Following arrest of co-owner, here's the history of Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte
Sycamore Brewing has been a staple of the Charlotte beer scene since opening in 2014. At the same time, it's been no stranger to controversies and headlines.
Sycamore's co-owner Justin Tawse Brigham was accused of breaking into a home in Stanly County and raping a 13-year-old girl on Wednesday, according to court records. Brigham, 44, was charged with three felonies, including statutory rape of a child under 15, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties with a child. He has since relinquished his role with the brewery with his wife Sarah Taylor taking full leadership of the company.
Since its opening, Sycamore has garnered headlines for its "naughty" and "risque" beer can labels around the Christmas season. In 2019, a label on Sycamore's Christmas Cookie Winter Ale that featured reindeer in various sexual positions was flagged by the North Carolina Alcohol Enforcement forcing the company to pull the cans from distribution. The beer label for the following year featured gingerbread people with a bondage theme.
The company expanded in recent years, leaving their original Charlotte location to move into The Line, which runs alongside the LYNX Blue Line tracks in South End. The new taproom opened in 2023.
Here are headlines over the past decade outlining the history of Sycamore Brewing in the Charlotte region.
NO. 1: GET A TASTE OF SYCAMORE BREWING’S NEW CANNERY -- AND ITS TAPROOM RENOVATION PLANS.
While many of the breweries along South End brewery hoppers’ weekend crawl routes offer locally made GoodRoad or Red Clay ciders as their gluten-free alcoholic option, Sycamore Brewing now offers their own line of ciders – Wild Blossom. | Published July 20, 2018 | Read Full Story by Bryan M. Richards
NO. 2: HOW SYCAMORE BREWING HAS EVOLVED IN THREE YEARS ON THE BEER SCENE
I sat down with co-owner of Sycamore Brewing, Sarah Brigham, to discuss Sycamore’s first three years and what’s ahead for the brewery. | Published October 12, 2017 | Read Full Story by CharlotteFive Staff
NO. 3: SYCAMORE BREWING LAUNCHES NEW HARD SELTZER LINE—APTLY NAMED BUBS
Local, craft hard seltzer is all the rage these days and Charlotte breweries have joined the party. | Published October 30, 2019 | Read Full Story by Melissa Oyler
NO. 4: DO RISQUé REINDEER BELONG ON NORTH CAROLINA BEER CAN? HERE’S WHAT STATE REGULATORS SAY
The cans will be relabeled with last year’s “G-Rated can art,” according to the brewery. | Published December 6, 2019 | Read Full Story by Hayley Fowler
NO. 5: CHARLOTTE BREWERY APPEALS DENIAL OF USING NAUGHTY WORD ABOUT 2020 ON CRAFT SELTZER LABEL
The brewery has had other run-ins with the NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission over its drink labels. | Published March 9, 2021 | Read Full Story by Catherine Muccigrosso
NO. 6: RING IN THE HOLIDAYS WITH CHARLOTTE BEERS — INCLUDING ONE NAUGHTY BREWERY
It’s a Christmas delight with these limited-release seasonal beers from Charlotte breweries. | Published November 19, 2021 | Read Full Story by Laurie Larsh
NO. 7: SEXY SNOWFLAKES: CHECK OUT SYCAMORE BREWING’S NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS BEER CANS FOR 2021
“Jingle my bells and stuff my stocking ... a special edition of Christmas Cookie Winter Ale!” | Published November 19, 2021 | Read Full Story by Laurie Larsh
NO. 8: TAKE A LOOK AT SYCAMORE BREWING’S NEW CLT AIRPORT LOCATION, OPENING SOON
Flying soon? Concourse E is getting new food, too. | Published March 31, 2022 | Read Full Story by Hannah Smoot
NO. 9: BEER BRAWL: CLT’S SYCAMORE BREWERY SUES CALIFORNIA CRAFT BEER GIANT IN TRADEMARK FIGHT
In a new federal lawsuit, Charlotte’s Sycamore Brewing Co. accuses a larger California competitor of stealing its trademarked slogan “Keep It Juicy.” | Published April 15, 2022 | Read Full Story by Michael Gordon
NO. 10: RISQUé BUSINESS: SYCAMORE BREWING’S NEW CHRISTMAS ALE CANS SHOW NAUGHTY SIGHTS AGAIN
The South End brewer has caught flak for designs of its holiday ales in previous years. Now it’s elves with risque toys and sweaters | Published November 21, 2022 | Read Full Story by Catherine Muccigrosso
NO. 11: SEE INSIDE: THE NEW SYCAMORE BREWING LOCATION IN CHARLOTTE AT THE LINE
Look forward to coffee shop cookies and craft beer floats with soft serve in a ground-level beer garden or second-floor patio space. | Published March 28, 2023 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley
NO. 12: SYCAMORE BREWING CO-OWNER ACCUSED OF BREAKING INTO STANLY COUNTY HOME, RAPING GIRL
The co-owner of Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte was accused of breaking into a home in Stanly County and raping a 13-year-old girl on Wednesday, according to court records. | Published December 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jeff A. Chamer
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.