The quick answer: plan one drink per guest for each of the first two hours, then one drink per guest for every two hours after that. For a typical 4-hour party, that's about three drinks per drinking guest — split roughly 50% beer, 30% wine, 20% spirits. Use the calculator below for your exact numbers.
Guests drink fastest in the first hour and taper off. The hosting standard — one drink per person for hours one and two, then one every two hours after — has held up across thousands of events because it matches how people actually pace themselves. From total drinks, the yields do the rest: a 12-oz beer is one drink, a 750ml wine bottle pours five, and a 750ml spirit bottle makes about sixteen cocktails.
A reliable planning rule: one drink per guest per hour for the first two hours, then about one drink per guest for each additional two hours. For a 4-hour event, plan roughly three drinks per drinking guest, then adjust for your crowd.
A crowd-pleasing split is roughly 50% beer, 30% wine, 20% spirits and mixers. Shift toward wine for dinner parties and toward beer for backyard and game-day events.
Slightly, yes — unopened extras keep, and running dry mid-party doesn't. Order by the case or in bulk for large events and keep a reserve of the crowd favorite.
Tell us about your event and we'll help you plan the right mix — order by the case or in bulk for large events and pick it up ready at our Colorado Springs store.