Hot Plate Brewing Co. Joins 10x10 Festival With 10 Brew-Inspired Events
The area's newest craft brewery is introducing itself to the community with 10 brews, plus music, literary, and fashion events.
Sarah Real and Mike Dell'Aquila behind the bar
It took just 25 minutes for Hot Plate Brewing Co., the latest craft brewery to open in the Berkshires, to hit capacity when it opened its doors in Pittsfield last week — and stayed at capacity for three hours. While it might be an overstatement to say that Pittsfield is finally achieving its long talked about renaissance, it’s clear that the old saw that no one wants to venture onto North Street (during the day or after dark) is false. That’s a myth that the 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival in downtown Pittsfield has disproved as well for the last dozen years, and with the brewery’s grand opening under their belt, Hot Plate’s owners, Brooklyn transplants Sarah Real and Mike Dell’Aquila, are jumping into the annual festival with their own ambitious ten-day lineup of events.
From February 16-25, Hot Plate Brewing Co. is will roll out daily events inspired by each of their first ten beers. Embracing the community spirit, the couple have teamed up with local musicians, artists, and business owners as well as prominent members of the New England craft beer community. Music, film, literature, and even fashion will be represented and tied to each one of the brewery’s ales.
“We want Hot Plate Brewing Co. to be a crossroads for people to gather and showcase all the things going on in the community,” says Dell’Aquila. But first, they had to perfect their craft, which they did on a hotplate in their Brooklyn apartment (hence the name). During the pandemic, they started working on a business plan and searched for the ideal location to situate a brewhouse and taproom. Of all the places in the world, they chose Pittsfield, and in July 2021, made the move.
Photos courtesy Hot Plate Brewing Co.
It was a data-driven decision. Dell-Aquila, a writer, and Real, a researcher by trade, looked at who the craft beer consumer is, and who is underserved. They saw that Berkshire County is heavily concentrated with craft beer enthusiasts: there are well-established breweries in north and south county. Pittsfield, in the middle, offered the most potential; it would be a good central location, and a stop on a beer trail. It didn’t hurt that the city of Pittsfield was eager to bring new business to downtown and offered the company economic incentives to start Hot Plate Brewing Co. in the city.
Real and Dell’Aquila did their homework well. A check of Hot Plate’s social media indicates the enthusiasm for the brewery and appreciation for its mission of inclusiveness. In addition to serving the beer made on premises, the brewery also serves wine, cider, hard seltzers and non-alcoholic drinks, making it a welcoming destination for those who don’t or can’t drink beer. Guests are encouraged to order in from restaurants in downtown Pittsfield and they've installed a self-serve commercial microwave oven. Comfort, convenience and inclusivity for all have been considered to an appreciable degree: the bar is equipped with power outlets and USB chargers, and a portion of the bar has been lowered for guests who are in a wheelchair or motorized vehicle.
Based on the first week of business, the brewhouse and taproom are being visited by people of all ages, ethnicities and genders. “It’s the kind of melting pot thing we hoped it would be,” says Dell’Aquila. He’s still flabbergasted by the packed house in the first week and the warm welcome they’ve received. “It’s a credit to the community as much as anything we did. There’s a lot of optimism in the city, with so many people working every day to improve things.”
Hot Plate Brewing
1 School Street, Pittsfield, MA
10x10 Upstreet Festival Events at Hot Plate Brewing Co.
Thursday, Feb. 16, 7 p.m.
Onota — American Pale Ale
Featured event: A special performance by Chris Merenda, Dave Brown, and Dan Broad
Friday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.
Capable of Anything — Chamomile Blonde Ale
Featured event: AMA with owner and head brewster Sarah Real
Saturday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.
Rockin’ the Gold Tooth — Cream Ale
Featured event: Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) listening party, followed by an old-school hip hop playlist
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m.
Proustian — Dunkelweizen
Featured event: Readings from Julie Lekstrom Himes, Jeffiner Murphy, Lara Tupper, Stephanie Hope, DW Ardern, Anna Lotto, and Jenn Stroud Rossmann
Monday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m.
The Interruption Stays — English Porter on Nitro
Featured event: The Art of Dressing Well with Evan Valenti
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.
Complicated Patterns — Hazy Pale Ale
Featured event: Bricks & Brews with Erin Laundry from Bottomless Bricks
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m.
Countess of Flanders — Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Featured event: Double Entendre Trivia Night hosted by Kevin Pink and Sarah Real
Thursday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.
Temple of 1,000 Bulls — West Coast IPA
Featured event: Screening of “The Darjeeling Limited”
Friday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m.
Easy-Listening Favourites — English Pub Ale
Featured event: Bring Your Own Vinyl Night, featuring DJ Pup Daddy
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m.
Hildegard’s Burden — New England IPA
Featured event: Women in Beer panel
