SnapCalc

Wine & Drinks Calculator

Calculate how many bottles of wine, beer, or spirits you need for a party based on guests and event length.

We'll calculate soft drinks for them

1. Enter the number of guests attending your event. 2. Set the event length in hours. 3. Choose the drinking style — light (dinner party), moderate (social), or heavy (celebration). 4. Select the primary drink type — wine only, beer only, or a mixed bar. 5. Enter how many non-drinkers are in the group for soft drink estimates. 6. Click Calculate to see quantities and cost estimates.

Tips:

  • Always buy 10–15% more than the estimate, especially for wine.
  • For a mixed party, the 40% wine / 45% beer / 15% spirits split is a reliable rule of thumb.
  • Have plenty of water and soft drinks available regardless of alcohol choices.
  • Australian standard drink = 10g of pure alcohol (one glass of wine, one mid-strength beer, one nip of spirit).

    • Formula

    Total Drinks = Drinkers × Drinks Per Hour × Event Hours Wine Bottles = (Total Drinks × Wine %) ÷ 5 glasses per bottle Beers = Total Drinks × Beer % Spirit Bottles = (Total Drinks × Spirit %) ÷ 20 standard drinks per bottle

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many drinks per person at a party?

    A commonly used rule of thumb is 1 standard drink per person per hour for a moderate social event, 0.75 for a light dinner party, and up to 1.5 for a celebration or heavy-drinking occasion. For a 3-hour dinner party with 20 moderate drinkers, plan for 60 standard drinks total — roughly 12 bottles of wine, or a mix of wine and beer.

    Should I buy more wine or beer for a party?

    It depends on your guest mix and event type. For an evening dinner party, wine tends to dominate (70–80%). For a barbecue or casual outdoor event, beer is usually preferred (50–60%). For a mixed social event, the 40% wine / 45% beer / 15% spirits split works well. When in doubt, ask guests for preferences or go with more wine — it has a longer shelf life if unopened.

    When should I stop serving alcohol at a party?

    Consider stopping alcohol service 30–60 minutes before guests are expected to leave, to allow some metabolisation time before driving. Ensure non-alcoholic options (water, juice, soft drinks) are always freely available. As the host, you have a duty of care — offer to call taxis or rideshares for any guest who appears intoxicated. In Australia, hosts can be held liable if a visibly intoxicated guest is served more alcohol and subsequently causes harm.

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