Whether you're planning a wedding reception, throwing a graduation party, having a backyard barbeque or putting together the office Christmas party, there are always questions that arise with respect to the beverage alcohol you plan to serve. Hopefully the tips in this section will shed some light on the planning process.

In our experiences about half of guests express a preference for beer and/or wine. The rest of the party-goers will be more or less equally interested in mixed drinks. Then again, you will know your guests a little more intimately than we would.

You can manually calculate the alcohol you need or use the drink calculator below. First, estimate how many people will be drinking at the event. Second, figure out roughly how long the party will last. We guesstimate two drinks for the first hour, with a drink for every hour following. This gives you an idea of the number of standard drinks you need.  Please keep in mind if the crowd is a lighter drinking group, or heavier, you should adjust accordingly. 

Type in an approximate number of guests   
Type in roughly how many hours it will be   

The total number of drinks you will need   

Finally, multiply the total number of drinks by these preference percentages (35% beer, 35% wine, 30% spirits) and this will give you a breakdown of the drinks you need for your party.

For example, a typical selection for a party of 100 people lasting 4 hours would be 500 total drinks, distributed in this way:
  • 175 12oz bottles of beer       (175 drinks)
  • 35   750ml bottles of wine     (175 drinks)
  • 7    750ml bottles of alcohol  (168 drinks)
Bottle Size Servings Per Bottle Servings Per Case
12 oz beer (24 per case) 1 24
750 ml  wine (12 per case) 5 60
750 ml Champagne (12 per case) 5 60
750 ml  Liquor (12 per case) 16-1.5oz shots 192-1.5oz shots
1 Liter  liquor (12 per case) 23-1.5oz shots 276-1.5oz shots
1.75 Liter  liquor (6 per case) 39-1.5oz shots 234-1.5oz shots

Recommended items for a full bar.

  • Whiskey
  • Vodka
  • Gin
  • Tequila
  • Scotch
  • Rum
  • Soda Water
  • Tonic Water
  • Orange Juice
  • Cranberry Juice
  • Grapefruit Juice
  • Sparkling Water
  • Sweet Vermouth
  • Dry Vermouth
  • Coke
  • Diet Coke
  • 7 Up
  • Bottled Water
  • Olives
  • Lemons
  • Limes
  • Onions
  • Cherries
  • Cocktail Napkins

A number of aperitifs and liqueurs are also very popular, including Jagermiester, Pimm's, Amaretto, Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua. Don't forget milk, coffee and all the other mixes that make cocktails great. Remember extra soft drinks and waters (sparkling or otherwise) for non-drinkers and designated drivers. Check your recipes for all the ingredients to your favorite drinks to figure out exactly what you will need.