Corvallis Adds a Brewery: Block 15

I have long been surprised that a metropolis the size of Corvallis has had so little in the way of local breweries. Things are looking up. The long-awaited Block 15 Restaurant and Brewery had a "soft open" last night and are up and running now. There's some info at the website, and John has some additional details from the brewery about their beer. (As we have seen among newly-opened breweries--Max's Fanno Creek, Double Mountain--B15 follow the trend into yeast experimentation. A very good sign.)

• Glo: a light golden ale brewed with organic grains and noble hops. Very easy drinking, beautiful gold color and wonderfully tasty.
• Ridgeback Red: This beer is a great example of balance. A good malt profile provided by Munich and Vienna malts, perfectly complemented by both Noble and High Alpha hops. Also we lightly dry hopped the red with Fuggles (a type of hop) creating just a hint of fresh hop in the nose
• Fat Monk: Belgian Style Dubbel. We couldn't wait to tackle a Belgian Brew! Fat Monk was crafted with Pilsner malts from Belgium, a true Trappist yeast, Amber Candi sugar, and fine Noble hops. The beer is still fermenting and taste tests thus far keep us anxiously awaiting a finished pint.
• Aboriginale: Free-style Ale. This is what Block 15 is all about, truly unique unclassified beers in addtion to our standard taps. We used seven different malts, and three different hops when brewing this beer. Currently we are dry-hopping in a conditioning tanks with two more types of hops.
• Print Masters Pale: NW Pale ale. This beer pays homage to the working men and women who use to print the Gazzette-Times in our building years ago. A classic North West brew, medium bodied,crisp, and balanced with a good shot of Amarillo hops.
• Alpha IPA. 6.5% alc/volume, 4 variety of hops weighing in at over 17 pounds. From First wort hopping to dry hopping, this beer is all about the hops.
• Nebula: Oatmeal Stout. A deep dark contemplative stout brewed with roast barley, chocolate malts, oatmeal and caramel malts. And we have just begun!! Coming soon with be our Gateway Wheat, Fruit Ale, Spring Ale, a Cask conditioned ale and whatever else we dream up. Cheers and see you soon!

Perhaps our Corvallis correspondant can do a little recon and report back. Incidentally, Steve van Rossem, who's been brewing in Eugene for over a decade (McMenamins High Street, West Brothers), is the brains behind the beers. Further evidence that it will be a strong debut.

Block 15 Restaurant and Brewery
300 SW Jefferson Ave
Corvallis, OR 97333
(541) 758-2077

[Update: The reviews are coming in. From our Corvallis correspondent, and a review from the MSM (and here's one from an MSM blog for good measure). Both are positive. Our correspondent tried the Aboriginale and noted:

It was very, very good - wonderful fruity hops aroma, rich head and a beautiful straw to amber color, hop-forward but nicely balanced. It sure had the strong aroma and the surface tang characteristic of dry hopping, but interestingly the dry hop language above was not on the menu and the server did not think it was dry-hopped. So it remains a mystery. I was served in a shaker pint, but was unable determine if it was honest.]