Alcohol moves through three tiers in the United States, producer to distributor to retailer, and every founder has to work within that system. Here is how it works, who the players are, and how to use it to your advantage from day one.

The United States isn't one alcohol market, it's fifty, split between control states where you sell to the government and open states where you sell to private distributors. Here is how each works and how to navigate the complexity without losing time or money.