The Priest, the Rabbi and the Minister

Rev. Sheila D. Sholes-Ross, Sister Colette Hanlon and Rabbi David Weiner come together for an evening of wide-ranging, thought-provoking, entertaining, and uplifting interfaith discussion over exceptional Hotplate beer.

“These dynamic local religious leaders from the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations will start by comparing notes about how their traditions encourage care for people in need of a hand, especially at holiday seasons,” Hot Plate says, “but you never really know where stories, interaction, and participant questions will carry the conversation. They will even take questions and comments from those in attendance. Come one and come all.”

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Sarah Real and Mike Dell’Aquila first discovered craft beer during their time at Penn State in the early 2000s. A love of the art and science of beer led them to take up homebrewing as well as traveling the world. After deciding to pursue a career in craft beer, their Brooklyn condo had their gas turned off for several years due to a code violation.

Rather than giving up on their dream, Sarah started brewing on a hot plate, writing and revising her own recipes, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, they started working on a business plan that has now turned into the 7-barrel brewhouse and attached taproom that they opened in Downtown Pittsfield in 2023.

Along with serving the beers they make on-premises, they say, they also serve coffee, tea, wine, cider, hard seltzers, non-alcoholic beverages and baked goods to create a space where all are welcome.

“We know that in an increasingly fragmented world, enabling social connections in a safe and inclusive environment has become more important than ever, and we provide a gathering place where you and your loved ones can unburden yourselves from modern life.”