Young Chefs' Big Bets III

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In 2004, he left that job to start Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, a microbrewery in Dexter. This September, he opened the Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewpub in the old Pepperz restaurant space on South Main.

Jeffries will be brewing his award-winning signature sour beers on site. The opening lineup includes Bam Biere (voted by Men's Journal as one of the Top 25 Beers in America), Bam Noire, North Peak Diabolical IPA, and Golden Manatee Belipago. (The Bams are named after Jeffries' Jack Russell terrier, the brewery's unofficial mascot.)

Jolly Pumpkin is the only microbrewery in the country that ages all its beer in oak barrels, which adds flavor. And though more and more places are brewing sour beer, Jolly Pumpkin is the only one making nothing but that kind.

Unlike at other local brewpubs, customers can't see the Jolly Pumpkin's brewers in action. Only three small tanks are on the main floor--the rest of the brewing equipment is in the basement. Taps feed bars on the main and second floors.