MEDFORD, OREGON –Common Block Brewing Company announced plans today for installation of its long-awaited, inaugural brewing system. The brew house is expected to arrive Friday, March 29thand work will begin immediately to position the stainless-steel tanks and fixtures in the brewing space, housed in downtown Medford, Oregon’s historic Monarch building, over the next several months.
The previously used O’Neil brand brew house was acquired by Common Block from a brewery in Denver, Colorado. With its 15 barrel batch size, the up-cycled system has the capacity to brew 720 barrels (or 22,320 gallons) of beer each year. The fermenting and serving tanks, which will reside on the upstairs mezzanine of the building, are being fabricated separately by Practical Fusion in Portland, Oregon. 
Since opening in December 2016, Common Block has contracted-brewed its original recipes on equipment at other local breweries, including Climate City Brewing Co. in Grants Pass, Oregon and Wild Card Brewing Co. in Redding, California. This new in-house system will allow Common Block to expand its varieties, consider new distribution options, and develop employee and community education programs around the beer making process.
“We’re really fortunate to have benefited from the comradery in the local brewing industry, and to be able to contract brew our recipes on other great systems with other great brewers,” says brewer John Donehower. “Now, we’re excited to move our beer production in house, though I’m sure we’ll continue with our collaboration brews with other breweries, whether they’re made here or at our partners’ facilities.”
The two-year old Medford business secured funding for the brewing system with the help of SOREDI, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. The organization works to advance economic development in Jacksonville and Josephine counties through counselling, training, education, and loans.
Customers can expect Common Block to brew up plenty of changes over the next several months while installation of the new system takes place. The restaurant will remain open during construction, says Common Block founder Alex Amarotico, and interested guests will be able to watch the process phase by phase, until expected completion in the late summer or early fall of 2019.
“We’ve always operated with the idea that Common Block is a place to share stories and come together over food and beer,” says Amarotico. “We’re so thankful to have a community that’s supported us over the last couple of years and done just that, and now we’re excited to share this moment in our story, too.”
ABOUT COMMON BLOCK BREWING COMPANY
Common Block Brewing Company is an indoor-outdoor restaurant and brewery located in The Commons of downtown Medford, Oregon. The family-friendly brewpub welcomes guests for lunch, dinner, appetizers, dessert, brews with friends and everything in-between. The team invites you to come explore the Rogue Valley, enjoy good company, and get your fill of local craft brews while bumping elbows with your fellow beer lovers. Learn more at commonblockbrewing.com
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