Free tool
How much wine and beer for this guest list?
Guests, drinkers and drinks per person. The split between wine and beer is the only judgement call.
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Tools
Drinks first, bottles second
The calculator estimates total drinks, then splits them between wine and beer by the chosen share. Wine assumes five glasses per bottle and beer assumes 24 bottles per case, and both are rounded up because you cannot buy part of a case.
Drinks per person is where most events go wrong. A three-hour reception with a meal is different from a six-hour party, and a weekday lunch is different again.
The bar is not only wine and beer
Soft drinks, water, coffee and cocktails absorb demand too. If those are available, reduce the drinks-per-person figure rather than adding them on top. Always over-order by a margin: running out is remembered, leftover cases are not.
Frequently asked questions
How many glasses are in a bottle?
About five standard 150 ml pours. A generous pour reduces that to four.
What if some guests do not drink?
Use the share of drinkers, not the full guest count. The field is the percentage of invited adults you expect to drink alcohol.
Should I count children?
No. Children do not consume from the alcohol estimate; their drinks belong in the soft-drink budget.
How far ahead should I order?
Check the retailer's return policy. Many allow unopened cases to be returned, which makes a small over-order cheap.