Meet Talia Haykin | Owner & Head Cidermaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Talia Haykin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Talia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We didn’t start out planning to build a business. We started because we were looking for something we couldn’t find in our local bottle shops.

My husband, Dan, and I were drawn to cider as a drink capable of real depth, structure, and elegance – something dynamic, expressive, and genuinely food-worthy – but it simply wasn’t available in the way we imagined it. So we began making it ourselves, initially for our own table. Dan brought deep technical curiosity and discipline to the process, and I brought a strong palate, a sense of balance, and a background in marketing. Over time, as I stepped fully into cidermaking, I became increasingly focused on how ingredients, method, and context shape the final result. We learned by doing, together.

What changed everything was the response. When people tasted the cider – without branding or marketing – the reaction was immediate and consistent. They wanted more. They asked where they could buy it. That demand wasn’t something we manufactured; it pulled the business into existence.

From there, the question became whether we could build something real around that quality – something intentional, repeatable, and worthy of the fruit and the work. The business grew out of that answer. We committed to treating cider seriously, to continual learning, and to building a company grounded in craftsmanship, agriculture, and restraint rather than volume or trend-chasing.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At its core, our business is about treating cider with intention and respect – starting with the fruit and extending through every decision we make. What sets us apart is our orchard-driven approach: we work directly with growers, build releases around specific fruit and place, and name our orchard partners on every label because they are foundational to the final product.

We focus on making cider that is dynamic, expressive, and food-worthy – something that can stand comfortably alongside fine wine on the table. That means prioritizing quality over volume, restraint over trend-chasing, and long-term relationships over quick wins. Our portfolio reflects that philosophy, even as it continues to evolve.

Business-wise, we are very much still building. We’ve chosen to grow slowly and deliberately, allowing the cider, the relationships, and the systems to develop together. The company didn’t begin with a large launch or outside momentum – it grew through word of mouth, repeat customers and club members, and people responding to the cider itself. That organic growth continues to shape how we operate today.

It hasn’t been easy. Agriculture is unpredictable, production is capital-intensive, and building infrastructure while you’re still learning requires patience and discipline. We navigate those challenges by staying focused on fundamentals – improving processes, tightening operations, learning from mistakes, and making steady, incremental progress rather than chasing shortcuts. Consistency matters more than speed, especially in fermentation.

The biggest lesson so far has been the value of clarity. Knowing who you are, what you do well, and what you’re willing to say no to becomes even more important as you grow. Clear and transparent standards – around sourcing, production, and partnerships – are what protect both the product and the people behind it.

What I want the world to know about our brand is that we are building with intention. We care deeply about the fruit, the growers, and the integrity of the work. We believe cider can be serious, expressive, and rooted in place – and we’re committed to building something durable, honest, and well-made, even if it takes time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A week well spent

Dan and I always seek out the “best of” when we travel, and our version of a perfect week is unapologetically food and drink focused. Colorado is at its best when meals, drinks, and landscape all inform each other, so I’d plan the trip around where and how we eat and let everything else fall into place around that.

Day 1

I’d ease in with dinner at Potager – warm, seasonal, and deeply rooted in place. It’s the kind of meal that immediately sets expectations for how thoughtfully food is treated here. An easy walk in the neighborhood afterward, early night, and time to adjust to the altitude.

Day 2

I must start the day with great coffee! I’m pretty loyal to Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters – whether we’re stopping in when we can or ordering beans online – because they approach coffee with the same precision and care we look for in food and drink.

Dinner would be at Bruto – intimate, focused, and quietly ambitious, followed by cocktails at Death & Co. Both places reward attention and intention, and together they make for a great night.

Day 3

We’d spend the day at our cidery – tasting, talking about apples, fermentation, and where the fruit comes from. Not rushed, not tour-y. Dinner that night would be at Annette, followed by drinks at Traveling Mercies – one of our favorite pairings and a great example of how thoughtful exceptional food and drink are showing up beyond the city center.

Day 4

Let’s head to Boulder for the day: a morning at Chautauqua Park, followed by a hike in the Flatirons. From there, we’d spend time at the Boulder Farmers Market, then stop by Boulder Wine Merchant to browse. Dinner would be Flagstaff House – classic, elegant, and well worth the view.

Day 5 –

I would start the day at the Pearl Street Farmers Market, then keep the afternoon relaxed. Dinner would be at The Wolf’s Tailor, followed by cocktails at Williams & Graham – close by, perfectly paired, and another great snapshot of Denver’s food and drink culture.

Day 6

Let’s head up to Breckenridge for a change of pace – long walks, fresh air, and space. Dinner would be at Rootstalk, which does an incredible job of feeling both refined and grounded in its surroundings.

Day 7

The last day would be intentionally unstructured: sleep in, a late breakfast (beignets at Lucille’s?), one last favorite stop, and a fabulous view of Blucifer on the way to the airport.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, this belongs to my husband and business partner, Daniel. We built this together by learning our way into it – experimenting, failing, refining, and holding each other to a high standard. His technical rigor and curiosity laid the foundation, and our collaboration continues to shape how we work and make decisions every day.

I’d also dedicate it to the growers we work with. Orchardists are at the center of everything we do, and we name them on every label because the fruit – and the people who grow it – are the starting point for every bottle. Their knowledge and long-term stewardship shape flavor long before fermentation begins, and our work depends on the trust and relationships we’ve built with them.

And finally, our kids. Building a business alongside raising a family forces clarity -about time, priorities, and what’s actually sustainable. They’re a daily reminder that what we’re building needs to last, not just succeed.

Website: https://www.haykinfamilycider.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haykinfamilycider/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/haykin-family-cider-aurora