HOST Tip Mix and serve drinks yourself or appoint a trustworthy bartender rather than let guests serve themselves.

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?
This question is asked of LCBO staff all the time. While there are no absolute rules, here are some buying guidelines you may find useful. These are purchasing guidelines only that you can adapt to suit your guests' and your product preferences. Remember that you may be held legally responsible for the actions of your guests. Don't serve your guests to the point of intoxication and never let them drink and drive.

WINE
A standard serving of wine is five ounces at 12% alcohol by volume. This means that you get:
• Five glasses per 750-mL bottle
• Seven glasses per litre
• 10 glasses per 1.5-litre magnum

BEER
Generally, one 341-mL (12-oz.) bottle of beer is one serving. So, a case of 24 beers provides 24 standard beer servings.

SPIRITS
A 750-mL bottle gives approximately 17 standard drinks. You will need three similarly sized bottles of mix. Guest preferences or a party theme may affect the types of spirits purchased, so the following is only a basic guide for making spirit purchases:
• 25% Canadian Whisky
• 20% Vodka
• 15% Rum
• 15% Liqueurs
• 10% Scotch/Irish Whiskey/Bourbon
• 10% Gin
• 5% Brandy/Cognac

ESTIMATING BUYING NEEDS FOR SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
Follow these guidelines when calculating your buying requirements:
• Generally, plan on four "standard drinks" per person for a three-hour event.
• Multiply that by the number of guests you expect to estimate the total "standard drinks" you may need for the event.
• Translate this number into the appropriate servings of wine, beer and spirits.

A "standard drink" = approximately a 12-oz. beer, a 5-oz. glass of wine or 1.5 oz. of spirits. So, for instance, if you expect 200 guests at a three-hour reception, anticipate serving about 800 "standard drinks". Suppose about half the guests drink beer and the rest, wine and spirits. The 800 "standard drinks" would be divided as follows: 17 cases of beer (4 x 100 = 400 bottles of beer/24 = 17 cases) = 400 "standard drinks"; 12 bottles of spirits, 750 mL (17 "standard drinks" per bottle) = 204 "standard drinks"; 40 bottles of wine, 750 mL (five "standard drinks" per bottle) = 200 "standard drinks".

Note: We have rounded to the closest full unit and numbers may vary slightly. Also, when planning your purchases, remember that, once opened, spirits and liqueurs can remain stable for considerable periods of time, while wine and beer will deteriorate quickly.

LUNCH
One-third of a bottle of wine per person will give about two glasses each.

DINNER
Dinner is usually a bigger meal and lasts longer than lunch. It often includes several courses and matching a different wine to each course can add to the event. With this in mind, you may want to provide up to half a bottle of wine per person, allowing for three glasses for each guest.

WINE & CHEESE PARTY
If you want to be sure you have enough, you might want to buy a little extra and estimate that guests may drink approximately four glasses of wine in a three-hour period. Ask your cheese shop, but a general rule of thumb is to allow at least a quarter pound (4 oz./114 g) per person. Have a nice variety on hand and remember to label the different cheeses so people know what they are trying.

HANDY PARTY CALCULATOR*

* numbers based on an event of three hours' duration.

If you wish to use an estimate with different amounts or include costs, try our handy interactive Party Calculator.

STOCKING YOUR BAR
There are a few must-haves when stocking a bar. Soda water, tonic water, mineral water, ginger ale, cola (consider both regular and diet), tomato/tomato-clam juice, orange juice, ice, fresh lemons/limes, cocktail olives and onions, maraschino cherries and bitters should be on hand for preparing mixed drinks.

Here's what a complete bar might include. Whether you stock the entire list depends on your preferences and those of your guests.
• Red wine
• White wine
• Sparkling wine/Champagne
• Beer (domestic and imported)
• Coolers
• Vodka
• Gin
• Rum
• Whiskies (Rye, Bourbon, Irish Whiskey and Scotch – blended and single malt), depending on your tastes
• Dry and sweet vermouth
• Assorted liqueurs, brandies or Cognac

Of course, your bar should also include a good variety of non-alcoholic drinks or Mocktails for non-drinkers and designated drivers.

BAR ESSENTIALS
Next to the selection of beverages, glassware is probably the most important component of a well-stocked bar. Consider the following types of glasses:
• Red wine glasses (usually 8-12 oz.)
• White wine glasses (6-10 oz.)
• Champagne flutes
• Martini glasses
• Highball/lowball glasses
• Beer glasses or steins

An ice bucket, tongs and a corkscrew complete the mix.

SHAKEN OR STIRRED
The purpose of a shaker is not only to combine the spirits, but also to chill the alcohol. If you don't have a shaker, improvise by filling a small glass container with lots of ice. Add your cocktail ingredients and stir well until the surface of the container begins to frost. Strain and serve immediately.

SLICE AND DICE
Many cocktails involve some form of food preparation, whether it's preparing fruit for blending, making garnishes or slicing and squeezing citrus fruits. A cutting board, juicer, blender and selection of small knives make these tasks easier.

COCKTAIL ACCESSORIES
A selection of practical bar accessories makes mixing and serving drinks much easier. Cocktails are based on the art and science of matching flavours. A serious cocktail "mixologist" should have: a measured shot glass or jigger, cocktail spoons, swizzle sticks, cocktail toothpicks, muddlers (wooden pestles for crushing ice, fruits, mint, etc.), a strainer, a paring knife and a cocktail shaker.