon Malt, Willamette Valley-grown High Oil Cascade, Belma CGX, and Strata Hops. // 5.25%
Key Takeaway: The third-annual ‘Cheers to the Land’ campaign is a collaborative effort between Oregon’s great breweries, cideries, farmers, and Oregon Agricultural Trust (OAT) to help OAT permanently protect Oregon farmland from development and transition it to future generations. Check out cheerstotheland.com for more information and events. Brewed using all Oregon based Ingredients, this WC Pils features locally grown, high impact hops and malts.
Tasting Notes: Honeydew • Meadowfoam • Regional
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Synergy, collaboration with Oregon Agricultural Trust
Beer Style: West Coast Pilsner
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Ol’ Saint Nick // Winter Ale
Series: Orbital
Releases: October 25th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Ol' Saint Nick is a generously malt-forward winter ale - artfully constructed with a base of selected malts and hops, offering notes of toffee, cocoa, plum, and caramel with citrusy hops and a pleasant lingering finish.
Sticky Hands: Solar Flare // Hop Experience Ale
Series: Sticky Hands
Releases: November 1st
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Inspired by the star of our system, Solar Flare was designed to capture the radiance of a supermassive burst from the sun. Launch into explosive aroma from heaps of Strata, Nectaron, and Eclipse hops.
Late Fall Bottle Release Beers - Releasing Saturday, November 2nd
Imagine
Imagine: Stroopwafel
Figgy Pudding
Willa
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: Eminent Point, Bloktoberfest, and Sticky Hands: Beer Pageant.
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
The next tasting is Thursday, October 17th, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: Cheers to the Land
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
At Block 15, we take conservation seriously. The brewing industry is, at its heart, an agricultural one, and since our inception, being a good steward of the land has been at the heart of who we are. Everything we use to make the beer we sell is grown in soil (mainly in the Pacific Northwest) or affected by our water table. We realize that the better care we take of our environment, the longer we will be able to make beer. Customers are also becoming more aware of environmental concerns, and many would rather spend their dollars on a company that is making an effort to mitigate their carbon footprint. In order to do the best for our land that we possibly can, our brewery has installed enough solar panels to power 40% of our production facility and Southtown Taproom. This is the heart of our Lagered by the Sun program and is something we are incredibly proud of. We also limit our water usage as much as we possibly can and neutralize all chemicals before properly disposing of them, helping to protect our precious watershed. We gift our spent grain to local farmers, who use it as feed to prevent overgrazing on their properties. Our restaurants host Dine Out events, and in 2016, we launched The People’s Pint, where we pair beers with a charitable cause.
“We strive to continually make a positive impact on the community by supporting unaffiliated, non-profit groups focusing on issues such as health and wellness, education, environmental sustainability, and the arts. We aim to ensure that our donations assist local organizations, that our actions impact the community in a positive manner, and that we encourage our neighbors to involve themselves in charitable endeavors and goodwill toward others… Environmental sustainability is important to us personally as well as professionally. It is also our goal to consider the impact we have as a business – to us, that means sourcing food from local and sustainable sources, taking part in programs that reduce our carbon footprint, composting and recycling as much as possible, and limiting our water and chemical use. Additionally, we’ve worked to support and bring attention to environmentally focused organizations over the years, such as the Oregon Agricultural Trust, Corvallis Environmental Center, Oregon Brewshed Alliance, Ocean Blue, Mary’s River Watershed Council, and the Greenbelt Land Trust, to name a few. “ - Kristen Arzner
Since 2008, over $225,000 has been donated to nonprofits in our community. One of the Organizations that we support, as mentioned above, is the Oregon Agricultural Trust. For the past three years, we’ve participated in their program called Cheers to the Land, in which breweries design new beers that highlight ingredients grown on Oregon farms and donate a portion of proceeds to the trust. The money raised helps to protect agricultural land, which fell over 660,000 acres between 2017 and 2022.
This year, we brewed a West Coast Pilsner featuring hyper-local ingredients, including Pure Oregon Pilsner malt and Strata, Cascade, and Belma CGX hops, all grown in the Willamette Valley. With a more pronounced hop character than a traditional Pilsner, this beer presents somewhere between IPA and Lager and gives a complex nose of honeydew melon, guava, and meadowfoam. Pick up a four-pack, know you’re supporting a good cause, and tell me what you think. I always look forward to your feedback. Hit me with it at garrison@block15.com.
From the Executive Chef
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Upcoming Events
Beer School - October 24th
Caves Updates
Events
Late Fall Bottle Release - November 1st - 3rd
Coming up in a few weeks, we’ll be releasing four beers as part of our Late Fall Bottle Release: Imagine, Imagine: Stroopwafel, Figgy Pudding, and Willa. These limited-run beers are something special we look forward to each year. To celebrate, we host a few events:
Brewers Dinner - November 1st at 6 pm
Learn how the beers were made directly from our brewers over a 4-course Pairing Dinner curated by our Executive Chef, Sarah. Ticket includes an allotment of bottles.
Guided Pairings - November 2nd from 11 am - 2 pm
Guided tasting with our with our staff alongside small-bite pairings by our Executive Chef, Sarah, at our Southtown Taproom and Production Facility. Public bottle pre-order opportunity included with ticket purchase.
General Bottle Sale - Begins November 2nd
Bottles will be available for sale on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limits will be in effect.
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 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
New HR Open Office Hours for Q4 starting 10/14!
Pub: Monday: 1-4 pm, Wednesday: 10 am - 1 pm
Tap Room: Monday: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Tuesday: 1 - 4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint - All November
This November, we’re partnering with Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit by donating a portion of sales of Gloria! More info to come in the following weeks.
Internal Brewsletter - October 9th, 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 Simon! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for Elk Chile Verde!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 10/11
Story of the Ghost //
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. // 8.75%
Key Takeaway: Featuring an elite blend of Chinook, Mosaic and Azacca hops, this bold beer is further bolstered by and hefty dose of Galaxy hops to really round out the Tropical Fruit character, complementing the pine and citrus expression already present. Story of the Ghost is a bold, balanced, and assertive hop-forward ale showcasing some of our all-time favorite hops in a well-rounded format. Now with 25% more ghosts!
Tasting Notes: Orange Marmalade • Guava • Spooky
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Orbital
Beer Style: Hauntingly Hazy Pale Ale
Hauntingly Hazy Pales are one of the newer styles, brought to light with the development of EMF (electromagnetic field) technology. These EMF readers allow brewers to not only source local ghosts, but also capture them using YCH Proton Packs. The Ghosts are then either pelletized or turned into a pourable solution, which is added to the fermenter after primary fermentation.
UPCOMING Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Cheers to the Land // West Coast Pilsner
Series: Synergy
Releases: October 18th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: In collaboration with Oregon Agriculture Trust, Cheers to the Land was brewed with Great Western Pure Oregon Malt, Willamette Valley-grown High Oil Cascade, Belma CGX, and Strata Hops.
Ol’ Saint Nick // Winter Ale
Series: Orbital
Releases: October 25th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: Ol' Saint Nick is a generously malt-forward winter ale - artfully constructed with a base of selected malts and hops, offering notes of toffee, cocoa, plum, and caramel with citrusy hops and a pleasant lingering finish.
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: Kumo
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
The next tasting is Thursday, October 17th, at 4 pm!
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.
Beer 101: Imagine
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Cool fall weather calls for bigger, darker, more full-bodied beer. It's my favorite beer-drinking season, as porters, stouts, and fest beers move in to replace light summer drinks. Each fall, we have a special bottle release that includes Figgy Pudding, Willa, and Imagine, three of our favorite darker options.
Imagine in particular, is one of my favorite beers that we make. It is about as big and bold as beer gets. Its grain bill hints at how it will turn out; using chocolate malt, brown malt, roast barley, and black malt, you get a sense of direction. Adding the darkest Belgian candi sugar syrup halfway through fermentation bumps the available sugar for the yeast and drives the ABV to 14 percent, making it one of our strongest beers. It is aged in specialty bourbon barrels that are freshly emptied and selected for uniqueness each year and is a blend of one and two year old barrels.
My favorite thing about Imagine, though, is its yeast strain. We use Trappist High Gravity yeast in this beer, which lends a depth of character that is uncommon to the style. It is not only a barrel-aged imperial stout, it also has a Belgian note that makes it really unique. Allowing it to warm in the glass and breathe opens it up and completely changes it.
Imagine is special to me because my wife Sasha and I share one late each Christmas Eve as we get stuff ready for our kids for the morning. It’s a perfect beer to make traditions around and is designed to share, inspire friendly conversation, and create memories. Pick some up to bring home for the holidays you celebrate, and let me know if the people in your life like it as much as the people in mine do.
From the Executive Chef
PUB UPDATES
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Upcoming Events
Beer School - October 24th
Caves Updates
Events
Bloktoberfest - October 11th - 12th
THIS WEEKEND! Thank you, everyone, for your hard work on the event so far. It’s going to be super fun 🙂
If anyone asks, we’ll stop pre-orders on Thursday. All other tickets can be purchased at the door of the event.
Late Fall Bottle Release - November 1st - 3rd
Coming up in a few weeks, we’ll be releasing four beers as part of our Late Fall Bottle Release: Imagine, Imagine: Stroopwafel, Figgy Pudding, and Willa. These limited-run beers are something special we look forward to each year. To celebrate, we host a few events:
Brewers Dinner - November 1st at 6 pm
Learn how the beers were made directly from our brewers over a 4-course Pairing Dinner curated by our Executive Chef, Sarah. Ticket includes an allotment of bottles.
Guided Pairings - November 2nd from 11 am - 2 pm
Guided tasting with our with our staff alongside small-bite pairings by our Executive Chef, Sarah, at our Southtown Taproom and Production Facility. Public bottle pre-order opportunity included with ticket purchase.
General Bottle Sale - Begins November 2nd
Bottles will be available for sale on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limits will be in effect.
HIGH FIVEs
Paulie - He always keeps spirits high when he’s on the line! A little bit of humor and kindness goes a long way. We appreciate 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:
Tate Christensen (BOH)
Ewan McLain (BOH)
Elias Frakes (BOH)
Ashley Wolfe (BOH)
Cooper Petersen (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.
Office Hours
New HR Open Office Hours for Q4 starting 10/14!
Pub: Monday: 1-4 pm, Wednesday: 10 am - 1 pm
Tap Room: Monday: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Tuesday: 1 - 4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week!
Internal Brewsletter - October 2nd, 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 Quinn! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Sloppy Joe’s!
We’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES
Releasing Friday 10/4
Flicker //
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. // 7.00%
Key Takeaway: Bolder-bodied IPA for autumn's cooling weather.
Tasting Notes: Grapefruit Peel • Pineapple Juice • Autumnal
Format: Draft & Cans
Series: Perennial
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 Releases
*This list is subject to change based on the production schedule, so please keep that in mind!
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.
Cheers to the Land // West Coast Pilsner
Series: Synergy
Releases: October 18th
Format: Draft & Cans
Description: In collaboration with Oregon Agriculture Trust, Cheers to the Land was brewed with Great Western Pure Oregon Malt, Willamette Valley-grown High Oil Cascade, Belma CGX, and Strata Hops.
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: Rocky Shores
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 (The Festival)
Written by Garrison Schmidt, Head Brewer
Originating in 1810 to commemorate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachen-Hildurghausen, Oktoberfest has grown into the largest beer festival in the world. Held every year (minus a few exceptions), Munich Oktoberfest lasts 16 to 18 days from the end of September to the beginning of October and hosts about 6 million visitors a year. Largely just called “Wiesn” now, which means “the meadow,” it is held in the 77-acre Theresienwiese in Munich, a sprawling park that hosts only six breweries (Paulaner, Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner-Bräu, Staatilches Hofbräu-München, and Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu), each with their own tent which reaches up to 10,000 seats.
As was discussed last week, there have been many different beer styles available at Oktoberfest. Currently, Festbier is the king. Designed to be a pale lager, it is lighter and easier to consume than the traditional Marzen. That’s not to say you won’t find Marzen there, or other styles. Many different beers are served at Oktoberfest, somewhere around 6.5 million Liters of it each year. It’s not just about the beer, Oktoberfest is a full-on folk festival with food and cultural events as well as an amusement park. Similar to the feel of a state fair, but larger than even the largest state fairs in the U.S.
The event is so popular that smaller Oktoberfests are held all over the world, from Brazil to Vietnam. The largest Oktoberfest in the United States is Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, which hosts about 500,000 people annually. Oregon hosts several Oktoberfest celebrations, including our own, Bloktoberfest.
Bloktoberfest was first held in 2009 and ran continuously until 2020 when it was canceled due to the Pandemic. We typically sell between 3,000 and 4,000 tickets. It was successfully revived in 2023, and we are excited to be rolling out the big tent on Jefferson again this year! It is really fun to work, a total change of pace, and I look forward to sharing a liter or to with all of you! Prost!
From the Executive Chef
OCTOBER SPECIALS Launch today
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
Get ready - the event is next weekend! Please read through the Bloktoberfest HUB for all the info.
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
Mars - Thanks for holding it down in prep and always handling New Specials Day. We appreciate you :)
Tuesday kitchen crew - Sweet bucket hats!
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:
Wesley Buchholz (Brewery)
Cooper Petersen (Distro)
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
Pub: Monday: 1-4 pm, Wednesday: 10 am - 1 pm
Tap Room: Monday: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Tuesday: 1 - 4 pm
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
Check back next week!
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!