Beer Research Institute
Like many of the great stories of American entrepreneurs, our story begins in a garage! The first batch of beer was made in the spring of 2003. It wasn’t good, but it sparked a passion that eventually morphed into The B.R.I.
Our Brewpub opened in 2014 on a 5 barrel brew house and a shoestring budget. Since then, we’ve been making our favorite beers and serving them with delicious food from our scratch kitchen. We focus on the beers that we enjoy drinking and making the kind of food we like to eat. We hope that everyone else enjoys it as much as we do but in short, we do what we want!
More than anything else, The B.R.I. is a gathering place. It’s the place where friends go out together on a weekend. It’s where co-workers wind down their day with happy hour. Its where families come to celebrate life’s little victories and events. The Brewpub hold’s a special place in our heart. It’s the town hall. It’s church to some. It’s where the revolution began! For thousands of years, people have went to their local taverns, pubs and breweries and now our brewery is part of that history.
By the end of 2016, we knew we would have to grow our operation so we began working on the current expansion plans. If all goes well, we should be increasing our brewing and our seating in the fall of 2017. The beer will be made on that same 5 barrel system we started on and the beers will be developed just like they were when we were still in the garage. Slow and methodical; with a little bit of science, a little bit of artistry and a metric shit ton of passion!
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
