Beer Buying Guide For A 50-Person Party

Planning a party can be stressful, especially when it comes to figuring out how much alcohol to buy. The amount of beer you need for a party of 50 depends on various factors, including the duration of the party, the drinking preferences of your guests, and whether you will be serving other types of alcohol.

A good rule of thumb is to expect one alcoholic drink per guest per hour. For a four-hour party with 50 guests, you will need approximately 200 drinks in total. If you are only serving beer and wine, plan for 60% of your guests to drink beer, which translates to 120 beers for a four-hour party.

However, if you are serving a full bar with mixed drinks, beer typically accounts for 40% of all party drinks. In this case, for a four-hour party with 50 guests, you will need approximately 80 beers.

It's always a good idea to have a variety of drinks available to cater to different tastes and preferences. Don't forget to include non-alcoholic options as well!

Beer: 1 per guest per hour

If you're planning a party, it's important to ensure you have enough drinks for your guests. A good rule of thumb is to expect one alcoholic beverage per guest per hour. This means that for a party of 50, you should plan to have 50 beers available for an hour-long party, 100 beers for a two-hour party, and so on.

Of course, not all your guests may drink beer, and it's a good idea to provide a variety of beverage options. You can estimate that 40% of your total drinks will be beer, with the remaining 60% split between wine and liquor. So, for a two-hour party with 50 guests, you would need 40 beers, and for a four-hour party, you would need 80.

It's worth noting that these are just estimates, and actual consumption may vary depending on your guests' preferences and drinking habits. It's always a good idea to have some extra drinks on hand, and you can also consider offering non-alcoholic options like soft drinks and water to ensure everyone is catered to.

When it comes to wine, a standard 750ml bottle typically serves around five to six glasses. So, for a party of 50, you may want to have around 10 bottles of wine for an hour-long party, assuming that half your guests will drink wine. For a four-hour party, you might need around 40 bottles.

As for liquor, a 750ml bottle typically contains around 17 shots (1.5 ounces each). If you're serving cocktails, you'll need to account for mixers as well. A good rule of thumb is to allow for one and a half ounces of liquor per drink. So, for a two-hour party with 50 guests, you might need around 38 ounces of liquor, or just over two standard bottles. For a four-hour party, you might need double that amount.

In addition to alcohol, don't forget to provide plenty of ice, garnishes, glasses, and napkins. For 50 guests, you'll likely need around 100 glasses and 200 napkins.

Wine: 1 bottle for every 2 guests

If you're planning a party, it's important to ensure you have enough drinks for your guests. For a party of 50, you'll need to stock up on a variety of beverages, including wine. Here's a detailed guide to help you plan:

When it comes to wine, a good rule of thumb is to plan for one 750-millilitre bottle for every two guests. This will ensure that each guest can enjoy a few glasses of wine throughout the event. A standard bottle of wine typically yields around 5 to 6 glasses, but if you're pouring generously, you may get closer to 4 glasses per bottle. To be on the safe side, you may want to round up and get a few extra bottles, especially if your guests are wine enthusiasts.

For a party of 50 guests, you should aim for around 25 bottles of wine. This calculation is based on the assumption that each guest will drink about one bottle of wine over the course of the party. However, it's important to consider the duration of your party and your guests' drinking preferences. If your party lasts for several hours or your guests tend to be heavier drinkers, you may need to adjust this calculation accordingly.

When choosing your wine selection, consider the type of event and the season. For indoor events during fall, winter, or spring, guests may prefer red wine, so plan for more red than white or sparkling wine. On the other hand, for outdoor events during the summer, you can split the bottles evenly between red, white, and sparkling.

Other Beverage Considerations

In addition to wine, you'll need to provide other beverage options for your guests. Here are some estimates for a 4-hour party with 50 guests:

• Beer: Approximately 80 beers. This calculation is based on the assumption that beer will make up about 40% of the total drinks consumed.
• Mixed drinks: Enough for 48 individual cocktails. This can vary depending on the type of cocktails you plan to serve.
• Non-alcoholic beverages: It's important to offer non-alcoholic options as well. Plan for 2 servings per guest during the first hour and 1 serving per guest for each additional hour.
• Water: Ensure you have plenty of water available, as guests will likely need it throughout the event. Aim for about 12 ounces of water per guest per hour.
• Ice: To keep beverages chilled, you'll need approximately 100 pounds of ice for 50 guests.
• Glasses: Expect guests to use multiple glasses. For 50 guests, you'll likely need around 150 glasses, including wine glasses, beer glasses, and disposable cups.
• Napkins: Plan for about 200 cocktail napkins to protect furniture and keep your guests' hands clean.

By following these estimates and calculations, you can ensure that your party is well-stocked with wine and other beverages, keeping your guests happy and the party going strong!

Liquor: 1.5 oz per drink

If you're throwing a party, it's important to plan ahead and ensure you have enough drinks for your guests. The amount of liquor you need depends on several factors, including the number of guests, the duration of the party, and the type of drinks you plan to serve. Here's a breakdown to help you estimate how much liquor to buy for a party of 50 people, assuming a 1.5-ounce serving size per drink.

Estimating Liquor Needs for a Party of 50:

First, let's assume you're hosting a 4-hour party for 50 guests. Using the formula (# of guests x hours of party time), you'll need 200 drinks in total.

Now, if you plan to serve only liquor for your mixed drinks, you can calculate the amount needed as follows:

Total # of drinks = # of guests x hours of party time

Total # of drinks = 50 guests x 4 hours = 200 drinks

Since a standard drink typically contains 1.5 ounces of liquor, you can estimate the total amount of liquor needed as:

Total volume of liquor = Total # of drinks x 1.5 ounces

Total volume of liquor = 200 drinks x 1.5 ounces = 300 ounces

Buying Liquor Bottles:

Liquor bottles come in various sizes, and it's helpful to know how many drinks you can make from each. A standard liquor bottle size is 750 ml or 25.36 ounces, which translates to approximately 17 1.5-ounce shots.

For your party of 50, you would need about 18 standard liquor bottles to provide enough liquor for 200 drinks (300 ounces).

Signature Cocktails:

If you plan to serve signature cocktails, the calculation becomes a bit more involved. In addition to liquor, cocktails typically include accent juices and mixers. As an example, let's consider a mojito, which typically includes rum (1.5 ounces), lime juice (0.25 ounces), and club soda (4-6 ounces).

To estimate the amount of rum needed for 50 guests having one mojito each, you can calculate:

Rum needed = # of guests x volume of rum per drink

Rum needed = 50 guests x 1.5 ounces = 75 ounces

For the lime juice and club soda, similar calculations can be made. Keep in mind that not everyone may want a mojito, so you can adjust the quantities based on the expected popularity of the cocktail.

Water and Other Drinks:

Don't forget that in addition to alcoholic beverages, your guests will also need water and perhaps other non-alcoholic options. On average, guests may consume about 12 ounces of water every half hour to an hour. For a 4-hour party with 50 guests, you'll need approximately 2400 ounces of water or about 19 12-ounce bottles.

In summary, for a 4-hour party with 50 guests, serving only liquor-based drinks, you'll need about 18 standard liquor bottles (750 ml each) to provide enough for 200 drinks (300 ounces). If you plan to serve signature cocktails, adjust your calculations accordingly, taking into account the volume of liquor and other ingredients in each cocktail. Don't forget to provide ample water and other non-alcoholic options as well.

Guest preferences: light, average, or heavy drinkers?

When planning a party, it's important to consider the drinking preferences of your guests. Will they be light, average, or heavy drinkers? This will help you estimate how much beer to buy for your party of 50. Here are some tips to help you plan:

Light Drinkers:

If your guests are light drinkers, you can expect them to consume fewer beverages overall. In this case, plan for fewer drinks per person, such as one drink per hour. You may also want to provide a variety of non-alcoholic options and assume that some guests will not be drinking any alcohol. This will reduce the amount of beer you need to buy.

Average Drinkers:

For a group of average drinkers, you can generally expect them to consume the standard amount of beverages. A good rule of thumb is to plan for two drinks per person during the first hour of the party and one drink per hour for each additional hour. This will give you an estimate of the total number of drinks needed, which you can then use to determine how much beer to buy.

Heavy Drinkers:

If your guests are heavy drinkers, you will need to buy more beer than you would for light or average drinkers. In this case, you may want to plan for more than the standard amount, such as two to three drinks per person during the first hour and one to two drinks per person for each additional hour. Additionally, heavy drinkers may prefer stronger beers or craft beers, so consider the type of beer you will be serving and plan accordingly.

Mixed Groups:

If your group of 50 consists of a mix of light, average, and heavy drinkers, you can make a rough estimate by assuming that on average, each person will drink about 12 ounces of beer every half hour to an hour. This will give you a starting point for how much beer to buy, and you can always adjust your plans based on your specific guest list.

Remember, it's always better to have too much beer than too little, and you can always return unopened bottles if you overestimate. It's also a good idea to provide a variety of beverage options, including non-alcoholic choices, to accommodate different preferences and ensure that all your guests are happy.

Budget: how much can you spend?

Budgeting for a party can be tricky, especially when it comes to alcohol. The amount you should spend on beer for a party of 50 depends on several factors, including the duration of the party, the drinking habits of your guests, and your overall budget. Here are some tips to help you plan and budget effectively:

Estimate the number of drinks needed:

The general rule of thumb is to plan for one drink per guest per hour of the party. This means for a party of 50 guests, you should have 50 drinks for each hour. You can then break this down by type of drink, assuming that 40% will opt for beer, 60% for wine, and the remaining for cocktails or spirits. So, for a 4-hour party, you will need approximately 80 beers, 72 glasses of wine (around 15 bottles), and enough for 48 individual cocktails.

Consider guest preferences:

If you know your guests well, you can adjust these estimates accordingly. For example, if you know that a higher percentage of your guests prefer beer over wine, you can increase the amount of beer you purchase. Similarly, if you are serving wine, consider the preference for red, white, or rosé, and plan to have a variety available.

Think about drink options:

The drinks you serve will depend on your budget and your guests' preferences. You can choose to serve only beer and wine, or you can offer a full bar with spirits, cocktails, and mixers. A full bar will require a larger budget as you will need to purchase various liquors, mixers, and garnishes.

Plan for non-alcoholic options:

In addition to alcoholic drinks, be sure to provide non-alcoholic options for your guests. This can include water, soft drinks, juices, lemonade, iced tea, and non-alcoholic beer or wine.

Calculate the cost:

Once you have an idea of the quantity and type of drinks you will be serving, you can start calculating the cost. Compare prices at different stores or websites to find the best deals. Don't forget to factor in any additional costs, such as ice, garnishes, glasses, and napkins.

Be prepared to return unopened bottles:

If you end up over-purchasing, don't worry. Many retailers will allow you to return unopened bottles, so be sure to ask about their return policy before purchasing. Alternatively, you can keep the leftovers for your next gathering or enjoy them yourself.

Remember, it's always better to have too much than too little, and you can always adjust your budget and plans based on your guests' preferences and your financial situation.

Frequently asked questions