AURORA, Colo. — Colorado is known for its craft beer and spirits. But one family has tapped into the niche market of making cider.
"There's no business plan," Daniel Haykin, who co-founded Haykin Family Cider with his wife Talia, said. "There's no set destination. It's an adventure that we're on."
The couple did not initially set out to make cider a business. It was a hobby.
"We'll be at events, and a lot of times people say, 'Are you part of the family?'" Talia said. "And, I laugh and I say, 'I am the family!' This is not an old family recipe. This is something that we cooked up in our living room when we were first married."
They quickly realized what they were making for family and friends was special.
"We were invited to all the barbecues because we'd show up with a cooler full of our homemade cider," Talia said. "So it was kind of an eye opener for us that people really like what we're making."
Now, Haykin Family Cider is featured in some of the most prestigious Michelin star restaurants in the metro, including Bruto, Fruition and The Wolf's Tailor.
Their theory is that apples are just as exceptional as wine grapes.
And the Haykins love to highlight the different varieties of apples and the wide range of flavors they offer.
"In any given year we'll make 40-plus different skews of cider," Talia said. "We name the cider after the apple that it's made out of. So, a Newtown Pippen Cider, is the Newtown Pippen apple, just like a Merlot wine is a Merlot grape."
And Colorado is a great environment for growing. They were using Gold Rush apples from Ela Family Farms in Hotchkiss while Denver7 was there. They also forage crab apples from Denver and Aurora.
"My husband travels to the orchards every year, tastes the apples, and talks to the growers," Talia said.
Their offerings could pair perfectly with your gatherings for the holidays.
"Everybody thinks about apples in the fall," Talia said. "We definitely see an influx of business coming to us and people wanting cider for holidays."
They invite you to their tasting room, where you can learn more about the history of the apples and their vibrant flavors.
"It's not just the stuff you buy at a grocery store," Talia said. "There are so many interesting flavors. There are thousands of different kinds of apples and we like to showcase what they can do."
