Big Elm Brewing to Close After 13 Years, Final Events Feb-March

The taproom that poured Fat Boy, Frozen Lemonade and Lavender Lemonade announced via an emotional Instagram post that Big Elm Brewing & Berkshire Hard Seltzer in Sheffield will close after more than 13 years, with a final Cabin Fever Party scheduled for February 28, 2026, and the brewery staying open through the end of March or until the beer runs out, whichever comes first.

In the Instagram message the owners were blunt about the choice: "The decision to close has not come easily." They added, "It has been one of the hardest choices we’ve ever had to make." The post thanked patrons directly, writing "You have made this more than a business, you’ve made it family." The announcement did not include owner full names or operational details beyond that timeline.

Practical details for patrons are straightforward. Big Elm’s Sheffield taproom is listed at 65 Silver St, Sheffield, MA 01257, with phone (413) 229-2348 and website bigelmbeer.com. Yelp shows regular hours as Tuesday through Thursday 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Friday through Sunday 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and closed on Mondays. The owners’ Instagram also carried on-site notices such as a Sunday snow-day closure in past posts.

Big Elm’s roots in the Berkshires run deep: sources describe its run as more than 13 years and trace origins back to the Pittsfield Brew Works days. The brewery is remembered as a regular presence at local gatherings, including Third Thursday on North Street in Pittsfield, and for beers like "413 Farmhouse Ale!" that became part of local lore. Within its walls patrons marked "births and deaths, weddings and divorces, career milestones and setbacks," making the taproom an established community fixture.

Operational specifics beyond the closing window remain unclear. Yelp’s business-owner photo lists "Bill H." but the Instagram post and public coverage did not attach full ownership names to the announcement. The brewery’s association with Berkshire Hard Seltzer is listed alongside Big Elm in public headers, but no separate plan for the seltzer line was provided in the owners’ message.

Visual and archival material is available in the brewery’s online presence; gallery credit on published photo sets is given to Stephen Lenz. For those planning final visits, the Feb. 28 Cabin Fever Party is the marquee sendoff, and the staff will continue pouring during posted hours until the end of March or until the kegs are empty. After more than a decade in the Berkshires, Big Elm is giving its neighborhood a last run of its drinkable beers and hard seltzer before the taproom closes.