Less than a month after her husband’s arrest on child rape charges, Sycamore Brewing co-founder Sarah Taylor filed for divorce from Justin Tawse Brigham, her husband of nearly two decades. The move formalizes their separation and details her assumption of control over the brewery they had started together.
Brigham, whose address is listed as the Stanly County Detention Center in Albemarle, was charged on Dec. 15 with three counts of statutory sex offense with a child younger than 15, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, solicitation of a child by computer, and assault inflicting serious bodily injury.
Brigham, 44, has been detained since his Dec. 11 arrest on charges of statutory rape involving a 13-year-old girl in Stanly County. He now faces more than a dozen felony charges.
Since the arrest, Taylor had announced she initiated divorce proceedings and removed Brigham from the business. The divorce complaint was filed in court Jan. 8.
According to the divorce filing, the couple married on Sept. 20, 2008, and separated immediately on Dec. 11 following Brigham’s arrest and Taylor’s discovery of the “horrific allegations against him.”
A request for post-separation support, alimony, child support and equitable distribution of marital property, as well as attorney’s fees, was filed in a domestic civil action complaint in Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court.
Sycamore Brewing co-owners Justin Brigham and his wife, Sarah Taylor, are shown at the brewery in this Charlotte Observer file photo. File
Sycamore Brewing co-founder seeks child support, assets
The couple share a child, born in 2016.
Due to Brigham’s indefinite incarceration and inability to earn an income, Taylor is seeking a lump-sum child support payment from his estate to satisfy his monthly obligation until the child graduates from high school or turns 18. Taylor, who was dependent on her husband and accustomed to a high standard of living during the marriage, does not have adequate resources to meet her reasonable needs, according to the complaint. Brigham has the ability to pay post-separation support out of his estate, the filing stated. Taylor said she has been a “faithful and dutiful spouse” and is seeking alimony, citing “marital misconduct” by her husband.
The alleged marital misconduct includes illicit sexual behavior, involuntary separation resulting from a criminal act, abandonment and destruction or concealment of assets. The complaint did not provide details about the assets allegations.
The co-owner of Sycamore Brewing was arrested in Stanly County and accused of breaking into a home and raping a 13-year-old girl, according to court records. TRACY KIMBALL [email protected]
Control of Sycamore Brewing
The couple co-founded Sycamore Brewing in 2013, which has since grown into one of North Carolina’s largest craft beer brands, according to the filing.
“Since his arrest, he has had zero involvement with Sycamore,” according to the divorce filing. Taylor, a part-time resident of Mecklenburg County, assumed control of the brewery. The complaint does not say where else Taylor lives.
The Charlotte Observer was not immediately able to reach the attorney representing Taylor, Gena Morris with James, McElroy & Diehl in Charlotte.
Details of the divorce were reported earlier Monday by The Charlotte Ledger newsletter.
The Sycamore Brewing fallout
On Jan. 5, Sycamore taproom in South End closed indefinitely to “allow space for processing, healing and beginning the work of reimagining this community space,” Taylor had announced in a late December letter to the community.
Sycamore Brewing also was ousted from the Charlotte airport after opening there three years ago. The brewery’s plan to open “a family-friendly” location in Cotswold Village Shopping Center also evaporated.
The same day the divorce complaint was filed on Jan. 8, Sycamore Brewing changed the name of its limited liability company to Club West Brewing with Taylor listed as the managing member.
Sycamore beer had been sold in seven states. In 2023, Sycamore closed its original location at 2161 Hawkins St., and moved to a 21,000-square-foot space at 2151 Hawkins St.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 5:05 AM.
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Catherine Muccigrosso
The Charlotte Observer
Catherine Muccigrosso is the retail business reporter for The Charlotte Observer. An award-winning journalist, she has worked for multiple newspapers and McClatchy for more than a decade.
