Adjust how total drinks are split. Each spirit has its own pool — items within a category share equally. Totals over 100% are proportionally normalized.
Scotch whisky %
10%
Bourbon & American whiskey %
10%
Vodka %
15%
Gin %
5%
Tequila %
5%
Other spirits (rum, etc.) %
5%
Wine & bubbles %
25%
Beer & cider %
25%
Total allocated100%
Ratios auto-update when you select a theme or holiday — Cinco de Mayo loads tequila-heavy ratios, St. Patrick's Day loads beer-heavy ratios, weddings load wine-forward ratios, and so on. You can always adjust manually after selecting a theme.
Choose your bar theme
Pick a preset — then customize every ingredient below.
🥃
Full Bar
Spirits, wine & beer
🍷
Beer & Wine
Easy & relaxed
🍸
Cocktail Party
Craft & curated
🥂
Bubbly & Wine
Champagne & rosé
💍
Wedding
Full elegant service
🎉
Holidays
Pick your occasion
Select your holiday
🎄 Christmas
🥂 New Year's Eve
☘️ St. Patrick's Day
🌮 Cinco de Mayo
🎆 Fourth of July
🎃 Halloween
🍂 Thanksgiving
🏈 Super Bowl
⭐ Memorial Day
🎭 Mardi Gras
Customize your bar
Check or uncheck items. Add your own custom items to any category.
Event details
Drinking intensity
🍃 Light
🥃 Moderate
🔥 Heavy
Your bar shopping list
Suggested cocktail recipes
One signature serve per spirit — scale ingredients for batch service.
Drink responsibly — important notice
This app is intended for use by adults 21 years of age or older only. Alcohol consumption is for legal-age adults and must comply with the laws of your state and locality.
Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive. We strongly encourage every group to designate a sober, non-drinking driver before the event begins. Arrange this in advance so everyone gets home safely. Consider offering ride-share options (Uber, Lyft) or local taxi services as alternatives.
Quantities shown are estimates only. The Booze Calculator does not promote excessive alcohol consumption. Know your limits and look out for your guests.
Planning made easy
How much alcohol do I need for my party?
The Booze Calculator takes the guesswork out of bar planning — whether you're hosting a backyard cookout for 20 or a wedding reception for 300.
1
Choose your bar theme
Select from Full Bar, Beer & Wine, Cocktail Party, Wedding, Bubbly, or a Holiday theme — each pre-loaded with the right spirits, mixers, and glassware for that occasion.
2
Enter your event details
Tell us your guest count, how many hours the event runs, and your guests' drinking intensity. Advanced settings let you fine-tune non-drinker percentage, buffer stock, and per-spirit ratios.
3
Get your complete shopping list
Instantly see how many bottles of each spirit, cases of beer, bottles of wine, liters of mixers, bags of ice, and bar sundries you need — all in one printable list.
Frequently asked questions
How much alcohol do I need for a party of 50 people?
For 50 guests over 4 hours at moderate drinking intensity, plan on approximately 3 bottles of vodka, 2 bottles of bourbon, 8 bottles of wine, and 3 cases of beer — plus proportional mixers and ice. Our calculator generates a precise, itemized list based on your specific event details and bar theme.
How many bottles of wine do I need for a party?
A standard 750ml bottle of wine contains about 5 glasses. As a rule of thumb, plan on one bottle per 2 guests for a 2-hour event, scaling up for longer events. For a 4-hour dinner party with 20 guests where wine is the primary drink, you'd want around 16 bottles. Our calculator adjusts this automatically based on your event type.
How much alcohol do I need for a wedding reception?
Wedding bar planning depends on guest count, reception length, and preference split between spirits, wine, and beer. For a 100-person wedding over 5 hours, a typical breakdown is 20–25 bottles of wine (including champagne for the toast), 8–10 cases of beer, and 12–15 bottles of spirits. Select the Wedding theme in our calculator for a fully customized list.
How much beer do I need for a party?
For a casual party where beer is the main drink, plan on 2–3 beers per guest per hour. For a 4-hour Super Bowl party with 30 guests, that's roughly 3–4 cases (72–96 cans or bottles). Our calculator presents beer quantities in cases when totals exceed 24 units, making shopping easier.
How much ice do I need for a party?
Plan on at least 1 pound of ice per guest for drinks, plus additional ice for coolers and ice buckets. For 50 guests, that's roughly 3 bags of ice (20 lbs each) for drinks plus 20 lbs extra for coolers. Our calculator includes ice quantities automatically and lets you adjust the per-guest amount in Settings.
How many bottles of liquor do I need for 100 people?
For a full bar serving 100 guests over 4 hours, a typical estimate is 6 bottles of vodka, 4 bottles of bourbon, 2 bottles of gin, 2 bottles of tequila, 16 bottles of wine, and 6 cases of beer — plus mixers, ice, and glassware. Enter 100 guests into our calculator for your complete, theme-specific shopping list.
What is a standard drink serving size?
A standard drink contains approximately 0.6 oz of pure alcohol — that's 1.5 oz of spirits (80 proof), 5 oz of wine (12% ABV), or 12 oz of regular beer (5% ABV). Our calculator is based on 1.5 drinks per person per hour at moderate intensity, which you can adjust in the Advanced Settings.
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Please ensure your guests drink responsibly.
Before your event, designate a sober driver or arrange ride-share transportation for all guests who will be consuming alcohol.
Never serve alcohol to minors. Know your guests' limits and look out for one another.
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