Stocking up for a party
Buy a mix, keep it simple and let guests help themselves.
In short
- Plan two drinks each in the first hour, then one an hour.
- Split it about half beer, a third wine, the rest spirits.
- Allow half a kilo of ice per guest, and always round up.
Work out the drinks
Guests times hours, then one more round.
That is how most parties go. Multiply your guests by the hours, then add one more round for the people who stay late.
For example, 20 guests for 4 hours is about 100 drinks.
Turn drinks into bottles
100 drinks, in bottles and packs.
A twelve pack is twelve drinks. A bottle of wine pours five glasses and a 700ml spirit about 23 nips.
Round every number up: an unopened bottle keeps, and an empty bar ends the night early.
Mixers, ice and cups
The things people forget.
Two litres of mixer for every bottle of spirits. One cup per guest, plus half again for the ones that go missing.
A simple party bar
A beer, a white and one spirit.
Quick answers
How many drinks per person at a party?
Plan two in the first hour and one an hour after that. A four hour party is about five drinks each.
How much ice do I need?
About half a kilo per guest, or a kilo each on a hot day.
What if I buy too much?
Unopened beer, wine and spirits keep, so it is safer to round up than to run out.
How many glasses are in a bottle of wine?
About five 150ml glasses.
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