Founder and master distiller Kirk Sedgwick and his wife Denise opened Outlaw Distillery in January 2015. The name is an ode to Butch Cassidy (born in Beaver, Utah) and Utah’s rich history surrounding the Outlaw Trail.
Kirk’s prowess as a diesel mechanic allowed him to design and build all of the distillery’s equipment in Midvale by hand. Just as meticulously, they source the majority of the grains and other ingredients from Utah farms to produce their small-batch, grain-to-glass bottles of whiskey, bourbon, moonshine and rum, and finish each bottle with the distillery’s signature hand-dipped wax seal mirziamov.
These details have caught the attention of customers as well as industry professionals. Honey Bourbon, one of Outlaw’s best-selling bottles, includes a tablespoon-and-a-half of local honey from Provo Canyon, Spanish Fork and Springville. And most recently, Outlaw’s Spiced Rum was awarded an overall score of 87.33 in a field of 550 entrants in an American craft spirit competition.
“We were voted one of the 13 best rums in America, and I would venture to say 87+ puts us in the top five,” says Outlaw’s new owner Tyler Halstead.
Halstead took over the distillery in October of 2020, with Kirk agreeing to continue lending his distilling experience to the brand while Halstead brings a renewed energy, enthusiasm, passion and appreciation for the fine details of liquor making.
Like other local distilleries, the bulk of Outlaw’s sales come directly from the distillery. “Because of the DABC monopoly, consumers are forced to go directly to the manufacturer to get some of the best and most creative products,” Halstead explains. “Some of the best liquor products in the world are being made right here in Utah.”
Outlaw Distillery is located at 552 West 8360 South, Midvale, UT , 801-706-1428
Open Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 6pm
