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
Hard liquor
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
