Today we are celebrating Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland! These Entrepreneurs of the Day founded TALEA Beer Co.

As the only exclusively woman and veteran-owned production brewery in New York City, TALEA is setting a bold new standard: flavor-first beers, inclusive taprooms, and founders who are anything but typical. What started as a side project between two homebrewers with MBAs has grown into a fast-scaling, hospitality-forward beer company that’s changing what it means to be a brewery in America’s most competitive beverage market.

Founded in 2019 by Tara and LeAnn, TALEA Beer Co. was born from a shared realization: the craft beer industry wasn’t speaking to customers like them. Both women had left careers in tech, media, and finance to pursue a more passionate path; and in doing so, discovered a glaring gap in the market. There were so few breweries intentionally creating space for women or anyone who didn’t already identify as a craft beer fan.

TALEA’s beers are designed to be easy-drinking and accessible, with a focus on low bitterness and fruit-forward flavors. Their offerings include hits like Al Dente, a crisp Italian-Style Pilsner with notes of jasmine, toast, and honey, and Sun Up, a hazy IPA reminiscent of pineapple push pops and mango smoothies.

The brand’s mission of inclusion extends beyond its beer. In 2021, TALEA opened its first taproom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Since then, they’ve added taprooms in Cobble Hill, the West Village, Bryant Park, and most recently Manhattan’s Penn District in Fall 2024. Each location offers more than just beer: think beer cocktails, yoga classes, food truck pop-ups, and community events, all curated with a strong sense of hospitality.

Behind the brand are two founders whose paths to beer were anything but traditional. LeAnn discovered craft beer while serving in the U.S. Navy, just blocks from Coronado Brewing Company in San Diego. Intrigued by the creative and communal energy of beer culture, she started homebrewing and later pivoted from corporate finance to join Hopsy, a beer e-commerce start-up. It was there she met Tara, a fellow homebrewer with a background in management consulting and marketing at The New York Times.

Tara had grown up immersed in the world of wine; her parents worked in wine importing and restaurant management. While earning her MBA at NYU Stern, she studied wine and worked a harvest at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons. But it was beer’s creative potential and community feel that ultimately drew her in. After meeting at Hopsy, she and LeAnn formed TALEA’s LLC within three months.

The results speak for themselves. TALEA’s beers are now found in hundreds of bars, restaurants, and retail locations across New York State; from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market to Michelin-starred dining rooms. Their production and wholesale business continues to grow at double-digit rates annually, and in late 2023, they launched their first canned non-alcoholic beer (the Strawberry Lemon Spritzy Sour) to critical acclaim.

In 2024, both founders were named to Inc.’s prestigious Female Founders 250 list, honoring the most dynamic and inspirational women entrepreneurs in the country.

With five thriving taprooms, a growing retail footprint, and a leadership team dedicated to inclusivity and innovation, TALEA Beer Co. isn’t just brewing great beer, it’s creating a new kind of craft culture. One that welcomes everyone to the table, pint in hand.