Hot Plate Brewing Co. of Pittsfield named finalist in USA Today's ‘Best New Brewery'
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Pittsfield's Hot Plate Brewing Co., the only Latina-owned brewery in Massachusetts, has been named as a finalist in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for Best New Brewery.
Hot Plate Brewing Co. opened in downtown Pittsfield in February 2023 and has grown regionally and nationally since then. Co-founders Sarah Real and Mike Dell'Aquila began traveling the world crafting beer in the early 2000s, discovering the concept of brewing on a hot plate when the gas to their Brooklyn condo was turned off.
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Head brewer and owner Real, who was recently elected to the Massachusetts Brewers Guild and Pink Boots Society Boards of Directors, said this recognition is especially meaningful for diverse voices.
'For years, I didn't see myself reflected in the brewhouse or in most leadership positions at other breweries,' Real said. 'And while I know how much representation matters, I also wanted to make sure that I'm empowering and supporting other marginalized people in this industry, which is why we have a mostly female and mostly queer staff, and why so many of the vendors I work with are also small, local, and women-owned.'
Local organizations such as Mass Econ, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Berkshire Pride, and Berkshire County have awarded the brewery for its work within the community. Hot Plate has also raised over $10,000 for non-profit organizations, such as the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations.
'Even though we're new to the Berkshires, we're incredibly proud of the partnerships we've formed here with mission-aligned organizations and individuals. We've been able to make a measurable difference in this city,' Dell'Aquila said.
To vote for Hot Plate Brewing Co. as Best New Brewery on USA Today, visit 10best.usatoday.com. More information about the brewery and its mission can be found at hotplatebeer.com.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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