HowMuchIt / Drinks for a party
How much alcohol do I need for a party?
Count drinks, not bottles: about two per guest in the first hour and one an hour after that. Then split them between wine, beer and spirits the way your guests drink, and the calculator turns them into bottles and kegs.
Work out your drinks
| Item | Drinks |
|---|---|
| Per guest | 2 in the first hour, then 1 an hour |
| 750 ml bottle of wine | about 5 glasses of 5 oz |
| 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine | about 6 flutes for a toast |
| 750 ml bottle of spirits | about 12 to 17 drinks, 16 to 17 at 1.5 oz |
| Half-barrel keg (15.5 gal) | about 165 beers of 12 oz |
| Quarter-barrel keg (7.75 gal) | about 82 |
| Sixth-barrel keg (5.16 gal) | about 55 |
A US standard drink is 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine or 1.5 oz of spirits. The shares are yours to set.
From drinks to bottles
A 750 ml bottle of wine pours about five 5-ounce glasses, and a bottle of sparkling wine about six flutes for a toast. A bottle of spirits gives about 16 to 17 drinks at the standard 1.5 ounce pour, fewer with a heavier hand. For beer, a standard half-barrel keg holds about 165 twelve-ounce beers, a quarter-barrel about 82, a sixth-barrel about 55. A US standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 of wine or 1.5 of spirits, which is why the three count the same in the calculator.
Questions people ask
How many drinks per guest at a party?
About two in the first hour, then one an hour: a 4 hour party is about 5 drinks per guest who drinks.
How many shots in a 750 ml bottle?
About 16 to 17 at 1.5 ounces; 12 at a 2 ounce pour.
How many beers in a keg?
About 165 in a half-barrel, the standard US keg.
Good to know
- A US standard drink is 12 oz of regular beer, 5 oz of wine or 1.5 oz of distilled spirits.1,2
- A common planning base is about one drink per guest for each hour of the party.2,3,4
- Guests drink more at the start: plan 2 drinks per guest in the first hour, then 1 per hour after that.5,6,7
- A 750 ml bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses of 5 oz.3,4,6,8
- A 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine fills about 6 flutes for a toast.3,6,9
- A 750 ml bottle of spirits makes about 12 to 17 drinks, depending on the pour: about 16 to 17 at 1.5 oz, fewer with bigger pours.3,4,6,8
- A half-barrel keg (the standard US keg) holds 15.5 gallons, about 165 twelve-ounce beers.10,11,12
- A quarter-barrel (pony) keg holds 7.75 gallons, about 82 twelve-ounce beers.10,11,12
- A sixth-barrel keg holds 5.16 gallons, about 55 twelve-ounce beers.10,11,12
How we checked this page
Checked on October 27, 2026. We kept a fact only when two independent publishers agree, and each one is numbered to its sources below. Where sources give different numbers, we keep only what they share. We never write a price. This page was written with an AI assistant and checked against the sources below.
Sources
- What Is A Standard Drink?, NIAAA (NIH)
- Party Math: Figuring Out How Much Beverage to Serve at Your Event, Plum Deluxe
- How to Stock the Bar at Your Wedding, The Knot
- How Much Alcohol Should I Buy for a Party?, America's Test Kitchen
- Drink Calculator, Crate & Barrel
- Party Planning, Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods
- Barbecue Party Calculator, Food Network
- How To Calculate Drinks-Per-Person To Avoid A Major Party Foul, Chowhound
- How Much Wine Do I Need for a Wedding?, ONEHOPE Wine
- How Many Beers Are in a Keg? Your Guide to Keg Sizes, Toast
- How Many Beers Are in a Keg?, Mental Floss
- How Many Beers Are In A Standard Keg?, Chowhound