"We can do this better," is what Christine and Bill said to themselves after spending some years in the craft beer industry, and seeing their own employer evolve quickly from a small regional brewery to an impersonal, corporatized operation. When the making of beer became more about pushing the right buttons on programmed machinery than following their creative passion - they knew it was time to do their own thing. It was the mid-2000s, and the craft beer industry was growing, but with a big discrepancy in the quality of what was coming into the market. There was an opportunity. Traveling through New England from their home base outside of Philadelphia, it was the iconic fiberglass, painted sheep from Pittsfield's Sheeptacular that drew their attention. A first tour of Pittsfield was made memorable when the couple received a remarkably warm welcome by Mayor Jim Ruberto who took the time to meet with the couple personally on a whim. "Where are we in America?" recalls Bill who is still struck how a city's mayor would drop everything to meet with a couple of unknown entrepreneurs to sell the city to them. To some extent, the rest is history as it relates to Christine Bump and Bill Heaton's indelible impact on the Berkshires' restaurant and beer scene. Five years running a restaurant in Downtown Pittsfield led to the pair pouring themselves into their true passion, which of course, is brewing the very best. Big Elm was born, and today, in addition to the brewery and tap room in Sheffield, they have also opened a second tap room in Great Barrington. In this episode we also cover: The early days of craft brewing, working at Victory Brewing Company outside Philadelphia, starting a restaurant with no experience and relying on those who do, empowering employees, being inspired to brew beer in college and the early craft beers there were more few and far between, the high quality of today's craft beers, the power of a partnership that continues through the end of a marriage, the origin story of Big Elm, the never-ending popularity of IPAs, the concept of a brew trail in the Berkshires and collaboration of all the local breweries, surviving the winter seasons in the Berkshires, beer yoga and other creative events, the power of having current and former teachers as staff members and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Christine Bump and Bill Heaton of Big Elm Brewery.