Behind the Brew: Lamplighter Brewing & Pepita Coffee
This week’s “Behind the Brew” is near and dear to my heart— nestled in the heart of Cambridge, MA, is a 2-in-1 combo: Lamplighter Brewing Co. and Pepita Coffee. You can’t miss the brick exterior and garage doors of this brewery set up in a former auto shop; the large “Metric Systems” sign is a clear signifier that you’re in the right place! Through large windows, you can see the the canning system speeding along as they fill with a fresh round of one of Lamp’s amazing beers (Rabbit Rabbit? Birds of a Feather? Cuppa? Honestly there are too many good ones to list out!). The other set of windows look into the taproom and cafe where, pre-COVID, you could see people meeting up with friends or working diligently on their laptops over some food, coffee, and/or beer. Now, the taproom remains closed with a retail window to buy food/drinks to-go, pick up some cans, or buy some merch. However, Lamplighter is reopening their beer garden on May 1st, so go and make a reservation in advance ASAP (I know I will)!!
I started my stint in the coffee world when I worked for Pepita Coffee years ago, when it was still Longfellows Coffee. Although my time there was short (although I have to say, I wish life allowed me to work there longer, I miss the incredible people I got to work with), since then, I have seen both the brewery and the coffee shop inside grow to be THE go-to spot for a craft brew or caffeine fix in the Boston area. It has been so inspiring to see the co-founders, Cayla and AC, make Lamplighter into the respected and amazing brewery it is today. Fun fact: they were selected for the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Food and Beverage!
Anyways long story short, I love Lamp & Pepita, so I am so grateful to be able to highlight them as a part of “Behind the Brew”.
Without further ado, I am excited to bring you the interviews! I was lucky to be able to interview one of the co-founders of Lamplighter, Cayla Marvil, and the FOH Manager of Lamp & Pepita, Elena Guy. Both were so welcoming to me and my co-photographer, and even gave us a little brewery tour!
Cayla (left) and Elena (right).
Tell me about your journey in the coffee/beer industry. What attracted you to this profession?
Cayla: “I love small business and craft culture, and I, of course, really love consuming both beer and coffee. A majority of my professional and educational background is in the hospitality industry, so it was only natural that I pursued something along these lines. Ultimately, my partner and I decided to open a brewery and coffee shop because we saw the opportunity in Cambridge and were really excited by the potential to build a great brand and community space in a city we loved.”
Elena: “I first entered the coffee industry in 2015 when, honestly, I was suddenly out of a job, broke, and in dire need of just anything I could find to do. Within two months at Darwins, I was completely addicted to the industry “non-traditional” lifestyle - odd hours, odd days off, a great combination of mental and physical labor, and filled with the most interesting people (coworkers and customers alike). I had previously been working in video production, which had a similar energy and vibe, but the cafe was more steady work, yet just as fun!
Beer didn’t enter the picture for me until 2018, when I moved back from a short stint in Portland, ME. The beer scene is huge there, and my roommate had been a taproom manager. Loving the work she did, I applied to Lamplighter to barback as a second job, not thinking, (but secretly hoping) it would turn into something more. Less than a year later, I was able to quit my full-time job at Blue Bottle Coffee to become a full-time bar lead for Lamp, and then later to help open Pepita Coffee in June 2019.
For both, I really love how much constant change there is; no day is the same, there’s always something new to learn, and there’s always a new project or opportunity at hand. It’s a very different work environment than a traditional office setting, both in terms of being on your feet all the time, but also with how much you get to bond with your coworkers, and with customer regulars. It’s a real mini community you get to be welcomed into every day.”
Tell me a little bit about the coffee shop/brewery you work at. What’s your favorite part?
Cayla: “I love the creativity - brainstorming new beers, events, labels, and everything in between, and adapting and improving our operations each day.”
Elena: “My favorite part, hands down, is the dedication to our (internal) community we have here. I’ve worked in a lot of different food industry spaces, and it’s hard to come by one where it really feels like you’re a part of something/are actually being heard when you have an opinion. Lamp (and Pepita as a part of Lamp) really makes this a priority, and it follows that our staff feels very connected and engaged with each other and with our work.”
What’s your least favorite part?
Cayla: “When a customer doesn’t like the product or posts a bad review - I take these things way too personally, and my partner has basically cut me off from looking at Yelp, Untappd, Beer Advocate, etc. It makes me sad when other people don’t enjoy something we’ve poured so much time and energy into.”
Elena: “My least favorite part, if I’m being honest, is all the cleaning. Imagine being tasked with cleaning every space of your home, day in and day out. That’s what we do. Every day.”
What do you look forward to?
Cayla: “My daily cappuccino.”
What is a sort of surprise/unexpected fact that people wouldn’t know about your profession?
Cayla: “Hmmm…maybe that we’re not constantly drinking beer…there’s a bit of work that gets done too.”
Elena: “I think it’s common to misconstrue food/beverage industry jobs as just something you do in high school, or as a part-time “fun” job - not a career move. I’ve honestly learned so much, personally and professionally working in this industry, and the people I’ve met where this is their profession are some of the most interesting, knowledgeable people to chat with. It’s not just working a register, or pouring a beer - there’s so much more involved in our day-to-day than I think people realize, which makes it a super fun, dynamic career.”
How has COVID affected your experience as an owner/barista/brewer?
Cayla: “It’s been rough. I think we’re more fortunate than a lot of small bars and restaurants simply because we have the crutch of distribution and retail to also rely on, so I’m incredibly grateful for that, incredibly grateful for our staff, and incredibly grateful for the people who have supported us and kept us in business through this pandemic. But it’s been emotionally draining; I’m constantly anxious that our cash reserve is going to run out, that someone on our staff is going to get sick, that regulations are going to change, or that the government won’t do much to help small food and beverage businesses (or wait? didn’t that already happen?). We’re pivoting and adapting and everyone is working their ass off, but I think it’s appropriate to say that it's “less fun” than it used to be: when we could talk to customers sitting at the bar, or hang out as a staff without wearing masks, or attend festivals and tastings. Needless to say, I’m glad we’re here and healthy, but I’m really really really excited for this to be over.”
Elena: “I’d say one of the biggest changes I first noticed was the change in our regulars - a lot of our regulars pre-pandemic were people who maybe worked in, or commuted to the area. Now we’ve switched over to everyone who lives nearby, so we truly feel like a neighborhood spot. Service is of course different, and developing systems for how to run drinks/do online orders/work safely while still having customer interaction has been quite the learning experience. It’s also strange to be using our taproom space as storage now - hard to look back and think we used to have 200 people inhabiting the space on a weekend! As a whole, though, the pandemic has made our very small team very close, and has enabled us time to really get to know each other and each other’s roles, which I think is a cool silver lining to the situation.”
How have you adapted your business model and strategies in response to the pandemic?
Cayla: “We’ve completely shut down our taproom and placed a lot more emphasis on distribution to New England package stores. We’ve also relied heavily on our on-site retail counter, and we’ve added a lot of virtual programming to connect with our community in safe ways.”
2020 has proven to be an incredibly challenging year for the beer/coffee industry. How do you stay motivated through these hardships?
Cayla: “Beer and coffee.”
What is the most drastic change that you’ve noticed in the industry since the pandemic hit?
Cayla: “The closing of on-site gathering spaces - taprooms, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, venues, etc. I love the energy of a crowded space, and I miss seeing customers working in the coffee shop in the morning and playing board games in the taproom at night. I’m glad we have our retail counter and that most restaurants are able to do some form of take-out and/or reduced capacity dining, but it’s obviously not the same. I can’t wait to be smooshed in with other people at a concert, or a bar, or a crowded restaurant, and not be paranoid the whole time about my and their health and safety.”
Elena: “The change of customer-facing service to mostly contactless systems has been strange (but of course necessary). It’s pushed many of us to rethink how to connect with people, though on the flip side, COVID has also been a “we’re all in this together” common bond to instantly have with a stranger who walks up to the counter. Lots of well wishes and kindness to be had.”
Have you noticed any silver linings in your industry since the pandemic hit?
Cayla: “Virtual events have been really wonderful: a way to connect with customers that may have not come to our taproom, and a way to lead tastings safely. We’ve also seen a lot of support and collaboration throughout the industry - both with other breweries and with other local bars and restaurants. There’s a “we’re in this together” mentality that’s been really positive and encouraging, and I hope it's something we hold onto even when this over. Also, our customers have really stood up in a big way to support us and keep us in business - it’s been heartwarming to see how many people care about the future of Lamp.”
Elena: “The sheer amount of instant innovation. Even within a week of shutdowns starting last March, businesses were finding the most innovative ways to stay open, and to make sure they could still provide their product/service. I’m curious to see how many of these services will stick around post-pandemic, and add an extra layer of service/business that was never considered before being in this situation.”
What are the best things local customers can do to support your business?
Cayla: “Buy our products, attend our events, tip our staff!”
Elena: “Just keep coming! We’ve already been humbled by the sheer amount of support we’ve gotten that has helped us stay open - check out our virtual events, come grab some beer or a coffee, or put in an online order for pickup!”
What is your favorite coffee drink/beer?
Cayla: “My favorite beer is Sip of Sunshine from Lawsons, though I do enjoy a good Modelo in the shower every now and again.”
Elena: “Favorite coffee drink is our Dark Roast Cold Brew. I openly admit I have a true caffeine addiction to it. Favorite Beer is definitely Night Cap - it’s a barrel aged imperial stout that we only make once a year. It has definite vanilla whiskey notes, and is a perfect beer to share on a cold night.”
How do you drink your coffee/beer at home? Do you have a coffee/beer ‘ritual’?
Cayla: “When I do make it [coffee], I have a little pour over and I drink it black, but I mainly drink tea at home. I save my coffee consumption for Lamplighter where there’s tasty espresso drinks to be had.”
Elena: “Funnily enough, I rarely make coffee when not at work - I do have a french press, but even that I barely use. The way I see it, I brew coffee for a living; I very rarely want to do that “work” on my days off! I’ll usually utilize the Pepita cold brew growlers, or go to another coffee shop for coffee. Beer I’m almost always drinking only socially - usually with my coworkers, and usually Lamplighter beer haha.”
What’s the biggest mistake that people make when making coffee at home?
Cayla: “I'll let Elena talk about that since I most certainly fall into the “making mistakes” category.”
Elena: “I would say 9/10 times it’s an issue with grind size - machines/coffees/tastes are not a one size fits all situation; I’d encourage people to play around with slight changes to the grind size of their coffee if they have the ability to do so (most local shops will grind coffee for you!).”
What's a little-known fact about coffee/beer that many people don't know?
Cayla: “In the early 1980s, there were only ~50 breweries in the U.S. Today, there’s more than 9,000!”
Elena: “Coffee: A 12oz cup of coffee has more caffeine than a double shot of espresso (about 120 milligrams to 80 milligrams). Coffee also has an “instantaneous” caffeine release (hits you immediately) whereas the caffeine in tea is “timed release” (releases gradually over an extended period). If you’re looking to stay caffeinated longer, drink tea!
Beer: Back in “Ye Olden Days,” ales were viewed as an important source of nutrients, and contained just enough alcohol to act as a preservative and provide hydration without intoxicating effects. Throughout the Middle Ages, ale was consumed daily by almost everyone, including children, as it may have been safer to drink than most water due to the hours of boiling required in production. For most of this time, beer was produced by predominantly female brewers, known as Alewives. #WhoRunTheWorld”
Huge thank you to Cayla and Elena for being incredible!!!
Can line, cappuccino, and B&W photos by Tim Song, @offpeaklife