Cocktails and Beverages Planning Guide by Kawania H. Wooten, CMP Howerton+Wooten Events, LLC 15480 Annapolis Road, Suite 202 Bowie, Maryland 20715 www.hwevents.com (202) 706-7953 sayhello@hwevents.com Copyright 2015 Howerton+Wooten Events and Images 2012 Big Stock This guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Wine and Champagne Serving Sizes Bottle Size Ounces Servings 750 ml 25.4 Five Servings* 1.5 liters 50.7 Ten Servings* 1 case 304.8 Sixty Servings* *One Serving = 5 Ounces How much wine should I purchase for a two-hour reception in my home? For every two hours, your guests will usually consume approximately 1½ glasses of wine. If your party has between 30-50 guests, you should purchase 1½ to 2 cases of red and white. I heard that you should only hold a wine glass by the stem. So, are stemless wine glasses okay? Stemless wine glasses are perfect for a casual event in your home. The heat from your hands warm your wine, but it can also help to release the wine s flavors. How cold should my wine be? Most say that white and sparkling wines are best served chilled, so an hour in the refrigerator, a half-hour in the freezer, or fifteen minutes in an ice bucket will work. Don t chill them too long though. Red wines should be served at a cool room temperature.
Spirits Serving Sizes Bottle Size Ounces Servings 750 ml 25.4 15 Servings* 1.5 liters 33.8 22 Servings* 1.75 liters 59.2 39 Servings* *One Serving = 1.5 Ounces What type of liquor should I have on a full bar? For your basic full bar, you want: vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec and whiskey. Take into account how long your party is scheduled to last and make sure to have a variety of food and beverages. How many drinks do you think each person will have? When planning an event, on average one person will consume one drink every 45 minutes. If the event is scheduled for two hours, plan on each person drinking three drinks each. Always consider the average age and sex of your guests when purchasing beverages.
Beer Serving Sizes Keg Size Cases of Beer Number of 12 Ounce Servings Number of 12 Ounce Servings 5 gallons 2.5 cases 53 40 servings* 7.75 gallons 4 cases 82 62 servings* 13.2 gallons 6.5 cases 140 105 servings* 15.5 gallons 8 cases 164 124 servings* *One Serving = One 12-Ounce Bottle or One 16-Ounce Pub Glass How much beer should I purchase for a gathering at my home? Pick one light and one regular beer. Purchase 1½ bottles for each guest. You can often get better deals if you purchase a case of beer (24 count) instead of purchasing loose bottles. How do I properly pour beer? If you are pouring from a bottle gently run it down the side of the glass. You should judge the speed of your pour based on the head that is forming. Some beers contain visible yeast at the bottom of the bottle that is supposed to be drunk with the beer. If this is the case, stop the pour with a bit of beer left in the bottle. Swirl the remaining liquid to lift the yeast sediment and pour it into your glass.
Beverage Supply Checklist for a Cocktail Party Wine Notes Spirits Notes p Champagne/Sparkling Wine p White Wine p Red Wine p Dessert Wine Mixers p Vodka p Gin p Tequila p Whiskey p Rum p Brandy p Mixers p Water p Sodas Beer p 6/12 Packs p Keg p Juices
Signature Drink Recipes Absolut Vodka Apple Martini 3 Parts of Absolut Vodka 2 Parts of Apple Juice, Fresh Pressed 2 Parts of Apple Liqueur 1 Part Lemon Juice 1 Splash of Simple Syrup 1 Slice of a Granny Smith Apple Once you get all of the ingredients together, fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all the ingredients noted above. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with apple. The Blushing Bride 2 Parts New Amsterdam Gin 4 Parts Cranberry Juice 2 Pinches Ground Ginger 1 Splash of Lemon Juice Once you get all of the ingredients together, fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all the ingredients noted above. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry or raspberry.
Helpful Hints When Hiring Event Bartenders Have you ever been to a wedding reception where the line to the bar was two miles long? It's disconcerting, isn't it? Your guests should be mingling and laughing it up. Instead, they are waiting in a very long line -- thirsty -- annoyed. I promise you, you don't want this to happen at your wedding. Wedding guests talk. So, here is the deal 1. The industry standard is one bartender for every 75 wedding guests. To be perfectly honest, I only recommend this number for beer and wine bars. 2. If you are planning to have a full, open bar, consider one bartender for every 50 wedding guests. 3. If you know that your wedding guests are big drinkers (and you will know if you are inviting drinkers to your wedding), definitely go with one bartender for every 50 wedding guests. Another idea -- have a wait staff butler-pass the champagne, wine and sparkling water. 4. If you can only manage one bartender for every 75 wedding guests, consider hiring an assistant (aka Bar Back or Bar Hand) to help the bartender maintain the stemware, bar condiments, and mixes.
Beverage Planning Glossary By the Bottle Liquor (and/or wine) is served, and the host will pay for it by the full bottle. By the Drink - Liquor (and/or wine) is served, and the host will pay for it by the number of drinks served. Call Brand A specified brand of beer, liquor, and/or wine selected by a wedding guest according to personal preference. Usually, it is a higher quality than house brands. Cash Bar The wedding guests will have to pay for their beverages Catering Manager The staff person responsible for selling and servicing local food and beverage functions. Cocktail Reception This is a stand-up social function where beverages and light foods are served. Foods may be presented on small buffet tables or passed by servers. This typically precedes the lunch or dinner reception. Corkage Fee A fee that is charged on beer, liquor, and wine by a caterer, venue, or restaurant. The fee is charged to the host because they brought in (and purchased) the beer, liquor, and wine from elsewhere. Food and Beverage Minimum An amount you must spend for food and beverages, not including taxes, gratuities, and/or service charges. If you spend below the amount, you are required to pay the difference between the minimum and the actual amount spent. Guarantee -- The number of servings to be paid for by the host (or the couple) whether or not that number is actually consumed. Caterers and venues typically require this information at least 10 to 15 business days prior to your wedding or event.
Beverage Planning Glossary House Brand (or Well Brand) Any brand of liquor, beer and/or wine served by the "house" (e.g., restaurant, caterer, bar, venue). This house brand is served when a wedding guest requests a drink by its generic name (e.g. house white, vodka martini, gin and tonic). It is the least expensive liquor, beer, and/or wine brand served, as opposed to the more expensive Call Brands. Mixologist A person, typically a former or current bartender, who is skilled at mixing cocktails or other drinks. On Consumption A term used in F&B that refers to the purchasing option based on the amount consumed by guests. The couple pays for the beverages based on the actual beverages served. Open Bar or Host Bar - The host pays for the beverages served on the bar. Therefore, the wedding guests do not pay for any of the beverages (sodas, wine, beer, liquor, etc.) Plus, Plus (++) - Service charge and taxes are identified as "++." You will see this on your food and beverage estimates when the service charge and taxes are not inclusive in the price. Premium Brand A specified brand of beer, wine and/or liquor selected by a guest according to personal preference. This brand is sold at a higher price than the call or house brands. Sommelier - A wine steward, expected to have an extensive knowledge of wines and their suitability with various dishes.
Beverage Resources (Disclaimer: Howerton+Wooten Events is not a part of the companies listed below. Nor does Howerton+Wooten Events receive any compensation for listing the companies below.) WASHINGTON DC AREA BEVERAGE VENDOR OPTIONS Ace Beverage Schneider s Chevy Chase Liquors (202) 966-4444 (202) 543-9300 (202) 363-4000 www.acebevdc.com www.cellar.com www.chevychasewine.com WASHINGTON DC AREA BARTENDER COMPANIES Professional Bartenders & Servers, Inc. Mixology Bartending Services (301) 208-0556 (301) 500-0227 www.probarserv.com www.mixologybar.com WINE CHARMS Wedding Favors Unlimited McLaughlin Creations Picture Perfect Pendants Murano Glass Wine Charms Monogram Wine Charms Wedding Wine Charms
Notes