Half Door Brewing
A half door is a familiar sight in Ireland, flanking the front of farmhouses & village pubs as a way to let fresh air in and keep the nosy farm animals out!
To us (the Drayne family that is), Half Door represents the brewing traditions of our ancestors, carried out daily in pubs. These pubs acted as the cultural hub for every tiny village across the Irish countryside, and each one brewed their own unique beer until the 1950s. That’s when a certain macro brewery (we won’t name names!) began to impressively dominate the industry, but also wipe out the unique character of small brewing operations.
The turn-of-the-century house we call home was a natural for our family-run brewpub – we Draynes are naturally hospitable – the welcoming spirit is in our blood!
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.
