Party Drink Planner
Calculate how much beer, wine and spirits to buy for any event.
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The most common party planning mistake is buying too little or too much alcohol. This calculator uses the bartender's rule of thumb: guests average 1 drink in the first hour and about 3/4 drink per hour after that. A 4-hour party for 30 people needs roughly 98 total drinks. The calculator splits this across beer, wine and spirits based on your crowd's preference and tells you exactly how many cases, bottles and bags of ice to buy.
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Frequently asked questions
For a 4-hour party with 50 guests and an even drink mix, plan for about 163 total drinks: 4 cases of beer, 14 bottles of wine and 3 bottles of spirits. Always buy 10-15% extra as a buffer.
Plan for about 1 drink per hour for the first hour and 3/4 drink per hour after. A 4-hour party averages 3.25 drinks per person. Adjust down for daytime events and up for evening parties.
For a 4-hour beer-heavy party with 40 guests, you need about 78 beers or 4 cases of 24. For a mixed event, 2 cases plus wine and spirits.
Plan 1.5 pounds of ice per guest. A 30-person party needs about 45 lb of ice for drinks plus chilling. Buy bagged ice the morning of the event.
Always. About 10-15% of adult guests prefer non-alcoholic drinks. Provide sparkling water, soda and juice. For 30 guests, have at least 5 bottles of non-alcoholic options.