Hyperlight Spirit - Stocking Your Event Bar

This post is work in progress. I'll return to this guide now and again to keep things up to date.

Welcome to my quick guide on stocking your bar for your wedding or event. These tips are drawn from my personal experience and should only be taken as a rough guide.

Different crowds will consume at different rates. I've had some parties that only drank whiskey while most events use very little, compared to other spirits. It's best to consider the crowd you're inviting and adjust your estimates accordingly.

People tend to drink more earlier on but slow down later, so the average drinks per guest, per hour can be higher for an event of 3 hours vs 5 hours.

Just click/tap on each section to open it.

General Advice

You don't need to stock absolutely everything. Guests will be still able to find something to enjoy as long as you've got the basics right.

Depending on where you've ordered from, most shops let you return unwanted stock. If you have the budget, stocking an extra case of beer or a bottle of gin can ensure you don't run out, while not costing you anything if unopened and returned.

Ice

This really is the most important ingredient. Get plenty, as it's cheap and needed for almost everything from cooling beers to mixing in your G&T's. Drinks aren't the same without it.

Most ice will hold well enough for your event inside a cool bag or cool box if freezer/fridge space is at a premium.

Cups & Paper Straws

Cups: Guests may average 2 drinks per hour, so you'll need at least 1.5 cups per guest, per hour. This accounts for some guests accepting beers/ciders straight from the can or bottle. 100 guests might use 150 cups per hour.

Paper Straws: You'll only need half as many straws to cups. Not everyone will request a straw. 100 guests may need as few as 50 paper straws per hour.

Beer & Cider

Beer

Sometimes only around 30% of guests opt for beer as their main drink. It often depends on the crowd and type of event. Events can average out at just 1 beer per hour, per guest, with the majority of beers being drunk at the start of the event before people switch over to spirits. It's good to have them pre-chilled and ready to go but not to panic if supplies are dwindling later on as the pace will slow.

Less is more. Stick with a lager and a pale ale. My experience has taught me that many people prefer not to mix their beers. Fewer choices means you can have more of one type chilled down and ready to serve.

Cans are widely expected these days. They chill down faster and are easy to dispose of at the end of the night.

For simplicity you can serve in the can or bottle directly.

Cider

Cider is optional. It's the lesser chosen of the two drinks. If you do stock cider then stock less half the amount to beer, unless you know you have a cider heavy crowd.

Wine

Each bottle has 5 servings

Red or White?

It's often 40/60 mix. While red can be preferred in cold weather or when pairing with a certain dish; white wine typically wins out. You can usually opt for 40% red and 60% white when stocking up.

Table Wine

Allocate your table wine before thinking about wine behind the bar. Sometimes only around 20% of guests stick to wine after a sit down meal.

Stock enough wine for your meal and then assume quite a few guests will switch to spirits after they've eaten.

Some tables will have wine left over and that can then move behind the bar as well.

If on a budget, allocate a quarter bottle of wine per guest when seating them for a meal. You can also keep some spares nearby and take it over when needed. This can be a good way to introduce yourself to the table if you've yet to say hello.

Behind the Bar

As mentioned, I see less wine served over a standing bar than many other drinks. However, it's still a good idea to allocate something for behind the bar. Stick to the 60/40 split and assume you might have around 25% of guests opting for wine vs spirits and beer.

Rose & Sparkling

Rose or Sparkling can replace of some of your white wine stock (and you don't need to stock rose or sparkling if you don't want to) as they have a similar flavour profile to white wine. Sometimes it's best to keep things simple. Factor in the style of your event and the time of year.