Amazon’s Prime Now Beer Delivery Just Expanded, Again

It all began one great day in August, 2015. Amazon launched Prime Now in Seattle, allowing Prime members to get life essentials – including and especially beer, wine, and alcohol — delivered straight to their door within two hours of ordering, at no additional cost. Soon the service spread to San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Manhattan. But yesterday’s announcement signaled the most disruptive change yet to the very fabric of inebriation.

Prime Now is officially delivering beer and wine to Cincinnati and areas of central Ohio.

While Amazon’s application for liquor permits last year in Ohio was quiet, their recent expansion has been anything but. Prime Now members in central Ohio can pick from a list of 78 beer items, including our favorites: Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Fat Head’s, and Rhinegeist (in addition to well-known national brands, macro brews and ciders). The wine offerings top out at 90.

Prime Now beer options for Cincinnati.

While the major metropolitan areas were the most obvious targets — with much of the infrastructure and consumer base already established — this expansion in the midwest signals the start of a nationwide push, one that will service areas relatively neglected by beer distribution. Instead of going to the one beer warehouse in town with a decent selection, Amazon is bringing the local warehouses to its members’ doorsteps.

And most importantly, the beer and wine can be ordered using Alexa. Run dry on beer, wine, or alcohol? Prime members can replenish supplies in two-hours for free, or, if the situation is dire, in under one-hour for an additional $7.99. It’s a small price to pay for not having to run out mid party or, god forbid, even lift a finger.

“Hey Alexa. I’m sober.”

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