Pittsfield — When Sara Real worked abroad as a researcher for Nickelodeon, she found camaraderie in pubs even though she didn’t speak the local language.
Now she’s trying to create a similar gathering place in downtown Pittsfield. Real and her husband Mike Dell’Aquila have dreamed of opening a brewery for her 20 years. Pittsfield Monday’s approval vote from her licensing board brings them even closer.
Hot Plate Brewing Co., owned by Real and Dell’Aquila, has received approval from its board of directors for a downtown general on-premises wine and malt license.
“Beer has always been a part of my life,” Real said in an interview on Monday. ”
The brewery on 1 School St. is scheduled for a soft opening in January, followed by a full-scale start in time for the 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival in February. Tap is set. “Now all I have to do is make beer,” said Dellaquila. From day one, they will provide food service with meals provided by other downtown businesses.
The brewery will offer wraps and other selections from Marketplace Café and Joad Bowman-owned restaurants, including Thistle and Mars, Flat Burger Society and Lulu’s Tiny Grocery.
The goal is to get people to come downtown and stay for a while, and we hope to revitalize pedestrians there.
“We fell in love with North Street right away,” says Dell’Aquila. “We recognize the challenges North Street businesses have had to face…but it is so beautiful and iconic. I see the possibilities and the advantages.”
Real and Dell’Aquila moved to the area from Brooklyn in July 2021.
brewery selection
The brewery’s selection includes cream ales and lagers, IPAs, and experimental flavored beers. Examples are Chamomile Blonde Ale and Jalapeno Pale Ale.
The brewery plans to partner with local non-profits to come up with beer flavors and styles and create special beers for the event, including a “community line” that shares a portion of the proceeds.
The brewer partners with local hop producers and farmers to sustainably source raw materials. Disused crops could end up in beer mugs, they said. That was the birth of last year’s Habanero Stout.
The brewery will focus on expanding diversity in an industry dominated by white men. Dell’Aquila said ownership will also emphasize creating a welcoming space for marginalized community members who previously didn’t have a seat at the bar.
Real hopes to set an example by simply opening a brewery.
“As a Latina woman, I never saw myself reflected in the brewing space,” Real said at the board meeting. Only 2% of U.S. breweries are owned by women, according to a 2021 study by members of the Brewers Association. Even fewer are owned by women of color.
Above all, the owners say they aim to make the brewery a gathering place for all Pittsfield residents. The owners plan to take the couches from their old Brooklyn apartment and set up a lounge.The bar has outlets and USB cords so people can work there. Non-alcoholic beverages and board games are also provided.
They want customers to come and spend time with them. “I want it to be like hanging out in a close friend’s apartment,” Real said.