April, 2016 | Common Block Brewing Co.

Tri-Ath-Wheat Debut at the Siskiyou Challenge, 4/30

Have you ever put together a team of friends for a relay? Because we highly recommend it. Not only do you and your comrades cheer each other on along the way and offer encouragement and support, but also everyone gets to toast a beer at the end. At least, that’s how we do it.

The Siskiyou Challenge Multi-Sport Relay takes place Saturday, April 30^th in Ashland, and we’re jumping in with our first Common Block sponsorship. This annual race is a fundraiser for Rogue Valley Farm to School, an awesome local non-profit that educates kids about our food system through hands-on farm and garden programs. We love the folks at Rogue Valley Farm to School, and we’re thrilled to support this event near and dear to our hearts.

You’ll find us pouring beer and serving food at the finish line for all the racers at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum. We’re grilling up Oregon-made hot dogs, and serving organic apples and Kettle Brand chips (did you know they have a Beer Pairing Guide on their website?). We also joined forces with our friends at Swing Tree Brewing Company in Ashland to make a collaboration beer just for the occasion. Our brewer, John, and Brandon from Swing Tree are excited to debut…wait for it…Tri-Ath-Wheat! Here’s a bit about this refreshing, post-race beer, made with fresh orange zest and teamwork:

Tri-Ath-Wheat

Style

American Wheat Ale

Malt

Wheat, 2-Row, Caramel

Hops

Cascade, Eureka

ABV

4.5%

IBU

John from Common Block and Brandon from Swing Tree, toasting their day of collaboration brewing.

A generous 60% wheat malt makes this beer light, tart, crisp and refreshing. The Cascade and Eureka hops combine with fresh orange zest for a spicy citrus finish. Just the thing for a post-relay refreshment, we think.

If you haven’t registered yet for the race, there’s still time! Get your five best fun-loving friends together, come up with a killer team name, and sign-up by April 28^th. You can also register as a solo or duo team, if you’re hardcore like that. We’ve seen some impressive solo racers over the years! (Does anyone else remember the unicycle mountain biker?) We’ve got our Common Block team ready to relay, so be on the lookout for team ‘Common in Hot.’

Great race, great cause, great people…what more could we ask for? We’re excited to greet everyone on race day, and pour you all a beverage afterwards for your efforts. Happy training, and see you at the finish line!

Brewery-Building Photo Update

Yep, we’re still building. To be honest, it’s kind of fun. We’re getting our hands (and pants, and gloves, and shoes) dirty, making our space just what we want it to be. But don’t worry, we’re making time for outdoor fun, too. Our crew ran and biked in the Pear Blossom race last Saturday, and we’re putting a team together for the Siskiyou Challenge Multi-Sport Relay at the end of this month. Because if you can’t have a little fun along the way, what’s the good in that? Did we mention we’re having beers after these races?

Here are our latest photos of the brewpub, and new things are happening every day. Our most recent big, exciting completion: the staircase to the second level. We’re using heart pine for the stairs, which was reclaimed from a brewery in Milwaukee, WI. A little bit of brewing history in a new space across the country…we’re pretty excited about it. Up next: pouring concrete for the upper-level and half-wall in the bar. Check out the “before” photos below to compare with the “after” in our next photo update!

Best Gear For Toting Beer

No matter which way you travel, getting your beer from the brewery to the fridge (if it really makes it that far) can be a challenge. Rolling around in the backseat, freezing your hands, unbalancing your bike…we make a lot of sacrifices for our beloved beverage. Luckily, there’s gear for that!

We’ve racked up a list of our favorite solutions for toting beer from here to there, whether in growlers or six packs. Some are fancy, some are super simple, and all of them help us keep our brews snug and secure. Safety first, afterall.

By Bike

Fyxation Growler Caddy

This leather growler caddy securely fastens to your bike’s top tube and has secure straps that hold the front and the back of the growler tightly in place.

Growler Cage

The Growler Cage fits in place of any water bottle cage, and has a steel core wrapped in a waterproof neoprene sheath to protect your growler while holding on tightly.

Donkey Products 6Pack Bike Bag

We think the description on this German company’s website says it all: “…turning every bicycle tour into a detour of some kind!”

On Foot

Frostbite Growler Tote

The neoprene case zips securely around most standard 64 oz. growlers, and the handle and adjustable strap let you carry your beer any which way.

Picnic Time Six Pack Cooler Tote

Neoprene body and handle, extra outer pocket, and holes to loop over bottle necks. Carries beer, soda, and water bottles. Obviously, you know our preference.

In The Car

Growler Crate

Side insert handles on these all-wood crates make them easy to carry, and standard-size growler compartments provide extra stability. No more rolling around on the passenger-side floor.

Kegworks Growler on Board

Made of lightweight foam, this 3-pack growler holder works for car floors, seats or trunks. Each slot also has a bottle neck-sized hole to hold your upside-down growler after finishing (for draining or drying).

We realize we didn’t include teleporting, hover boarding, or sailing as transportation options, but as soon as someone comes up with beer gear for those, too, we’ll throw them on the list. Now carry on with your beer-toting journeys!