Day In The Life: Vault Brewing Co.’s John Cain

Photography by Courtney Apple

Coffee is the most important part of my morning. I roast my own and hand-grind it. The whole process takes about 25 minutes. It’s the least efficient way to get a cup of coffee. Rojo’s Roastery in Lambertville is the only place outside of Philly where you can get a good cup. // I’m normally in the [1] brewery, which is in an old bank, by 9 or 10 a.m. We only schedule our brewing four weeks out, but we always try to have certain styles: [2] a stout or porter, an IPA, an approachable beer like Belgian blond, and a special seasonal beer like a hefeweizen. // I wear [3] &Work Vocation shirts—you can wear them to nice restaurants, or to move 50-pound bags of grain. There’s always a penholder in the most ridiculous places. // [4] Charcoal in Yardley is the best fine dining in Bucks County. They’re always rotating their menu. It’s more like a local diner for breakfast. I love the blueberry-pistachio pancakes. They’re decadent. // [5] James Lasdun’s The Horned Man; I think he’s an exceptionally talented writer. Not for the faint of heart. // John’s Barber Shop in Newtown is the best place to get a haircut in Bucks. It’s old-school, and you can get a beer during your cut. // We have [6] live jazz at the Vault every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. But in the city, Ortlieb’s Lounge is an old and funky jazz spot. // Everything that Ardmore’s Tired Hands Brewing Company puts out is fantastic. Inventive beers in a comfy atmosphere. // Finch’s Beer Co.’s Secret Stache Stout is full-bodied, chocolaty and inky black. A perfect winter beer.

First appeared in the February, 2014 issue of Philadelphia magazine.