Bar Essentials & Beverage Service

Glassware Guide

• Everyone has limited storage so prioritize glassware that pulls double duty:

  • All-purpose wine glasses. Perfect for reds, whites, and rosés, I love a goblet style (such as this) that can also work for iced tea, soft drinks, and water.

  • Old fashioned, lowball, or rocks glasses. For bourbon, scotch, and other spirits you serve neat or on the rocks. Also use for cocktails. (There are technical differences between these three glasses, but they’re pretty interchangeable.)

  • Champagne flutes. For both sparkling wine and champagne-based cocktails.

  • Beer glasses. These are nice to have because they fit a whole beer. If using, remember to chill them before the party!

  • Optional: Highball glasses, martini glasses, margarita glasses, stemless wine glasses (less likely to tip over).

• Buy glassware in sets of 8-10.

What to Serve

• Red wine.

• White wine.

• Selection of spirits + mixers, including:

  • Gin, vodka, tequila, whiskey (scotch or bourbon), dry vermouth

  • Tonic water, club soda, Topo Chico

  • Cut citrus (lemons and limes)

  • People can make a gin & tonic, scotch & soda, ranch water, martini, etc.

• Batched cocktails loosen everyone up and can be made ahead. Here’s a full list of my go-to batch cocktail recipes.

• Beer – a mild IPA works well. You only need one kind of brew for most gatherings.

• Sparkling and still water, plus soft drinks, for non-drinkers.

• Keep it simple. You aren’t an actual bar; you don’t need to offer 10 choices! With these basics on hand, everyone will have something they enjoy.

Boozy Math: How Much to Buy?

• Food & Wine offers a great starting point for drink estimates:

  • Basic formula: (# guests x length of party) x 2 drinks per hour

    • Example: (10 guests x 3 hours) x 2 = 60 drinks

    • Take those 60 drinks and break it down by these percentages:

      • 30% spirits

      • 30% wine

      • 15% beer

      • 25% non-alcoholic (soft drinks, Topo Chico)

    • You end up with 18 “spirit pours” (cocktails, neat liquor), 18 glasses of wine, 9 beers, and 15 non-alcoholic drinks (18 + 18 + 9 + 15 = 60). This gives you an idea of how much to have on hand.

  • You can of course tweak these formulas depending on what (and how much) your group likes to drink.

• For a simpler approach, stick to wine. It’s usually safe to estimate 2 glasses/person.

  • For a 10-person dinner party, that’s 20 glasses of wine, or 5 bottles.

• One bottle of wine = 4 glasses

• One bottle of champagne = 6 glasses  

Tips on Beverage Service

• The most important thing is to have a self-serve bar so guests can manage their own drinks. Pull out your glassware and have everything accessible so you’re not bartending all night.

• Plan for 2 glasses/person. Rentals are a great option if you’re expecting a crowd.

• Get a drinks tub to hold chilled wine, beer, sparkling water, and sodas. Arrange your spirits, citrus, and cocktail accoutrements nearby.

• Don’t forget the bottle opener and corkscrew!

• If guests have the option to make their own cocktails (e.g. a gin & tonic), provide a set of bar tools + cocktail shaker.

• If you decide to offer a signature cocktail that isn’t batched, deputize a friend to help mix drinks. People like to have a job.

• Make sure your ice tray is full so people can help themselves, or put out an ice bucket with scoop (check it periodically to replace melted ice).

• Put out a pitcher of regular ice water so you’re not refilling water glasses all night.

• Arrange stacks of cocktail napkins on the bar and throughout your house.

• Keep a stash of shatterproof plastic cups on hand. You can get them personalized and if you’re running low on glasses, these are great to pull out.