BEVERAGE PLANNING TIPS
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BEVERAGE PLANNING TIPS
If your wedding or special event includes the service of beverages, this article should help you with a few of the fine points of beverage service planning.
BEVERAGE
SELECTION |
BEVERAGE SELECTION
If you are in charge of making the selection of beverages to be served, here are
a few basic guidelines to follow;
When preparing to make the beverage selections consider the type and theme of event, the type of guest that will be attending, and the types of foods that will be served. For example, if you are having a business dress "after business" reception with appetizers your selections can be basic and light. A basic selection of beer, wine, and non alcoholic beverages will usually fit the bill in that situation. Although you will never be able to please everyone, try to target the basic mainstream tastes rather than stocking trendy products.
If the attendees are business people or business clients who are coming directly to your reception after work, odds are they will not consume a great quantity of alcoholic beverages, so a quality wine selection along with a domestic and either micro or import beer plus a selection of non-alcoholic beverages will give you the most bang for your buck. Although wine should ideally be paired with the food selection, a reasonable quality selection of Chardonnay, White Zinfandel and a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot will usually please just about everyone without offending the discriminating palate.
From a cost and handling standpoint, it is best to keep your beer selections basic as well. A domestic regular and light selection along with 1 import or micro beer selection will usually be adequate. Since you do not know what specific type of beverages your guests will consume, by minimizing the number of selections, you will be able to stock sufficient quantities of each selection within a reasonable budget to make sure that you do not run short of any individual selection. (Running out of something in the middle of an event is not a good thing...)
Non alcoholic beverages are also an essential offering. A selection of soft drinks, usually cola, diet cola, a lemon/lime soda like Sprite or 7up, and sparkling water with lemon and lime twists will take care of the soft drink selection. Regular and decaf coffee should also be available for most events.
Weddings and gala grand opening parties have different stocking requirements since the activity and consumption levels of attendees is significantly higher. Again, it is best to keep the selection basic to minimize waste and overstock/leftover costs. If large numbers of attendees are expected, consider changing the type of product packaging used to save money as well.
A keg of beer is equal to 6.88 cases of beer, give or take a bottle, which means you can save about 50% on the cost of product if you utilize keg beer vs. bottles or cans and the required storage space is significantly less. Although some people tend to believe that keg beer has a negative visual impact, there are CO2 operated tapping systems available that allow the kegs to be hidden from view under the bar or a back bar table. Fabric covers for the visible part of the tapper systems are also available which further enhances the appearance. You can also simply drape the visible part of the tapper system with fabric. Bulk wine (boxed) transferred into carafes can also save you 50% or more on the cost of product versus using bottled wines.
STOCKING YOUR BAR
Following are 2 different bar menus containing the required essentials needed for
service;
Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks
I'll bet you can probably figure this one out on your own...
Full Basic Bar
Vodka
Gin
Rum
Canadian Whiskey
Brandy
Scotch
Bourbon
Tequila - if you really think you need it...
Sweet and Dry Vermouth
Optional Liqueurs and Cordials, i.e. Bailey's, Amaretto, etc.
Beer Selection - Regular and Light Domestic with an
optional Import or Micro Selection
Optional Non Alcoholic Beer Selection - Sharp's, O'Doul's
Wines - White, Blush, Red
(Chablis, Blush, Burgundy or Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
***Think about the carpet before serving red wine***
Soft Drinks - Cola, Diet Cola, Lemon/Lime Soda, Sparkling Water
Mixes - Tonic, Club Soda, Lemon Sour, Orange Juice,
Lime Juice, Grenadine
Optional Mixes - Grapefruit Juice, Cranberry Juice, Bloody Mary Mix
Garnish - Lemons, Limes, Olives, Cherries
Essentials - Ice , Glassware, Napkins, Wine Opener, Pour Spouts, Stir Sticks, Bar Towels
Equipment - Portable Bar or Topped/Skirted Table with a
small table for a back bar area,
Coolers for Ice and Chilled Product
PORTIONS
Using skimpy glass sizes not only gives the appearance of being cheap,
but it also increases the traffic at the beverage service areas which also increases
congestion at the bar areas and glassware and ice usage. 12 ounce glasses are recommended for
mixed drinks, beer and soft drinks no matter what the type of event since it gives the
guest a reasonable portion and allows you to more efficiently utilize service personnel by
decreasing the number of times a guest will return for a refill. On the other hand, using
a glass size larger than 12 ounces, especially in warm weather, will create waste since
the ice will melt or the product will warm before it is consumed which adds to
wasted glassware and product usage. Wine should be served in 6 ounce glasses with a 4.5 to
5 ounce portion for the same reasons.
For large picnics and grand opening events, beverage carriers are a nice gesture BUT they increase waste since people tend to take extra which ends up as waste due to warmed product. Allowing attendees the ease of obtaining a large number of beverages at one shot also decreases the amount of control you have when it comes to excessive consumption.
STAFFING
Depending upon the type of event, when more than 1 bartender is required,
a bartender to guest ratio of 1 to 75 to 1 to
100 will usually provide efficient service. If a
single bartender is required, a ratio of 1 to 50 or lower is recommended depending upon
whether it is beer, wine, soft drink service or full bar service.
Beer, wine, soft drink
service is much faster than full bar service due mainly to the required discussion with
each guest relative to available selections (Hint: Have a visible display of the available
beverage selections on top of the bar.) plus it takes longer to pour a mixed drink than to
pour a portion of beer or wine. In the case of weddings where the reception is held at a
location other than that of the ceremony, guests will usually filter in over a 30 minute
period of time which allows you to use a larger bartender to guest ratio. On the other
hand, if the reception is held at the same location as the ceremony or if everyone for a
corporate event is expected to arrive by bus at the same time, a smaller ratio is required
for efficient service.
PLACEMENT
The size of the room, the number of attendees, and
the traffic flow are the main considerations
when determining where you will place your beverage service area. In no instance,
with the exception of butler passed champagne or a theme drink offering, should the
beverage service area be placed immediately by the entrance since it lends itself to high
congestion in an already high traffic area. By properly placing the beverages and
food away from the entrance you give the attendees a reason to enter the room rather than
to linger at the entrance. Food and beverage areas should also be separated to minimize
congestion and to created traffic flow throughout the room rather than creating clustered
congestion in one area. Proper traffic flow and movement by the attendees can add to the
energy of an event!
In most instances, unless it is a very large room and/or there is a large number of attendees, combining the beverage service areas into 1 larger service area will increase the service efficiency since splitting the areas creates uneven traffic flow to the service areas. More often than not, one service area will be overly busy while the other is not creating slow service in one area and wasted unused labor at the other area. In most cases the available linear service area of 5' per 100 guests is the minimum required. Example: The bar area for 300 guests should be a minimum of 15' side to side keeping in mind that the required number of bartenders will each require about 4' of area.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
The 1st 2 hours of an event is the highest consumption period. You can save
money on your beverages by interrupting the peak consumption period by scheduling dinner
to be served within that period of time or by scheduling some other activity to take
place, i.e. a presentation, etc.
Consider staged service at weddings. If your event is scheduled to last for 5 or more hours and you want to offer a full bar, consider offering the beverages in stages to save money. For example if only hosted beer, wine and soft drinks are offered until after dinner you are establishing a consumption trend for the lower cost per portion selections. If mixed drinks are added to the hosted beverage selections after dinner many people will not switch to mixed drinks and will continue to consume the lower cost per portion beer and wine selections.
Champagne (even the cheap stuff) has the highest cost per portion of just about anything that can be served. It is even more expensive than a mixed drink on an actual cost per portion basis. Consider limiting the service time of champagne or using it only for a toast rather than serving it for the entire event unless money is no object. You can also save money by offering champagne from the bar area during the initial reception period (where there are other beverage selections available) rather than serving via butler passing. If given an option, most people will order an alternative to champagne and you will save the labor expense of butler passing as well!
You can save 50% or more by using bulk wine in liter carafes for dinner service rather than bottled product. If you are placing wine at the tables rather than pouring, avoid multiple selections if possible since you will end up with significant waste. If both red and white wines are required, depending upon the menu selection, consider renting 1/2 liter carafes for the red wine which will minimize the waste.
Hire a professional bartender rather than having a friend, employee or Uncle Fred provide the bartending service since an experienced bartender will usually pay for himself/herself. Based on full bar service of 100 guests, an experienced bartender who is familiar with portion control can save you an average of $18.00 per hour in product costs and waste, will know enough not to open every bottle in sight, and will provide a higher level of quality service for your guests.
Consider combining service areas rather than splitting them. Traffic flow will seldom be equal between 2 or more service areas. One area will be high traffic meaning less than efficient service to those guests while the other is low traffic which means wasted labor expense because the staff at that service area is serving very few people. It is more efficient when bartenders work in teams and it reduces the cost of labor, service equipment and opened product.
Purchase your product from a liquor store or beverage service that will allow you to return and refund, or take back and credit, you for unopened product. That way you can be sufficiently stocked to ensure that you do not run out of any product selection and have minimal leftover cost. (Note: bottled beer and wine cannot be returned in most cases due to label damage and potential product damage due to chilling and warming.)
Consider stocking canned soft drinks rather than using 2 liter bottles or pop dispensers. They are easier to handle and the leftover product can be used later. Soft drink dispenser units can save money on a cost per portion basis for larger events. However, you need to consider the cost of the potentially wasted partial canisters of product remaining at the end of the event. It can add up, especially if you have multiple selections and multiple dispensers. It takes no more time to pour a can of pop into a glass than it does for someone to use a dispenser.
Consider Disposable Glassware
It costs significantly less to use disposable plasticware rather than actual
glassware when considering the cost per unit and the cost of loss and breakage. From an
appearance standpoint, clear plastic is preferred to colored
plastic unless you are planning a picnic type event.
Plastic glassware requires significantly less storage space than real glassware and the
unused full packs of plastic glassware can be returned after your event. (You will get
charged for the real glassware whether you use them or not...) Clear, hard plastic
disposable glassware is also available with a look of etched glass for
more upscale events.
NOTE: If you are planning to rent real champagne glasses for champagne service, consider using standard champagne glasses (flats). Use fluted glasses only for table service since they tip very easily and a floor full of broken fluted champagne glasses will certainly detract from the elegance of butler passed champagne service.
When you are comparing pricing, be sure to compare apples to apples rather than comparing cost estimates. Since consumption rates will vary from group to group, compare the cost per unit, i.e. cost per drink, or cost per bottle, case, keg rather than the estimated total cost. Also be sure that the associated costs are clearly outlined. Do the prices include tax and gratuity or are they add-ons? Is there a separate charge for labor or is it included? Also consider the number of minors in attendance, especially when comparing prices that are based on a flat cost per guest. For example, if you are hosting the beverage service for 100 guests @$8.50 per person and there are 10 children in the group you are actually paying $9.44 per adult for beverage service.
GUEST SAFETY
When planning your beverage service consider the fact that most people are not
able to drink unlimited quantities of free alcoholic beverages for a long period of time.
When the event is expected to last more than 5 hours (or even if it is fewer than 5
hours), consider the staging option outlined above which will shift some of the
consumption from hard liquor. Also, consider having a cooling down period for the last 1/2
hour of the event where no alcoholic beverages are available rather than serving alcoholic
beverages until the very end and allowing someone to consume that last "one for the
road".
Non alcoholic beverages should be offered until the very end of the event, including coffee. Although coffee will not actually sober someone up, it will dilute the amount of alcohol in their system and help keep them a bit more alert.
Make it clear to your bartenders that although you want your guests to have a good time, you are equally concerned about their safety and that they should monitor consumption and alert you if a guest has exceeded his/her limit. Appoint someone from your wedding party or staff to check with the bartenders from time to time about the condition of the guests. Professional bartenders have the experience to track individual consumption and recognize signs of intoxication and can tactfully slow an individual's consumption.
MISCELLANEOUS LEGAL STUFF
MAINLY FOR WEDDINGS
Although consumption of alcoholic beverages by a minor is considered to be acceptable
within some family circles, it is still illegal in most states unless in the home of the
parent or guardian. From a liability standpoint there is little or no liability in many
states when alcohol is served to guests UNLESS THERE IS A CHARGE FOR THE ALCOHOL OR UNLESS
AN ILLEGAL ACT HAS OCCURRED...like providing alcohol to a minor. It is recommended that
you check your local laws before allowing a minor to consume alcohol at your event.
As far as insurance goes, most homeowner's policies written since the late 1980's contain "Host Liquor Liability" coverage. However, we have found that many insurance agents are not familiar with this coverage provision. This coverage can also be extended to cover a wedding or other private event held at another location rather than having the added expense of purchasing coverage specifically for the event. If in doubt about your coverage, contact your insurance agent and inquire about "Host Liquor Liability" coverage, NOT "Dram Shop" which is coverage specifically for commercial sales of liquor. The two terms seem to confuse some agents...
Note: If you are planning to collect money from your guests in exchange for alcoholic beverages, i.e.sales of tickets that can be exchanged for drinks, a cover charge, etc. this may be considered a commercial sale which "Host Liquor Liability" coverage will not cover. If you have hired a licensed beverage service to provide a cash bar or if your event is being held in a facility that provides cash bars, their "dram shop" liquor liability insurance should cover the liability of service of alcoholic beverages at your event. It is advisable to check the local regulations pertaining to "cash bars" to make sure that you are in compliance with local laws unless the event is being held in a liquor licensed facility.
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