Sycamore Brewing in North Carolina Is at the Center of Controversy Involving One of the Owners

After products from Sycamore Brewing in North Carolina began to be pulled from shelves across the state, it was clear to longtime customers that the controversy involving one of the owners of the brewery was serious. Justin Brigham, co-owner of the company with his wife, Sarah Taylor, was arrested in December 2025 on serious charges that have now impacted the couple's shared company.

According to its website, Sycamore Brewing was started by Brigham and Taylor in 2013. It became the largest brewery in Charlotte and the third-largest in North Carolina as a whole. The company even expanded to be distributed across other states. But now that Brigham faces charges that have put the company in danger, the future looks uncertain.

According to WRAL News, Brigham was arrested on Dec. 11, 2025, for breaking into the home of a 13-year-old girl the previous day and raping her. He was charged with statutory sex offense against a child under 15 years old, first-degree burglary, soliciting a child by computer, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, and assault inflicting serious bodily injury.

ABC 11 reported that authorities said Brigham spoke with the 13-year-old girl for two weeks on social media prior to going to her home. The conversations reportedly showed that the girl made her age clear to him. After the child's parents arrived home and found Brigham, he fled the scene. Per the outlet, he was found undressed in his car.

Brigham's bond was set at $10 million after his arrest. In the state of North Carolina, according to the North Carolina General Assembly, first-degree burglary is classified as a class D felony and is punishable by 38 to 160 months in prison. The statutory sex offense against a child under 15 years old charge could be considered a B1 felony, which carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison if the defendant is found guilty.

After Brigham's arrest and after stores began pulling Sycamore Brewing products from their shelves, Brigham's wife and business partner released a statement on Instagram on behalf of the company. According to her, Brigham no longer has any ownership stakes. However, the controversy surrounding the company and what Brigham was charged with likely won't go unnoticed for a long time.

"To our employees, customers, and partners, I am devastated by the charges against Justin and the pain this has inflicted on our family and others," Taylor wrote in the statement. "Effective immediately, I am assuming full leadership of the company. Justin is divesting all of his interest and will have no further involvement. Our team remains my highest priority as a mom and a business owner."

The Instagram page for Sycamore Brewing released another statement afterward. In it, the company doubled down on what Taylor said. The statement also assured customers and the public that it would in no way help aid Brigham's defense costs.

If you need support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org to chat online one-on-one with a support specialist at any time.