The Till

We can thank the mafia and bootleggers for the liquor laws in the US. I’m not talking about the fact that you have to wait until you’re 21 years old, or even that package stores are closed on Sundays. While both are a little frustrating, what happens behind the scenes with layers upon layers of middle men is what really sours the whiskey. Every state is different, but generally speaking there are bright white lines between the multiple parties required to get booze from its producer to the end consumer. Except for winery/brewery direct sales, if you want to buy a bottle you need to go to a licensed liquor store, restaurant, or bar. When the retail outlet stocks its shelves, it must purchase from a distributor. They might buy directly from the producer, but unless it’s domestic there’s an importer involved too. Up and down the chain, each party can only buy from the person above, and sell to the person below. And they all take a cut. Further to this already complex structure, are the details of the “tied-house” rules, where producers and distributors can’t exert economic influence over their customers. There are distinct prohibitions on providing free goods, price/volume discounts, or otherwise compensating a customer for their business. State minimums or wholesale posting requirements attempt to add transparency and fairness - but come at a significant cost to quality. Recently the largest distributor in the United States - Southern Glazer - admitted fault and paid a (nominal)…