Party Planning

Here are some secrets that we here at Hi-Time have known for years and are willing to share with you. Local delivery is run on a first come, first served basis. Please call (800) 331-3005 and ask for the Beer Department.

Whether you're planning a wedding reception, throwing a graduation party, having a backyard barbeque or putting together the office Christmas party, there are always questions that arise with respect to the beverages you plan to serve. Hopefully the tips in this section will shed some light on the planning process.

In our experiences about half of guests express a preference for beer and/or wine. The rest of the party-goers will be more or less equally interested in mixed drinks. Then again, you will know your guests a little more intimately than we would.

Numbers & Quantities

Here is how to figure out the number of drinks you will need for your party:

  1.  Estimate how many people will be drinking at the event.
  2.  Figure out roughly how long the party will last. (We guesstimate two drinks for the first hour, with a drink for every hour following.) This gives you an idea of the number of standard drinks you need. Please keep in mind if the crowd is a lighter drinking group, or heavier, you should adjust accordingly.
  3. Multiply the total number of drinks by these preference percentages (35% beer, 35% wine, 30% spirits) and this will give you a breakdown of the drinks you need for your party.

For example, a typical selection for a party of 100 people lasting 4 hours would be 500 total drinks, distributed in this way:
175 - 12oz bottles or cans (175 drinks)

35 - 750ml bottles of wine (175 drinks/5 glasses per bottle)
7 - 750ml bottles of spirits (168 drinks/24 shots per bottle)

Here is the amount of servings per bottle:
750ml Wine or Champagne = 5 glasses per bottle or 60 glasses per case
750ml Spirit = 16 (1.5oz) shots or 192 per 12 bottle case
1 Liter Spirit = 23 (1.5oz) shots or 276 per 12 bottle case
1.75ml Spirit - 39 (1.5oz) shots or 236 per 6 bottle case

Recommended items for a full bar

Liquor:

  • Vodka
  • Gin
  • Tequila
  • Scotch
  • Rum
  • Bourbon

A number of aperitifs and liqueurs are also very popular, including Jagermiester, Pimm's, Amaretto, Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua. Don't forget milk, coffee and all the other mixes that make cocktails great. Remember extra soft drinks and waters (sparkling or otherwise) for non-drinkers and designated drivers. Check your recipes for all the ingredients to your favorite drinks to figure out exactly what you will need.

Keg Beer:

1/2 Barrel (largest keg) serves 160-12oz glasses
1/4 Barrel (pony keg) serves 80-12oz glasses
5 gallon (smallest keg) serves 50 12oz. glasses