18 June 19th - June 25st, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | in common is a dedication to using local ingredients, partnering with local farms and doing all production in-house, Halstead explains. “There is no difference from a produc- tion strategy,” Halstead says. “(Adventurous Stills founder) Kelly (Lattig) and I always saw eye-to-eye on that and we share those same values.” Four years ago, Halstead took an Adventurous Stills tour that would be career-changing. Impressed with his industry colleague’s operation, he kept in touch with Lattig and followed the compa- ny’s progress. Meanwhile in Utah, Outlaw faced chal- lenges that roiled many small businesses emerging from the pandemic. The state’s strict laws regarding the sale and consump- tion of spirits had already made operating the distillery’s retail and tasting room more difficult. For Lattig, Adventurous Stills was his post-retirement plan following a more than 20-year career in the semiconductor industry. But he didn’t intend it to be a permanent one and longed for an actual retirement. Their respective professional paths appeared to serendipitously dovetail. “At some point, the conversations led to (Outlaw’s) expansion,” Halstead recalls. “It was the best way to give both distilleries a fighting chance.” Lattig called the ownership change a “win-win.” He is pleased that Halstead will continue the Arizona grain-to-glass model. “With the philosophy of buying local grains and making spirits from scratch in-house, we’re really well aligned,” Lattig says. “I think it’s fantastic. I’m happy for Tyler.” Ideology echoed in a glass Already, Halstead has big new ideas for his Tempe spot. A portion of the sales from the featured cocktail-of-the-month benefits a local non- profit. June’s cocktail, a cucumber vodka lemonade, will support The Joy Bus, which delivers fresh and healthy meals to cancer patients. For the spirits, Halstead is brain- storming using different kinds of local grains like quinoa and citrus, such as Arizona oranges, as a base. Classes that focus on aspects of the craft, such as fat- washing cocktails using non-traditional ingredients like pecans or avocado, are in the works. Halstead also wants to give his estab- lishment a coffee-shop vibe where guests can pull up a chair and work using Outlaw’s Wi-Fi while sipping on a cocktail, non- alcoholic refresher or water. A few people have wandered in and used his space as their office for a few hours. Halstead talks about the significance of the Outlaw name. It refers to the historical connection between Interstate 15 and its locations along the way likely used as routes and hideouts by outlaws like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That highway stretches from Southern California to Alberta, Canada, and passes through a bevy of western states, including Arizona and Utah. While it may take some time for Adventurous Stills fans to get used to the new name, Halstead believes it is a perfect fit not only for the distillery but for anyone who wants to swing by and give its wares a try. “Outlaw is an Arizona ideology. You’re not a criminal, you don’t rebel to be bad. It means you’re a little bit of an underdog,” Halstead says. “Whether you’re a vodka or whisky drinker, a professor or gun-toting cowboy, it means being unapologetically yourself.” Outlaw Distillery 2125 E. Fifth St., #102, Tempe The Next Round from p 17 Outlaw Distillery owner Tyler Halstead will continue to craft Arizona grain-to-glass spirits onsite a the Tempe facility. (Georgann Yara) Outlaw Distillery’s A Star is Born cocktail is made with Outlaw vanilla bean rum, prickly pear syurp, lemon juice and orange liqueur. (Georgann Yara)
