Frequently Asked Questions about Parties

I am having a party. Where do I start?

Your first step when planning a party is to decide what kind of party you’re having, your budget, and how many guests you would like to invite.

The second step, is to call or stop by Five Points Bottle Shop.

Specific questions we will ask you include:

• (a) how long the party is going to last,
• (b) the time of day (hint: guests tend to drink more at late-afternoon and evening parties),
• (c) how many guests and an idea of what they like to drink (i.e. most guests might prefer beer, but a few might prefer wine)
• (d)the variety of drinks you want to offer and the type of party you’re planning (i.e., a cocktail party with light hors d’oeuvres, a sit-down dinner with wine, or a backyard barbeque with plenty of beer).

What suggestions do you have for planning a party on a budget?

There are many ways to plan a party on a budget, so don’t let a lack of funds keep you from entertaining. The best suggestion we can give is, talk to us. Tell us your budget and we will set you up with the right choices to suit your party and your budget. You don’t always have to have top shelf selections to offer tasty, quality beverages at your party. We know what’s good in all price ranges; you’ll be surprised.

How many drinks should I plan on serving at my party?

This question is asked of Five Points Bottle Shop staff all the time. We have helped plan hundreds and hundreds of parties. From tailgates to wedding receptions, our staff just knows how to figure out what and how much to serve at your party.

How do I plan my party myself?

Or you can for the DIY route. You can manually calculate the alcohol you need by following the guidelines below:

1. Estimate how many people will be drinking at the event.
2. Multiply this # by 4. This tells you the total # of drinks you need.
3. Translate into different kinds of drinks.

• A can or bottle of beer provides 1 drink.
• A 750ml bottle of wine provides 5 drinks.
• A 750ml bottle of liquor provides about 12-15 drinks.

Finally, multiply those #’s by the preference percentages (e.g., 50% beer, 25% wine, & 25% spirits) and you get a shopping breakdown of the alcohol you need to buy.

For example, a typical selection for a party of 100 people would be 400 standard drinks, distributed in this way:

• 200 – 12oz. bottles or cans of beer (400 x 50% = 200 drinks. 200 divided by 1 = 200 bottles.)
• 20 – 750ml bottles of wine (400 x 25%= 100 drinks. 100 divided by 5 = 20 bottles.)
• 8 – 750ml bottles of spirits (400 x 25% = 100 drinks. 100 divided by 12 = 8 bottles.)

How many drinks will I usually get per bottle?

Use this chart to calculate how many standard servings you can expect to get per bottle or can.

*Note: Bottles/cans refers to 12 oz. sizes, case estimates are approximate.

How many bottles of wine should I get for my party?

How much ice do I need for my party?

A good rule of thumb is one (1) pound of ice per person.

Do you offer discounts when purchasing by the case?

Yes. For 750mL and 1L bottles of liquor and wine (12 bottles) or 1.5L bottles of wine (6 bottles), we offer case discounts of 10% on purchases with cash or check and 7% with the use of a credit card or debit card.

A 6-bottle case of 1.75L liquor bottles will get you a discount of 5% on purchases with cash, check and 3% with a credit card or debit card.

This discount offer does not include cases of beer, of course, but you knew that.