Bars & Beverages for Events: Your Complete Guide
Hosting any event requires planning, especially where beverages are involved. Here at Hireall.ie, we’re leaders in Event Hire with over 50 years of industry experience.. Our guide is here to help you determine the equipment and barware you’ll need for your event, and which drinks/how many you should prepare.
What Do I Need to Hire?
A Bar
If your venue isn’t complete with a bar, a bar counter is an essential. At Hireall.ie, we hire a wide variety of bars to suit all types of venues, from our traditional Victoria Oak Right Corner Bar 7.2ft to the funky, sleek Snake Bar Unit Illuminated and so many more!
Bar Accessories
A fully stocked, well-equipped bar is a must-have to ensure the success of your beverage service. Stock up on staples available for hire at Hireall.ie, such as the Ice Bucket / Wine Bucket, Bar Tray Silver 14in, Ice Tongs, Cocktail Shaker Copper and more.
Glassware
High quality glassware will be key to ensuring a smooth drinks service. Whether you’re looking to hire Wine Glasses, Champagne Glasses, Water Glasses, Beer Glasses, Cocktail Glasses or Speciality Glassware, we hire it all!
Determining Which Beverages to Serve & How Many
What Type of Event Is It?
Consider the context of the event and its duration. Will there be a champagne toast if you’re hosting a wedding? Is it a formal gathering? Is it a cocktail party where you’ll be serving cocktails? Once you know the nature of your event, it’ll be easier to narrow down beverage choices.
Consider Your Guests and their Tastes
Think about your audience and their personal tastes if you know them personally. For example, if you know that there are more white wine drinkers than red amongst your expected guest list, we recommend stocking more white options.
Calculate Quantities:
We generally recommend estimating approximately two drinks per guest for the first hour of the event and one drink per guest for every hour thereafter. This will depend on the type of beverage. See below for recommendations per beverage type:
What Beverages Should I Serve?
Generally, we recommend stocking a wide enough range to cater to various tastes and avoiding over-stocking on any one particular beverage. See below for a general guide:
Wine:
Offer a selection of red and white, and a smaller selection of rose wine. One to two options for each type of wine is sufficient. If you’ll only be serving wine, estimate one bottle per guest for every two to three hours. If offering a variety of wines, estimate half a bottle per guest for every two to three hours.
Beer:
We recommend 2-3 beer options that cover various types, such as lagers and ales. Estimate two beers per guest for the first hour and one beer per guest for each additional hour.
Spirits/Cocktails:
Offer a variety of spirits including popular favourites such as vodka, gin, whiskey and brandy. If you’d prefer to narrow down your selection of spirits, an easy way to do so is to put signature cocktails on your menu. A choice of 3-4 options is sufficient. For a cocktail party, we recommend estimating two cocktails per guest for the first hour and one cocktail per guest per hour thereafter.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages:
Provide a range of options including still and sparking water, fizzy drinks and cordial/squash options. You may also wish to offer signature mocktails for those not drinking alcohol. Estimate one to two non-alcoholic drinks per guest per hour.
Have a question? Contact us at 01 295 3821 or info@hireall.ie, where our dedicated team will be delighted to assist you with any queries you may have. Hireall - The Event Hire Specialists.
