BOCO Cider, Boulder’s only cidery, is closing after five years

BOCO Cider, Boulder’s only cidery, is closing on Nov. 24 after five years in business. Owner Michael Belochi explained that the current location — a small, out-of-the-way industrial space in North Boulder — and zoning restrictions have limited the cidery’s ability to scale and attract tourists and visitors, making a move necessary. Whether the cidery will reopen in a larger, more accessible location or close permanently remains uncertain.  

“We’re in that position right now where we have to go big or go home. That’s why we’re vacating and shutting down this operation,” Belochi told Boulder Reporting Lab.

Belochi announced the closure to employees and customers in August, hoping to give patrons time to enjoy the taproom’s atmosphere, live music and high-quality local cider one last time. Numerous customers texted saying they were “heartbroken,” the closure announcement said.

“Unfortunately, my assumption — that if we have the only cidery in Boulder and we make good cider, the world would beat a path to our door — did not come true,” he said.

Belochi, 62, originally from Cupertino, California, came to Boulder for graduate school. He practiced family and business law before opening BOCO Cider in 2019 after years of making his own cider at home. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, BOCO Cider survived, attracting a loyal customer base and maintaining steady sales during a difficult period for many small businesses. But Belochi realized early on that the location wouldn’t support the business long term and saw it only as a first step.

Situated in a complex within North Boulder’s industrial zone on Lee Hill Drive, BOCO Cider’s location makes it challenging to attract new customers organically. Bookcliff Vineyards and Upslope Brewing operate in the same complex. Upslope, in particular, found success after buying a building in East Boulder, allowing greater capacity for entertainment and food trucks, Belochi said. He’s considering a similar business model.

“If you’re not looking for us, you don’t find us very easily,” Belochi said.

The 2,000-square-foot space served multiple functions, operating as a cidery, taproom and entertainment venue. Cider production took place Monday through Wednesday, while the taproom opened to the public from Thursday through Sunday. In addition to regular service, the venue hosted a variety of events, from baby showers and bachelor parties to fundraisers and other community gatherings. Many of the apples used in their cider come from Community Fruit Rescue, a local organization focused on reducing food waste by distributing surplus produce.

Belochi expected cider to be a big hit in Boulder — it’s “both old and new,” gluten-free, and he was setting up in a university town. Cidermaker Josh Smith crafts unique flavors, like Mango Tango, which offers a hint of mango but packs a punch with a blend of chiles, and Son of Bourbon, aged in bourbon barrels for a distinct aroma. Despite a packed taproom during live performances, the turnout wasn’t enough.

“I could be sitting here at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday and we’re virtually empty,” Belochi said. “We can’t sustain a business just around the intense two or three hours of music.”

Belochi has tried to make BOCO Cider as welcoming as possible, he said: friendly staff, nonalcoholic options, a BYO takeout policy, live music, community events, a Venn diagram taste guide to the drinks on tap to help customers navigate the menu and unlimited tastings. He also prides himself on an all-natural process — BOCO Cider is unfiltered, unpasteurized and sulfite-free. The simplest blends take four weeks to make.

The cidery’s location presents a real challenge and may always. Belochi explained that because BOCO Cider brews and serves on-site, it’s classified as a manufacturing business, limiting it to industrial zones. Most cities label cider production as general manufacturing, which pushes small craft beverage operations away from residential and tourist areas.

Belochi also wonders if drinking habits in Boulder are changing — people are visiting craft taprooms less and drinking less overall. This trend seems linked to Boulder’s shifting demographics and high costs for housing and dining, which can make it challenging for younger people to live in or visit the area, he said.

“I don’t have any gripes with the demographics of the people. It’s our job to be the place they want to come to,” Belochi said. “I certainly have no gripes with the competition, everyone’s just trying to make their way through.” 

Belochi does have other gripes. He tried to get local businesses to serve BOCO Cider on tap, but bar managers, often overworked and facing high turnover, are wary of change and risk, he said. His frustration mounted when these taprooms continued to offer cider only in cans. Back in the cidery’s early days, Belochi could at least deliver to tech companies and businesses, but that model ended with the pandemic. The Rayback Collective was the only local taproom that consistently bought from him.

One idea for a future BOCO Cider is to split operations, establishing a dedicated production facility with separate taprooms in more central or high-traffic areas focused solely on retail. The tradeoff is that these taprooms wouldn’t have the same barrels and kegs, which help give BOCO Cider its atmosphere, Belochi said.

Another idea, he added, is to turn BOCO Cider into a brewpub, allowing it to operate as a restaurant while continuing to brew on-site. BOCO Cider only offered bagged snacks to avoid conflicts with its license.

However, “going big” with BOCO Cider would require 10 years of commitment. The time alone makes Belochi and Smith, the cidermaker, hesitate, not to mention the need to secure new investors.

As a final step after closing, Belochi plans to sell everything in the cidery — from the chairs to a fireproof filing cabinet to all the decorations and any leftover cider. He expects the sale to take place soon after Thanksgiving.