About us
(pronounced tah-lay-uh)
Both avid homebrewers with MBAs, LeAnn and Tara met after leaving their corporate jobs in tech and media to join the beer industry. Working together on a daily basis, their passions quickly aligned and they realized a shared vision: to create a totally different beer company that would expand the craft beer market.
After years of browsing beer aisles and visiting breweries, they found that despite the booming craft beer market, no breweries were actively trying to speak to customers like them. From confusing packaging and bearded bros with attitudes to dark, industrial taprooms, the male-dominated industry was lacking an approachable, inclusive perspective and voice.
Tara and LeAnn knew there was an opportunity to speak to a broader audience and launched TALEA, creating "easy-drinking beers, perhaps to replace that glass of rosé" (Florence Fabricant, The New York Times). TALEA's beers are at the intersection of high quality and low-bitterness with fruit-forward flavors; beers that you can comfortably share with your hard-seltzer and wine-drinking friends, or open with the most discerning beer connoisseur.
TALEA's flagship brewery and taproom opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in March 2021! Opening every day at 10am, the space is the perfect environment to enjoy coffee and "work from TALEA" or have a flight of beers with friends.
LeAnn
Co-founder, Co-CEO
While serving in the Navy, LeAnn’s interest in craft beer sparked in San Diego, living just three blocks from Coronado Brewing Company’s taproom. She loved the neighbourhood vibe, the feeling of a "third place" where she could relax with friends after a long day, and was intrigued by the limitless possibilities of the brewing process. After the Navy, she pursued a career in corporate finance but never stopped dreaming about having a brewery of her own. She began homebrewing and left her corporate job to join a beer e-commerce start-up that ultimately brought her to NYC, where she serendipitously met Tara. Within three months of knowing each other, they had formed the LLC that is now TALEA Beer Co.
First Memorable Craft Beer:
Gordon Biersch Marzen
TALEA Favorite:
Sun Up Hazy IPA
Other Beer of Choice:
Bell’s Two Hearted
Tara
Co-founder, Co-CEO
Growing up with parents who worked in wine importing and restaurant management, Tara developed a deep appreciation for beverage and hospitality. While earning her MBA, she took wine classes and worked at Wolffer Estate Vineyard. Her desire to bring the hospitality side of wineries to the beer world inspired her to start homebrewing while working in management consulting at PwC and marketing at The New York Times. She met LeAnn at Hopsy, a beer e-commerce start-up, where she led the customer experience team. Tara earned a BSBA from Bucknell University and an MBA from NYU Stern.
First Memorable Craft Beer:
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
TALEA Favorite:
Raspberry Crush Gose
Other Beer of Choice:
Suarez Family Crispy Little
