Start meal, first drop of ale included (6)
I believe the answer is:
launch
'start' is the definition.
(launching is a kind of starting)
'meal first drop of ale included' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'first' could be 'a' and 'a' is found in the answer.
'meal' could be 'lunch' (lunch is a kind of meal) and 'lunch' is present in the leftover letters.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for launch that I've seen before include "Send a vessel into water" , "'Send into water or into space, say (6)'" , "(Send) motor-boat (into the water)" , "Set on course, new ship or book" , "Initiate; a boat" .)