Blair Housley is a Lumpkin County High School graduate of 1980. Mr. Housley served in the Air Force from 1983 to 1989 as a Security Specialist and was stationed at various bases in Texas, Wyoming, South Dakota and Sicily. Mr. Housley graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. in Geography with special interest in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) services.
Blair previously worked as the Assistant Loan Guaranty Officer in the Atlanta Veteran Affairs (VA) Regional Office, Decatur GA where he provided assistance and oversite to the VA Loan Guaranty program and managed over 120 VA employees. The Atlanta Loan Guaranty Department provides oversight to four states, GA, NC, SC and TN and closed over 97 thousand home loans in 2016 at a value of over $17 billion.
Blair Housley is the principal owner, brew master and mead maker at Etowah Meadery and The Dahlonega Brewery in Dahlonega, GA. Mr. Housley specializes in beer and honey Wine (Mead) and has won over 30 medals in the last several years. Mr. Housley formed Etowah Meadery, Corp in 2016 specializes in Craft Meads and opened The Dahlonega Brewery in 2020 that specializes in small craft style beers.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Mr. Housley has been married for 29 years to Sharon D. Housley, a Senior Environmental Scientist with the Federal EPA in Atlanta and she is also from Dahlonega and graduate from North GA College and State University as well as a master’s in chemistry from Clemson.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do (or did if retired)?
I love creating unique beverages and flavors for our fans to sample and buy.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community and your favorite dishes there?
I love all our local restaurants with such great variety. We have so much to pick from, anything from grass fed burgers, to pizza to greek inspired dishes.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community? And if you moved here, where were you from originally?
I was born in Lumpkin County and have worked in the community on and off most of my life. I have lived in other places across the globe while serving in the military.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community and why?
I have met so many people at our winery and brewery, many from all around the U.S. that travel here, it would be hard to pick just one.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I would like to go to Oahu in the Hawaii Island chain and spend time on the great beaches and doing some scuba diving.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Favorite movie is The Green Beret and TV show would be any one of them with Gordon Ramsay in it.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
It’s never too late to follow your dreams, if you wake up in the morning, chase you dream like it’s your last day on earth.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Wow, not much left on my bucket list, I have done so much, and I am doing what I love in life. Maybe have a successful restaurant and a boutique distillery specializing in unique brandies.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I like most forms of music from country to jazz, however I don’t listen to much at any one given time. I listen to informative programs most of the time.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
The Holly Theater, it’s been around since 1948, it was the first place I watched a movie in and the first place I had a date it.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
Gordon Ramsay, because I love to cook myself and I think he is funny, talented, and tough. We would have lunch at my place, in the future, called Southern Meltz and I would serve him a beer and a grilled cheese sandwich, both of which I made.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
Anything to do with gold, gold mines, gold coins, gold nuggets.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In five years, running a winery, brewery, and distillery. In ten, having a second home in Oahu.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I am pretty much an open book, if asked.
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
October, it’s got Thanksgiving and Halloween and it starts to cool off for the Fall. Best single day on the calendar? The one that I awake to.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A crisp Fall day with the sun shining and nothing scheduled to do that day.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My wife.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Hops and Coffee
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Peace, relaxation, safety
