577 - Moonshine U Closes and RNDC Sinks on Bourbon Community Roundtable #121

On this week’s Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is tackling two massive seismic shockwaves rattling the very foundation of the spirits world. We jump straight into the first major headline: the shocking closure of Moonshine University. We break down what losing a premier educational hub like the Stave & Thief Society means for the future of spirits education, and whether this shutdown is the ultimate canary in the coal mine for a slowing craft distillery boom. Then, we turn our attention to the absolute biggest story in spirits retail: distributor giant RNDC filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and winding down operations. We unpack the domino effect of major supplier exits, razor-thin middle-tier margins, and unpaid invoices, analyzing the devastating fallout for small craft brands fighting for local liquor store shelf space. Finally, we throw down over what this massive distributor consolidation actually means for the three-tier system—debating whether this crisis will finally force lawmakers to rethink direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping laws, or if we’re simply watching a maturing bourbon market undergo a painful, necessary contraction. Show Notes: The closure of Moonshine University: What losing a premier distilling school means for the spirits industry Assessing the value of bourbon certifications: Essential career springboard or mostly symbolic status? Unpacking RNDC's Chapter 11 filing: Supplier exits, thin margins, and the winding down of a middle-tier giant The ripple effect on small brands: Shelf space access, unpaid invoices, and the future of three-tier distribution Will distributor consolidation accelerate the push for direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping legislation? State of the bourbon market: Reading the room on consumer demand amid industry contraction and adjustments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices