Drinks

How much party drink should I provide?

It depends on:

what you're drinking
who you're catering for
how many people are coming
how long your party lasts

As a rule, assume your guests will drink between 1 and 2 glasses of wine or 1 small bottle of beer per hour. Allow between 3-5 cocktails per person if you're having a cocktail party. Make sure you provide plenty of food to soak up the alcohol.

Get the party started with our nibbles recipe ideas

What if I buy too much drink?

It's difficult to estimate exactly how much people are going to drink, and it's better to buy too much than too little. Organise a buy-back deal with your alcohol supplier so you can send back anything that doesn't get drunk.

Should I ask my guests to bring a bottle?

There's no reason why not, but you'll need to make sure you've bought enough drink for your guests if some people don't bring one. If you're having a cocktail party and you want to try more elaborate cocktail recipes you can always ask your guests to bring some of the ingredients.

What cocktail recipes can I use?

You're not going to be able to provide every cocktail under the sun, so be realistic and settle on 3-5 that you know are likely to go down well – the cosmopolitan, margarita and dry martini are always popular.

Get cocktail recipes from the International Bartenders Association

A great party alternative to cocktails is a punch.

Get alcoholic and non-alcoholic punch recipes.

Should I provide spirits?

Many people just give their guests beer, wine and, if they're lucky, champagne. But if you want to offer spirits, stick with the basic crowd-pleasers – gin, vodka and whisky. Make sure you've got the right mixers to hand and plenty of ice and slices of lemon and lime.

What soft drinks should I lay on?

It's essential to provide soft drinks for people who don't drink alcohol or are driving. If you're providing spirits, or cocktails your soft drinks can also be the mixers. But you can also use your imagination and make some great-tasting non-alcoholic cocktails.

See non-alcoholic cocktail recipes from the UK Bartenders Guild

Find glasses for your drinks