HostAnyway

Drinks & Ice

You said open bar.Bring on the thirst.

Tell us who’s coming, how long, and how hot it’ll be. You get the beer, wine, spirits, mixers, mocktails, water, and exactly how much ice — printable, by aisle.

How’s everyone drinking?
Who's coming
What are you pouring?

Turn one off and its share spreads across the rest. NA & water are always included.

How hot will it be?

Here’s what to buy.

Beer
1 case≈ 21 cans
Wine
2 bottles
Spirits
1 bottle≈ 17 cocktails
Mixers & garnish
4 qt mixers
3 limes · 3 lemons
NA & mocktails
2 cases35 servings · ~3 mocktails
Water
≈ 4.5 galthe #1 thing hosts skimp on
Ice
3 bags (28 lb)1 cooler/tubs, 2:1 ice-to-drinks

Hot and running long — ice melts faster than you’d think. Grab one extra bag to top up partway through.

The shopping list, by aisle

Produce

  • Limes3
  • Lemons3

Beverages

  • Mixers (tonic, soda, juice)4 qtShop
  • NA & mocktails2 casesShop ≈ 35 servings · ~3 mocktails
  • Water (the #1 thing people skimp on)5 gallonShop ≈ 4.5 gal — keep it visible and refilled
  • Bagged ice28 lb1 × 20-lb + 2 × 7-lb · pack coolers 2:1 ice-to-drinks · grab one extra bag to top up partway

Beer, wine & spirits

  • Beer1 case≈ 21 cans
  • Wine2 bottles750 ml — ~5 glasses each
  • Spirits (750 ml)1 bottle≈ 17 cocktails

Paper & supplies

  • Cups28Shop guests lose track — buy a sleeve, not a count

Beer, wine, and spirits aren’t linked — Amazon doesn’t sell alcohol, so there’s nothing for us to earn on it. Grab those wherever you normally do.

As an Amazon Associate, Host Anyway earns from qualifying purchases. Links may be affiliate links — it costs you nothing. How this works.

The stuff that makes it easier

Pour without the lineDrink dispenser with spigotShop at Amazon Chill a whole caseGalvanized beverage tubShop at Amazon No broken glass outsideShatterproof tumblersShop at Amazon Mix like you meant toCocktail / bar tool setShop at Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, Host Anyway earns from qualifying purchases. Links may be affiliate links — it costs you nothing. How this works.

Now plan the rest →

BBQ cookout Charcuterie board Backyard games S’mores bar

These are shopping estimates to help you stock up — not a recommendation for how much anyone should drink. Host responsibly: plenty of water and NA options, never serve under 21, arrange safe rides.

The math, in case you wondered.

Drinks follow the 2-1-1 rule — about two the first hour, then one per hour after — so a 4-hour party is about 5 per drinking adult. We multiply by how thirsty the crowd is (light 0.5×, average 1×, thirsty 1.5×), skew the beer/wine/spirits split to the event, and add a 10% buffer. A 750ml wine bottle is ~5 glasses; a 750ml spirit makes ~17 cocktails.

Ice is 1.5 lb per person, scaled by the heat — 1.0× mild, 1.25× over 80°F, 1.5× over 90°F, 2.0× over 100°F — plus a little more for long events and a 10% buffer. Water is the headline: about 16 oz per guest per hour on a hot day, because running short on water is the mistake hosts make most.

NA & mocktails are audience-aware. At a full bar we size them for designated drivers and non-drinkers (plus a little soda for everyone) — not a wasted second slate. “A bit of both” pours the non-spiked half into NA. Alcohol-free sizes a real drink for every adult. Kids get their own trio — cider, juice, lemonade — only when there are kids. And any signature drinks you pick are scaled to your crowd and split across your picks so you don’t over-buy.

Stuff people ask.

How many drinks should I plan per person for a party?
The rule caterers use is the 2-1-1: about two drinks the first hour (people drink faster as they arrive), then one per hour after. A 4-hour party is roughly 5 drinks per drinking adult. We add a 10% buffer and adjust for how thirsty the crowd is and the kind of event, so you over-buy a little — never run dry — without going overboard.
How much ice do I actually need — especially on a hot day?
Start at about 1.5 lb of ice per person, then scale up with the heat: roughly +25% over 80°F, +50% over 90°F, and double over 100°F. Pack coolers 2:1 ice-to-drinks and plan about one cooler or tub per 12–15 people. For a long hot event, grab one extra bag to top up partway — ice melts faster than anyone expects.
What if some guests aren't drinking?
Start with how everyone’s drinking — full bar, a bit of both, or alcohol-free. At a full bar the NA line is sized for designated drivers and non-drinkers (plus a little soda for everyone), not a full second slate. A bit of both is spike-to-taste: one shared base, spirit on the side. Alcohol-free sizes a real drink for every adult. Kids get their own trio — cider, juice, lemonade — only when there are kids. Never “NA beer.”
Can I make signature cocktails for a crowd?
Yes — pick as many as you like from 12 batch-friendly crowd-pleasers. Every one is a non-alcoholic base plus a spirit, so the same recipe is the mocktail, the spike-to-taste base, or the full cocktail. We scale each to your crowd and add the ingredients to your list — split across your picks so you don’t over-buy — with the signature spirits listed separately and honest batching tips on every card.
How much water should I put out?
More than you think — running short on water is the #1 hosting mistake, especially outdoors in the heat. On a hot day plan about 16 oz per guest per hour, roughly a gallon for every two people over a 4-hour party. Keep it visible and refilled.
How do I split it between beer, wine, and spirits?
A common starting point is 50% beer / 30% wine / 20% spirits — but it depends, so we skew it for you (a BBQ leans beer-heavy; a cocktail party leans spirits; a spritz party leans wine and prosecco). Turn a category off and its share spreads across the rest. A 750ml wine bottle pours ~5 glasses; a 750ml spirit makes ~17 cocktails at a 1.5 oz pour.
Can I print or save the list?
Yes. Tap Email me the list for a printable PDF grouped by store aisle — free, no account. Or tap Save / copy my plan for a link that reopens your exact party; text it to whoever’s shopping.

Feeding them too? Size up the cookout or build a charcuterie board.