Book Release: Fermenting Change

A polemic aimed at Amazon and the three-tier system

The critics of the three-tier system of alcohol regulation can be found across the alcohol industry. Whether producers, retailers, importers and even some wholesalers, the critics of this antiquated system of regulating the sale and distribution of alcohol are everywhere. However, too few—in fact only a very tiny number—members of the alcohol industry will publically criticize the system. This really needs to end.

In particular, retailers and producers who possess a reasoned distaste for the three-tier system don’t criticize it for the simple reason they fear retribution by the most powerful members of the alcohol industry and those who depend on the continuation of the three-tier system for their profits: Wholesalers. If I had a dime for every time a producer or retailer told me, “I’m with you, Tom, but I’m not going to risk my wholesaler coming after me,” I’d retire now and retire well.

I find myself in a position to be able to give full voice to the many reasons the three-tier system with its indefensible mandate that producers sell to wholesalers and only wholesalers sell to retailers in a state. My most comprehensive expression of the history, problems, and corruption of the three-tier system came in a ten-part series on this Substack late last year. In this series, I look at the history, politics, money, and deficiencies of the three-tier system of alcohol distribution and sales.

Upon publishing the tenth and final installment, someone mentioned to me, “Tom, you should publish this as a book.”

So I have.

Fermenting Change: The Politics, Corruption, and Reform of the Three-Tier System of Alcohol Regulation” will be available for download as an ebook from Amazon on April 3 for $11.99. However, as a paying subscriber to this Fermentation Substack, you get a complimentary PDF copy available below.