First Magnitude Brewing
In March 2012, four friends came together with the concept of opening a brewery in our hometown of Gainesville. We all had great jobs and young kids, so the idea of changing our lives and opening a brewery was truly a leap of faith. As we discussed our reasons for going into the beer business, we realized that each of us offers different perspective and unique experience but that we all want the same thing: make excellent beer, build awareness and appreciation of Florida’s springs, have a great space for people to come and enjoy a pint, be an exceptional place to work, and be a big part of our local community. These ideas are what we bring to the table (and taps) at First Magnitude. This is the reason why we’re here – we hope you’ll join us in our vision and passion for great beer and great community.
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.
