How Much Alcohol Do You Need for a Party? A Simple Planning Guide

Planning a party comes with a lot of details—and one of the biggest questions is how much alcohol to buy. You want enough for everyone to enjoy, but you also don’t want to overbuy. This simple guide will help you estimate the right amount of beer, wine, and spirits for your gathering.

One of the easiest ways to plan alcohol for a party is to start with a simple rule: most guests will average about one drink per hour.

Using that guideline, you can estimate how much beer, wine, and spirits you’ll need depending on the number of guests and the length of your event.

A Basic Party Planning Formula

For a four-hour party with 20 guests, a common breakdown might look like:

• 60 beers

• 15 bottles of wine

• 3–4 bottles of spirits

Of course, these numbers can vary depending on your group and the type of event you’re hosting.

Offer Variety

Providing a mix of drink options ensures everyone can find something they enjoy.