Hosting a cocktail party - bar calculator

While no perfect list exists (given regional tastes, trends etc), this guide will help you plan for your party by outlining the supplies needed for parties of 20 or 50 guests.

For 20 guests: 

Bottles of Spirits:

1 Vodka
1 Whisky
1 Gin
1 Scotch
1 Sweet vermouth
1 Dry vermouth
2 Rum(1 light/1 dark)
1 Tequila

(have beer and two bottles of red and white wine available for this number of guests if you are offering more than "cocktails"

Extra supplies:
20 lbs Ice
2 Tonic wate
2 Ginger ale
2 Cola
2 Soda water
2 Orange juice
1 Cranberry juice
1 Limes
1 Lemons
Olives
Maraschino cherries
Napkins
Cocktail sticks
Any extra mixers that you see fit (i.e. pineapple juice)
Any extra fruit that you see fit (i.e. oranges)

Glassware:

60 glasses (estimate 3 per person)

Stock up on mainly lowball and highball glasses but with a few variations too if possible.

For 50 guests

Bottles of Spirits
2 Vodka
2 Whisky
2 Gin
2 Scotch
1 Sweet vermouth
1 Dry vermouth
2 Rum(1 light/1 dark)
2 Tequila

(have beer and four bottles of red, and four bottles of white wine available for this number of guests if you are offering more than "cocktails")

Extra supplies:
50 lbs Ice
6 Tonic water
6 Ginger ale
6 Cola
4 Soda water
4 Orange juice
3 Cranberry juice
3 Limes
3 Lemons
Olives
Maraschino cherries
Napkins
Cocktail sticks
Any extra mixers that you see fit (i.e. pineapple juice)
Any extra fruit that you see fit (i.e. oranges)

 

Glassware:
150 glasses (3 per person)

You may wish to have liqueurs available. (ie: Irish Creme, Coffe Liqueurs, Blue Curacao).