PITTSFIELD, Mass.—The Berkshire County Historical Society will present a lecture on the history of beer making in Pittsfield and the surrounding Berkshire region.

 

The free lecture, titled "Thirsty in the Berkshires: Brewing from the 18th Century to Prohibition," will be delivered by historian and educator Cynthia Brown. The event is scheduled for March 20 at 7 p.m. at Hot Plate Brewing in downtown Pittsfield.

 

The lecture will examine the historical context of commercial and private brewing in Pittsfield, dating back to the 18th century. Brown will discuss the evolution of brewing practices and the role of beer in the region's culture, leading up to the Prohibition era. The presentation will also include information regarding Jane Prime (or Pryn), a Black resident of Lenox, listed in the 1860 U.S. Census as a "beer maker."

 

Hot Plate Brewing's "Small Batch Salon" series will host the event. In conjunction with the lecture, Hot Plate Brewing's head brewer, Sarah Real, has created a custom recipe inspired by historical gruits. This beverage is based on fermented cereal grains, and references historical documents that mentioned Dutch "kuyt."

 

A portion of the proceeds from the evening's sales will be donated to the Berkshire County Historical Society.