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Bourbon Pursuit

540 - Your Questions about the Three Tier System Answered on Bourbon Community Roundtable 112

Bourbon Pursuit

Bourbon Pursuit

Hobbies, Food, Arts, Leisure

4.9866 Ratings

🗓️ 13 November 2025

⏱️ 73 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is the follow-up you asked for! We're back with Bourbon Community Roundtable number 112 to continue tackling the "spicy" and controversial topic of the three-tier distribution system. Last time, we were bombarded with questions in the chat, so this episode is dedicated to answering your submissions. Our panel dives into how consumers can actually help their favorite smaller brands get distribution, offering real-world advice on retailer outreach and using social media for buzz. We then dissect what massive political or economic shift would be required to see meaningful reform. Finally, we debate the powerful question: if the whole system disappeared tomorrow, who would win—the hustling craft distilleries or the heritage brands with deep pockets?. This one is packed with high-stakes debate! Show Notes: A follow-up discussion on the three-tier distribution system, specifically addressing consumer-submitted questions Actionable ways consumers can help their favorite spirits brands get distribution, including direct retailer outreach and using social media to generate buzz An explanation of LibDib as an alternative, smaller avenue to market, particularly useful for single barrel programs and single-customer orders Analysis of the necessary political or economic shifts required for meaningful three-tier system reform The argument that major change is unlikely unless a strong economic interest or consumer-driven demand (similar to Uber or the push for cannabis legalization) forces it Discussion of the potential for a parallel direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping system for spirits, mirroring the progress made in the wine industry following the Granholme v. Heald case A deep-dive debate on which segment of the industry—"hustling" craft distilleries or heritage brands with deep pockets—would adapt faster if the three-tier system were to disappear The argument that the biggest organizations control the power dynamic and maintain the status quo to protect their existing turf Encouragement for consumers to advocate for change by reaching out to their congressmen and congresswomen Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

But honestly, there's just got to be some major economic interest behind whatever you want the change to be to really make that happen.

0:08.0

And I think that's always the roadblock here is the economic interest is not aligned with change for the most part.

0:38.0

Yeah. This is Burbin Pursuit, the official podcast of Bourbon, bringing to you the best in news, reviews, and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen, and I'm one of your hosts,

0:38.8

Kenny Coleman.

0:40.6

Well, back again.

0:45.9

It's our favorite, the Bourbon Community Roundtable, number 112 this time.

0:51.0

And this is going to be a follow-up to last month's roundtable where we talked about the three-tier system with distributors, the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in

0:55.0

between. And through that process, we were fielding all kinds of questions in the chat that

1:00.2

we didn't really get a chance to get to. So I said, in an effort to make sure that we can talk

1:05.1

about everything, submit your questions to us, and let's go ahead and let's answer them. So

1:09.6

shout-out to everybody that submitted

1:11.5

questions. Of course, we couldn't get to all of them, but I cherry picked some of my favorites,

1:16.0

and that's what you're getting ready to hear today. With that, enjoy this week's episode,

1:21.0

and now here's Fred Minnick with Above the Char. I'm Fred Minnick, and this is Above the Char.

1:29.4

This week's idea comes from Carlo Eskida, who writes me on fredminic.com.

1:35.6

Hi, Fred, a question for Above the Char.

1:38.3

As a surprise, my sweet, kind, and well-meaning girlfriend has sent me something I hadn't heard of before.

1:45.6

Whiskey cups made of oak.

1:47.8

I haven't received them yet, but I see that they are plain wood, and I also now see that you can

1:55.0

get them with charred and terriers.

1:57.6

Have you tried such a thing?

1:59.5

Could this be an advancement and enhancement to the whiskey

...

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