The Importance of the Three-Tier System

The three-tier system creates three legally separate and independent parts to how alcoholic beverages are made, delivered and sold.

Policy makers showed wisdom in creating the three-tier system. Keeping each tier separate maintains fairness and choice in the alcoholic beverage market. More importantly, the three-tier system gives one group - distributors in the middle tier - key responsibility for "chain of custody" over the product.

This means distributors have the primary responsibility for ensuring that the product delivered to retailers is pure, fresh, safe and properly handled. The vast majority of alcoholic beverages sold in Colorado, whether beer, wine or spirits, come to the consumer safe and protected via distributors.  Three cheers for three-tiers!