Because our clients supply their own alcohol and mixers, the next question is always: "How much should I buy?" Buy too little and the bar runs dry; buy too much and you've blown the budget. Here's the formula our bartenders use.
Start with drinks per guest
Plan on roughly 2 drinks per guest for the first hour, then 1 drink per guest for each hour after. So a 4-hour party with 50 guests needs about 250 drinks.
Liquor
One 750ml bottle of liquor makes about 16 cocktails. A 1.75L handle makes about 39. For a focused cocktail menu, buy your base spirits (tequila, vodka, whiskey) according to which drinks you expect to be most popular — we'll help you weight it.
Wine
One standard bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses. For a wine-friendly crowd, plan a bottle for every 2–3 guests across the event.
Beer
Estimate about 1 beer per beer-drinker per hour. A standard case has 24, and a keg pours roughly 165 12-oz servings.
Don't forget the mixers and ice
- Mixers: Plan 1 liter of mixer for every 2–3 bottles of liquor (sodas, juices, tonic).
- Ice: Buy about 1–1.5 pounds of ice per guest. It always goes faster than you think.
- Garnishes: Limes, lemons, mint, and salt for rims. We'll give you exact amounts.
We'll build your shopping list for you
The best part: once you book us, we send a custom shopping list tailored to your guest count and cocktail menu. You'll buy exactly what you need — and keep the leftovers. Get your free quote to get started, or call (737) 240-8665.
