Party Drink
Calculator
How much alcohol do you actually need? Set your guest count and party length — get an exact shopping list, with the math shown.
Guest count carried over from your food plan.
Fine-tune
30 guests, 26 drinking, 4 hours → 130 drinks. That's 5 hours' worth of pours per guest because the first hour runs double.
₹16495 estimated total · ₹550 per guest
Estimate only, based on editable average retail prices — see the shopping list below to adjust.
Shopping list
Serving food too?
Work out the food next
Carries your guest count and event length across automatically.
Party Food CalculatorThese are planning estimates for the whole event across all guests — not a per-person target.
Always serve water and food alongside alcohol. Arrange rides for guests who've been drinking, and check your local legal drinking age and any permit rules for large or public events.
This whole calculation depends on your guest count.
Send your invite first, get an accurate headcount
Once RSVPs come in, come back and dial in the exact numbers.
Start Your InviteHow this calculator works
We use the standard industry rule: 2 standard drinks in the first hour per drinking guest, then 1 drink per hour after that. A "standard drink" is one 330ml beer, one 150ml glass of wine, or one 45ml spirit pour. That base number is then adjusted for your crowd's drinking level, whether food is served, and the weather — then split across beer, wine, and spirits by the mix you set, and converted into whole bottles, cans, and kegs you can actually buy.
Mixers are calculated per spirit drink (1 litre per 3 spirit-based drinks), not per guest, which is where most calculators get it wrong. Ice is budgeted at 0.5kg per guest for a cool indoor event, doubling to 1kg per guest if it's warm, outdoors, or the party runs past 4 hours — it's the single most under-bought item at most parties. Non-drinking guests are still budgeted 2 non-alcoholic drinks per hour, and water — 500ml per guest every 2 hours — is never optional.
Quick reference tables
How much wine for a party, by guest count
| Guests | 4-hour event | 6-hour event |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 5 bottles | 8 bottles |
| 30 | 8 bottles | 11 bottles |
| 50 | 13 bottles | 19 bottles |
| 100 | 26 bottles | 38 bottles |
Assumes a 30% wine share of the drink mix. Use the calculator above for your exact mix.
Beer per person, by event type
| Event type | Typical beer share | Cans per drinking guest (4 hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Casual house party | 45% | ~2.3 |
| Birthday | 35% | ~1.8 |
| Wedding reception | 25% | ~1.3 |
| Dinner party | 15% | ~0.8 |
Ice per guest
| Condition | Ice per guest |
|---|---|
| Indoor, cool, under 4 hours | 0.5 kg (1 lb) |
| Warm, hot outdoor, or over 4 hours | 1 kg (2 lb) |
| Any of the above, chilled in tubs | +50% on top |
Frequently asked questions
How much alcohol do I need per person for a party?
Plan on 2 standard drinks for the first hour per drinking guest, then 1 drink per hour after that. For a 4-hour party that’s 5 drinks per drinking guest — this calculator does that math for your exact guest count and mix of beer, wine, and spirits.
How much wine do I need for 50 people?
A 750ml bottle pours 5 glasses. For 50 guests at a 4-hour event with a typical mix, wine drinkers usually need 12–16 bottles — enter your own guest count and mix above for an exact, rounded-up bottle count.
How much beer do I need for a party of 50?
It depends on how much of your drink mix is beer and how long the event runs. As a rule of thumb, budget 1 beer per drinking guest per hour after an initial double pour — use the calculator above to convert that into an exact case/keg count.
How much ice do I need per person for a party?
Budget 0.5kg (about 1lb) of ice per guest for a cool indoor event, and double that to 1kg per guest if it’s warm, outdoors, or the party runs past 4 hours. If drinks are chilled in tubs rather than a fridge, add another 50% — ice is the single most under-bought item at most parties.
How do I calculate drinks for a wedding reception?
Wedding receptions typically run 4–6 hours with a mixed bar. Select "Wedding reception" as the event type above to load a sensible default mix and crowd level, then adjust for your guest count — the calculator accounts for the meal being served, which reduces overall consumption by about 15%.
Should I buy more or less if food is being served?
Less. A full meal reduces alcohol consumption by roughly 15% compared to a snacks-only event, because guests drink more slowly on a full stomach. Choose "Full meal" under Food served in Fine-tune to apply that adjustment.
How many mixers do I need for a cocktail party?
Budget 1 litre of mixer (soda, tonic, cola, or juice) for every 3 spirit-based drinks, plus a buffer of 1 litre of soda water per 10 guests. This is calculated per spirit drink, not per guest, which is where most other calculators get it wrong.
Is this calculator accurate for dry or low-alcohol events?
Yes — set the "Non-drinkers" share of the mix higher (up to 100%). Non-drinking guests are still budgeted 2 non-alcoholic drinks per hour and the same water allowance as everyone else, so the plan stays complete even for a fully dry event.