Bar manager."
Patrons may have recognized him as the mustachioed, sideburn festooned man behind the bar at Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse. But his signature whiskers were recently shorn because Jefferis, 38, wanted to see his face nike air max pas cher.
Jefferis has been in the hospitality business for 15 years, doing everything from washing dishes to serving to bartending. In four years at the psychedelic, salmon themed beer den on Sixth Avenue, he has risen to bar manager.
Jefferis slings beer like a pro, but his personal tastes range from fine wines to scotch. His lust for liquor based learning makes him a regular at local tastings. He doesn't have a specialty drink, but he knows about every item and brew in the bar and can accommodate patrons of any preference, so long as the customers meet him halfway.
"My biggest thing," he said, "is give me something to work with." If someone says they "just want a beer," Jefferis said, he will inevitably reply, "Light, medium or dark? Give me something."
In a bar that offers beers from Bud Light to heady, hop infused microbrews, Jefferis likes clientele to experience the vastness of flavor. "Most people are just used to 'beer."
Now a prince of porters, ales and all things lager, Jefferis had an inauspicious beginning. His first job? A "houseboy" at a sorority at the University of Oregon, from which he eventually graduated with a degree in psychology. At the sorority house, he cleaned plates and served food for minimum wage and perks.
"Free food, and I got to stare at all the pretty girls," he said. "Tough sell."
His love for serving drinks also started there.
"In college at keggers, I was always the keg master," Jefferis said.
"The girls really liked those," he said. "They're easy to make, and they taste good if you do it right."
He still makes the cosmos today. His secret? Two types of lime flavor in the mixing process. "You want the sweet of the Rose's (brand) lime (juice) and the tart of the real limes," he said.
Jefferis said he doesn't have a favorite cocktail but mentioned that he's been making a lot of Purple Hooters lately (vodka, raspberry liqueur, sour and 7 Up) and enjoying it.
Purple Hooters make a great drink and an excellent shot, especially for those who don't usually like shots the citrus flavor provides a nice, lingering tingle.
I asked Jefferis what qualities he thought made him a stellar bartender. He demurred.
"I'm good," he said, "but I'm not great. When I think of great bartenders, I think about the guy in Vegas doing 30 drinks at once who's been there 20 years. It's about longevity and knowledge of product."
He added, "You've got to be personable." That's one quality Jefferis has in pints, and he finds it a good trait at a place like Humpy's.
"I like the bar atmosphere as opposed to a swanky place," he said.
Friendly though he may be, Jefferis has no qualms when dealing with over the limit patrons.
"The funniest thing is when you cut someone off and then they start cussing at you," Jefferis said with a laugh. "How is that going to get you another drink? When does that ever work?"
It doesn't. But what works for Jefferis is personality and a commitment to his passion. At Humpy's, Jefferis works it and works it well with his keg on the shoulder, mustache themed panache.
Patrons may have recognized him as the mustachioed, sideburn festooned man behind the bar at Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse. But his signature whiskers were recently shorn because Jefferis, 38, wanted to see his face nike air max pas cher.
Jefferis has been in the hospitality business for 15 years, doing everything from washing dishes to serving to bartending. In four years at the psychedelic, salmon themed beer den on Sixth Avenue, he has risen to bar manager.
Jefferis slings beer like a pro, but his personal tastes range from fine wines to scotch. His lust for liquor based learning makes him a regular at local tastings. He doesn't have a specialty drink, but he knows about every item and brew in the bar and can accommodate patrons of any preference, so long as the customers meet him halfway.
"My biggest thing," he said, "is give me something to work with." If someone says they "just want a beer," Jefferis said, he will inevitably reply, "Light, medium or dark? Give me something."
In a bar that offers beers from Bud Light to heady, hop infused microbrews, Jefferis likes clientele to experience the vastness of flavor. "Most people are just used to 'beer."
Now a prince of porters, ales and all things lager, Jefferis had an inauspicious beginning. His first job? A "houseboy" at a sorority at the University of Oregon, from which he eventually graduated with a degree in psychology. At the sorority house, he cleaned plates and served food for minimum wage and perks.
"Free food, and I got to stare at all the pretty girls," he said. "Tough sell."
His love for serving drinks also started there.
"In college at keggers, I was always the keg master," Jefferis said.
"The girls really liked those," he said. "They're easy to make, and they taste good if you do it right."
He still makes the cosmos today. His secret? Two types of lime flavor in the mixing process. "You want the sweet of the Rose's (brand) lime (juice) and the tart of the real limes," he said.
Jefferis said he doesn't have a favorite cocktail but mentioned that he's been making a lot of Purple Hooters lately (vodka, raspberry liqueur, sour and 7 Up) and enjoying it.
Purple Hooters make a great drink and an excellent shot, especially for those who don't usually like shots the citrus flavor provides a nice, lingering tingle.
I asked Jefferis what qualities he thought made him a stellar bartender. He demurred.
"I'm good," he said, "but I'm not great. When I think of great bartenders, I think about the guy in Vegas doing 30 drinks at once who's been there 20 years. It's about longevity and knowledge of product."
He added, "You've got to be personable." That's one quality Jefferis has in pints, and he finds it a good trait at a place like Humpy's.
"I like the bar atmosphere as opposed to a swanky place," he said.
Friendly though he may be, Jefferis has no qualms when dealing with over the limit patrons.
"The funniest thing is when you cut someone off and then they start cussing at you," Jefferis said with a laugh. "How is that going to get you another drink? When does that ever work?"
It doesn't. But what works for Jefferis is personality and a commitment to his passion. At Humpy's, Jefferis works it and works it well with his keg on the shoulder, mustache themed panache.
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