Latest news with #SarahReal
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hot Plate Brewing Co. of Pittsfield named #3 Best New Brewery in USA Today poll
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The only Latina-owned brewery in Massachusetts has ranked third place in USA Today's Best New Breweries poll. Hot Plate Brewing Co., located in Pittsfield, was the only brewery in Massachusetts to make the 10Best Reader's Choice list. A panel of beer experts selected the nominations through USA Today, reviewing hand-crafted breweries founded within the past three years. The poll released on Wednesday shows Frazier Creek Brewing & Distilling Co in Stuart, Florida ranked as No. 1, followed by RAK Brewing Co in Frederick, Maryland and then Hot Plate Brewing Co. in Pittsfield. The dream of Hot Plate Brewing began in 2017, when homebrewers Sarah Real and Mike Dell'Aquila lived in a New York City condo and were issued a code violation, losing gas in the building. City of Springfield provides update to South Main Street development plan Rather than giving up on their aspirations to brew beer from home, they shifted their plan to brewing on a hot plate, which inspired their future business endeavors. 'Before we made the transition to joining the craft beer industry, we were fans for almost twenty years,' said owner and head brewer Real. 'Whether traveling across the country or even in different industrial neighborhoods in Brooklyn, we saw how breweries could become anchor tenants and lead to all sorts of development around them.' In 2020, the pair moved to western Massachusetts and were drawn to downtown Pittsfield. Seeing the community's efforts to boost the economy with local businesses, Real and Dell'Aquilla put their own vision to work. 'Hot Plate has been a wonderful addition to the downtown and has capitalized on the economic incentives the city has provided,' said Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti. 'The city of Pittsfield is committed to continuing this work on attracting new businesses, to not only downtown but all across Pittsfield.' Hot Plate Brewing largely employs a female and queer staff and collaborates with many mission-aligned organizations to raise funds for local organizations. Women of color own less than 1% of all breweries, so the impact of Hot Plate's efforts has not been lost on the staff and the city. 'There's a lot of chatter in this industry about how beer brings people together,' said co-founder and General Manager Dell'Aquila. 'The question is, what do you do once you have those people together, and can you create a diverse enough audience to create a real-world impact?' Hot Plate Brewing Co. has 12 beers on tap, including lagers, porters, ales, stouts, and IPAS. The brewery also serves coffee, tea, and home-baked goods. To view the full list of USA Today's Best New Breweries, visit 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Caring Health Center opens new facility on Boston Road in Springfield 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 More information about the brewery and its mission can be found at 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
