Party drinks Jo Pratt Keep the drinks flowing with our guide to picking the right party tipples. We’ve got advice on both alcoholic and soft drinks to make your do go with a sparkle.

In this article

What to provide

How much?

Drinks checklist

The drinks bill for a party can soon mount up so it's worth shopping around or buying in bulk to help cut the cost. Asking guests to 'bring a bottle' is fine if you're hosting a casual party, but for a more formal affair you'll need to stock up on some essentials to make sure your party goes without a hitch.

Where to start

• Pre-order your drinks from a reputable supplier, especially during the busy festive season.
• Look out for some good deals when you buy in bulk, but don't fall for deals that seem too good to be true - they usually are.
• Buy on a sale or return basis.
• Hire some glasses at the same time (and plenty of them unless you want to spend the entire evening washing up). Most places will loan them for free (or a small deposit) if you buy your drink from them.
• Get advice from the experts - such as from your local independent off-licence, supermarket, or the weekend papers. These will offer up-to-date information and offers.

Wines

Matching wines to the food can be a real challenge. However if you theme the food to be Italian or Spanish for example, then you can try to match your wine accordingly.

Opt for wines that are suitable for drinking alone and with food over a longer period of time.

Wine doesn't need to cost a lot to taste good and keep everyone happy. If you want to serve some bubbly then consider some good quality sparkling wines as well as champagne. There are plenty of good Australian and New Zealand sparkling wines for about £6 to £12 a bottle, and Spanish cava can be a bargain buy. Buying in magnums - (1.5 litres) or bigger - can often work out cheaper.

Beer

Get a mixture of ale and lagers - bottles look nicer (and can save on the amount of glasses being used). Look into buying a barrel of beer from a local microbrewery if you know plenty will be drunk.

Spirits

The basics - gin and vodka - are the most popular, so make sure you have these to hand. Tequila and rum are also good mixers and it's good to have whisky on hand too.

Cocktails

Limit yourself to two to three different kinds of cocktail: one with a gin or vodka base, one with tequila or rum base and perhaps one with a brandy or whisky base. Stock up on garnishes - lemons, limes, olives, maraschino cherries, cucumber, sliced apple or berries, straws, as well as paper umbrellas and so on, for the flamboyant.

Having a big bowl of punch is quick and easy drink to start with to welcome your guests, keep people flowing through the door and away from the bar or kitchen. Try the following recipes:

• Red berry punch
• Traditional mulled wine
• Fruity white wine punch
• Christmas rum punch

Soft drinks and mixers

Make sure you have some interesting drinks on hand for those who won't be drinking alcohol. Have to hand some still and sparkling water, fruit juices, soda water, cola, lemonade, tonic, lime cordial and more interesting cordials (look out for festive or refreshing ones).

Try to be inventive and create a non-alcoholic cocktail or punch. Make something festive by using cranberry juice, spices, apple juice, tangerine juice and sliced fruits.

• Wine and champagne: for a two-hour party, allow about half a bottle per person and increase accordingly. Plan on providing one-third red wine to two-thirds white.
• Beer: for a two-hour party, allow three to four bottles of beer per person.
• Spirits: three measures are all most people will manage at a two-hour party.
• Cocktails: stick to two to three different kinds and base the quantity on about two per person, because they can be quite intoxicating.
• Punchbowls: stick to one or two glasses per person as a welcome drink before they move on to something else.
• Soft drinks/mixers: allow one bottle for every three to four people.

Top drink tips

• Set up a bar area so everything is all together in one place; that way, people can choose to help themselves.
• If you want to serve cocktails, but don't want to be stuck making them all night, set up a 'make your own' area with the recipes you've supplied the ingredients for.
• Buy plenty of ice to chill your drinks. Use a large waterproof container, such as a dustbin or a large cool box, or your bath, to cool wines, beers and soft drinks.
• Open up a few bottles of wine in advance. If you've bought on a sale-or-return basis, don't open too many in advance (and don't leave them in ice too long; the labels will peel off, making them unreturnable).
• Attach a couple of bottle openers to your bar area so you don't spend all night looking for one.
• Have a recycling box handy for bottles and cans.