Sycamore Brewing forced to rebrand after owner charged with raping girl

The North Carolina craft beer scene was rocked by scandal when the co-founder of Sycamore Brewing, Justin Brigham, was arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl he groomed on social media. Brigham and his wife, Sarah Taylor, had been the golden couple behind the successful brewery in Charlotte for years.

The arrest of Brigham led to the abrupt rebranding of Sycamore Brewing, which had been a staple in the local community. The taproom briefly shut its doors before reopening under a new name and ownership. The move was seen as a last-ditch effort to salvage the reputation of the business in the wake of the disturbing charges against Brigham.

The disturbing saga unfolded when Brigham allegedly broke into the young teen’s family home in the middle of the night after grooming her through Snapchat and text messages for two weeks. The girl’s parents called 911 after finding him in her bedroom, leading to his arrest on felony charges including statutory rape of a child, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties with a child.

Following Brigham’s arrest, his wife Sarah filed for divorce and publicly distanced herself and Sycamore Brewing from the alleged rapist. She took sole ownership of the company and expressed her devastation at the situation, emphasizing the need for justice for the victim.

The fallout for Sycamore Brewing was significant, with major retailers pulling the beer from their shelves. In March, the taproom reopened under the new name Club West Brewing, with ownership transferred to a former staffer, Brad Bergman. The rebranding and ownership shift were seen as a fresh start for the business in light of the criminal case involving Brigham.

As Brigham remains in custody on an $11 million bond, the future of the brewery remains uncertain. The community continues to grapple with the shocking allegations and looks towards a new chapter for Club West Brewing under its new ownership.