HOW MUCH ALCOHOL TO BUY FOR YOUR WEDDING

HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH ALCOHOL TO BUY

You can manually calculate the alcohol you need. First, estimate how many people will be drinking at the event. Second, multiply this number by four (most people drink 2 to 3 standard drinks at a party. We estimate one extra drink per person so that you won't run out!) This tells you the number of standard drinks you need to accommodate. Next, translate this standard drinks number into the different kinds of drinks. A bottle of beer provides one drink, a 750ml bottle of wine provides five drinks, and a 750ml bottle of any spirit is about 17 drinks.

Finally, multiply those numbers by the preference percentages above (50% beer, 25% wine, 25% spirits) and you have a shopping breakdown of the alcohol you need to buy.

For example, a typical selection for a party of 100 people would be 400 standard drinks, distributed in this way:

• 200 12-oz. bottles of beer (200 drinks) AND

• 20 750ml bottles of table wine (100 drinks) AND

• 6 750 ml bottles of spirits (100 drinks)

•Beer - Total 9 Cases

• Domestic 3 cases

• Imported 3 cases

• Lite 3 cases

Wine - Total 5-8 Cases

• Chardonnay 3-4 Cases

• White Zinfandel 1-2 Cases

• Cabernet Sauvignon 1-2 Cases

 

Champagne

• 1-2 Cases

Hard liquor

• Vodka 5 liters

• Gin 3 liters

• Rum 2 liters

• Scotch 2 liters

• Bourbon 2 liters

• Vermouth 750ml

• Kahlua 3 liters

Others to Consider: (l liter of each)

• Bailey’s Irish Cream

• Grand Marnier

• Amaretto

• Sambuca

• Brandy

• Frangelico

• Chambord

 

If you are responsible for setting up the entire bar, be sure to include the following:

Ice (for coolers to keep drinks cold and for drink service)

Milk

Glassware

Lemons

Limes

Cherries

Olives

Lime juice

Lemon mix