How to stock a party bar: beer, wine, liquor and mixers
Stocking a bar comes down to three questions: how many adults will drink, what they will drink, and how much each pour holds. This guide works through a party of 100 adults step by step, using NIAAA’s standard drink sizes and the calculators on this site, and ends with the responsible-serving basics every host needs.
Step 1: count drinkers, not guests
Start with the adults who are 21 or over, then split them by what they are likely to drink. For a mixed crowd of 100 adults, a reasonable starting plan is about half drinking beer, about 60% drinking some wine and about 40% having a cocktail or two — the shares overlap because people switch. These are planning choices, not statistics: if you know your crowd drinks more wine or more beer, change them. Children, drivers and non-drinkers still need plenty to drink, which the party drinks calculator covers.
Step 2: drinks per drinker
The pace is the other planning choice. Over a four-hour reception, two to three drinks per drinker is a reasonable plan; the CDC’s definition of moderate drinking for adults is two drinks or less in a day for men and one or less for women, and many guests drink well below that. NIAAA notes that blood alcohol can keep rising after the last drink — another reason to close the bar before the party ends.
Step 3: convert drinks to bottles and kegs
| Drink | Standard pour (NIAAA) | Per container | For 100 adults (our example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | 12 fl oz | half barrel ≈ 165 pours | 50 drinkers × 3 = 150 beers: one half barrel |
| Wine | 5 fl oz | 750 ml bottle ≈ 5 glasses | 60 drinkers × 2½ = 150 glasses: about 33 bottles |
| Spirits | 1.5 fl oz | 750 ml bottle ≈ 17 drinks | 40 drinkers × 3 = 120 drinks: about 8 bottles |
| Champagne toast | 3–4 fl oz | 750 ml ≈ 6 toasts at 4 oz | 90 toasts: about 16 bottles |
Each row has a worked page: how many kegs for 100 guests, how many bottles of wine for 50 guests (double it), how many bottles of liquor for 100 guests and how many bottles of champagne for a toast for 100 guests.
Step 4: mixers, ice and garnishes
- Mixers: plan about 4 oz per mixed drink — 120 drinks need about 4 gallons of tonic, soda, cola, ginger ale and juice.
- Ice: a bar uses more ice than anything else at a party. Reddy Ice recommends 1 to 2 lb per guest for drinks overall; add a separate supply for chilling bottles and the keg.
- Garnishes: limes, lemons, and whatever the signature cocktail needs.
- Water: a pitcher or dispenser at the bar itself, not just elsewhere.
Step 5: glassware and tools
- Cups: about two to three per drinking guest over an evening; clear 9 to 12 oz cups work for wine, beer and mixed drinks.
- Flutes for the toast, poured just before the speeches.
- A jigger at every station, so each drink is a known 1.5 oz.
- Bottle openers, a corkscrew, a keg tap, a bar towel and a bin for empties.
Ways to simplify
A full bar for 100 is a lot to run. Beer and wine only, plus one batched signature cocktail, covers most guests with fewer bottles and less to measure. A bartender — hired, or a friend who is not drinking — keeps pours consistent and can stop serving anyone who has had enough. Many stores take back unopened bottles; ask before you buy, and round up.
Serving responsibly
- 21 and over only. Do not serve minors, and keep any punch with alcohol clearly labelled and away from the kids’ drinks.
- Food and water the whole time, within reach of the bar.
- Stop serving anyone who appears intoxicated. NIAAA warns that coffee, cold showers and walking do not sober anyone up.
- Close the bar before the end and switch to coffee, water and dessert.
- Rides home. Arrange designated drivers, rideshares or places to stay. Social-host liability rules vary by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much alcohol do I need for 100 guests?
For a mixed crowd over about four hours: one half-barrel keg, about 33 bottles of wine, about 8 bottles of liquor (more when split across several spirits) and 16 bottles of sparkling wine for a toast. Change the shares and drinks each to suit your guests.
How many drinks per person at a wedding?
Two to three over a four-hour reception is a reasonable planning figure for guests who drink. Plan by drinkers, not total guests, and keep water and soft drinks out for everyone.
Sources
- NIAAA — What is a standard drink? (opens in a new tab) — One standard drink holds 0.6 fl oz (14 g) of pure alcohol: 12 fl oz of regular beer (about 5%), 5 fl oz of table wine (about 12%), or 1.5 fl oz of distilled spirits (about 40%).
- CDC — Moderate alcohol use (page dated January 14, 2025) (opens in a new tab) — Defines moderate drinking for adults of legal drinking age as two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less for women, citing the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines.
- NIAAA — Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose (opens in a new tab) — Blood alcohol can keep rising after drinking stops; coffee, cold showers and walking do not reverse it; if you suspect an overdose, call 911 and do not leave the person alone.
- KegWorks — Guide to beer keg sizes (opens in a new tab) — Half barrel 15.5 gal (about 165 twelve-ounce pours, 124 pints); quarter 7.75 gal (82 / 62); sixth 5.16 gal (55 / 41); Cornelius 5 gal; 5 L mini keg 1.32 gal (about 14 twelve-ounce pours).
- eCFR 27 CFR 4.72 — Standards of fill for wine (Cornell LII copy) (opens in a new tab) — Authorized wine container sizes include 750 mL, 1.5 L and 3 L.
- eCFR 27 CFR 5.203 — Standards of fill for distilled spirits (Cornell LII copy) (opens in a new tab) — Authorized spirits sizes include 750 mL, 1 L and 1.75 L.
- Reddy Ice — How much ice you need for a party (opens in a new tab) — 1 to 2 lb of ice per person.