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Party Alcohol Calculator

How much alcohol do you need? Enter your guest count, hours and mix to get cases, bottles, mixers and ice, with the assumptions shown.

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Your event

Drink mix

The sliders are relative: the calculator turns them into shares of 100%.

What to buy

Total: 200 drinks

Beer (cases of 24)–
Wine (750 ml)–
Spirits (750 ml)–
Sparkling for the toast–
Mixers–
Ice–
Alcohol-free drinks–

Estimates only. Round up for a buffer, and talk to our staff about styles. Call (825) 223-8787.

How the calculator works

This party drinks calculator uses the same planning rule as our wedding and party quantities guide: about one drink per drinking guest for each hour the bar is open. Some guests have less and a few have more, so it averages out. It then splits the total across beer, wine and spirits using your mix.

Assumptions

  • One standard drink = a 341–355 ml beer at 5%, a 142 ml (5 oz) glass of wine, or a 43 ml (1.5 oz) pour of spirits, following Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health.
  • Beer: one can or bottle per beer drink, shown in cases of 24 (rounded up).
  • Wine: about 5 glasses per 750 ml bottle.
  • Spirits: about 17 pours of 1.5 oz per 750 ml bottle.
  • Toast: about 6 flutes per 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine.
  • Mixers: about 4 oz (120 ml) per spirit pour.
  • Ice: about 1 lb (roughly half a kilo) per guest for drinks. Add more in summer or if you're chilling bottles in tubs. City Liquor sells bagged ice, so you can pick it up with everything else.
  • Alcohol-free: two non-alcoholic drinks per guest, plus water for everyone.
  • Event type only changes the starting mix (for example, game night leans to beer, dinner parties lean to wine). Adjust the sliders to suit your crowd.

Hosting responsibly

  • Never serve anyone under 18, and don't serve anyone who's intoxicated.
  • Serve food throughout the event and set a last call well before the end of the night.
  • Make alcohol-free drinks easy to find. Our non-alcoholic guide and mocktail recipes can help.
  • Plan safe rides before the party starts: designated drivers, taxis or rideshare, or a place to stay. Alberta's roadside sanctions start at a blood alcohol level of 0.05.
  • Serving alcohol at a hall or other venue? You may need an AGLC private special event licence, so check with your venue and apply early (see our wedding guide).

Bring us your numbers

Once you have an estimate, visit City Liquor at 260-525 St Albert Trail or call (825) 223-8787. Our staff can help you choose styles and fine-tune the mix.

Please enjoy responsibly. You must be 18+ to buy alcohol in Alberta, and if you're drinking, plan a safe ride home.

Related pages

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shots are in a 750 ml bottle?

A 750 ml bottle (a twenty-sixer) holds about 17 standard 1.5-ounce (43 ml) shots, the measure Health Canada uses for one standard drink of 40% spirits. If you pour 1-ounce shots, you'll get about 25. A 375 ml mickey gives about 8 standard shots, and a 1.14-litre forty about 26.

Source: Health Canada · Dictionary of Canadianisms

How many standard drinks are in a bottle of wine?

A 750 ml bottle of 12% wine holds about five standard drinks. In Canada, one standard drink of wine is 142 ml (5 oz) at 12% alcohol, so stronger wines hold more: a 14% bottle is closer to six. Home pours are often bigger than 5 oz, so glasses can add up faster than you think.

Source: Health Canada

How much beer do I need for a party of 50?

For a four-hour party of 50, plan about 200 drinks in total, using the common rule of one drink per guest per hour. If about half your guests drink beer, that's roughly 100 beers: four 24-packs plus a spare case as a buffer. Adjust for your crowd, and have non-alcoholic options and water too.

Source: Health Canada

How much liquor do I need for a party of 50?

For a four-hour party of 50, plan about 200 drinks in total. If roughly a third are mixed drinks, that's about 65 to 70 standard 1.5-ounce pours, or four 750 ml bottles of spirits, since each holds about 17. Add mixers, ice and alcohol-free choices, and make sure everyone has a safe ride home.

Source: Health Canada

How many drinks a week is low risk in Canada?

Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health rates 2 standard drinks or fewer a week as low risk, 3 to 6 as moderate risk, and 7 or more as increasingly high risk. If you drink, stop at 2 drinks on any day. A standard drink is 341 ml of 5% beer, 142 ml of wine or 43 ml of spirits.

Source: CCSA: Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health · Health Canada

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