how much alcohol to buy for a party?

[hana]

can anyone help?
am having party for about 40-50 people, and want to estimate how much alcohol to buy for everyone, is it about 4 drinks per person over say, about 3 or 4 hours? are there any websites that do this?
thanks v v much

Blokes drink loads of beer .... bottles are easier than cans ....

More red wine drunk than red - but IME spirits are back in ...

I have been off the booze for a while and people never have enough soft drinks - I end up having tap water [cross]

You can get free glass "hire" from the like of Tesco

I had a list once - cannot get the full quantities - but that might be a pointer ..

HTH

Depends what you are having and if it is evening or day

In the day I usually allow half a bottle of wine per person and get some beers and plenty of soft drinks

In the evening allow 1 bottle I guess - I always buy about 3 times as much as I need and get it on sale or return from Majestic (most places will do this) along with glass hire. Then you can take back what you don't use.

Also if the party is at your house people will always bring a bottle or 2.

Ooh I'm doing the same.

Party for 50: Based on past experience, spend around £200-300.

People will bring bottles so there will be lots left over to keep you in wine for the rest of the year.

My current stash for 50 people is something like: 20 bottles of wine, 2 boxes of wine, 50 bottles of beer, 10 bottles of spirits, lots of mixers.

thanks everyone - am planning a surprise for dh's 40th in March. Will be evening ( now trying to see if I can hire some outdoor patio heaters as the party is in March and might be chilly..!) and having it catered, just nibbles and snacky stuff

forgot about glass hire, thanks Crystaltips, , will need to do that as well
don't want to be stingy but also don't want to spend money that we don't have

Better to have too much than not enough!

here is a website for you partyplanner

morning paper - that's great, I've written down your numbers, perfect

seeing as you're all so good with tips, what sort of spirits are people into these days? We pretty much stick to wine and beer at dinner parties and at home
I thiknk I need to look at your link Sunchowder!
thanks v much

Vodka and Gin ...

Though some like the Bacardi Breezers ....

Tia Maria and lots of diet coke

= a black russian

Ladies LOVE IT

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I only ever suppy wine and beer for parties, I rarely ever buy enough, becasue everyone brings at least one bottle I supply loads if soft drinks and enough alchol for a few drinks. Eg 1 case of wine and a slab of beer. I also say BBOB on invites though

I work on 1 bottle of wine per person or 6 bottles of beer. Work out roughly who will drink wine and who will drink beer and plan accordingly.

There is nothing worse than a party that runs out of alcohol so plan on providing plenty - although some people may bring hte odd bottle of wine with them!