How Much Alcohol Do You Need for a Party? UAE Guide

How Much Alcohol Do You Need for a Party? UAE Hosting Guide

Hosting is fun until you reach the drinks part and suddenly start doing maths.

How many beers do you need?
Is two bottles of wine enough?
Should you get spirits?
What about champagne?
And what if someone only drinks 0.0 beer?

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

The trick is not to overcomplicate it. A good party drinks basket should have enough variety, enough quantity, and a few thoughtful options for different guests.
Here’s an easy guide to help you plan your drinks for a house party, BBQ, dinner night, birthday, game night or weekend gathering in the UAE.

1. Quick Answer: How Much Alcohol Do You Need?
2. The Easy Party Drinks Formula
3. Drinks Guide by Guest Count
4. What to Buy by Occasion
5. Don’t Forget Alcohol-Free Options
6. Final Party Basket Checklist
7. FAQ
8. Final Sip

Quick Answer: How Much Alcohol Do You Need for a Party?

For a relaxed home gathering, plan around 2 to 3 drinks per adult guest for the first few hours, then adjust depending on the occasion, food, timing and your guests.

A simple party basket usually includes:

This is a hosting estimate, not a strict rule. If your party is longer, mostly beer-focused, cocktail-heavy or includes dinner, adjust the basket to match the plan.

The Easy Party Drinks Formula

The best party drinks basket usually has four parts:

Something easy: beer, cider or hard seltzer
Something for the table: wine, rosé or sparkling wine
Something for mixing: vodka, gin, rum, tequila or whisky
Something alcohol-free: 0.0 beer, alcohol-free sparkling or soft drinks

That way, guests can choose what they like without you needing to guess everyone’s order.

Drinks Guide by Guest Count

For 6 Guests

Keep it simple and easy.

A good basket could be:
12–18 beers, ciders or hard seltzers
2 bottles of wine or rosé
1 bottle of spirits for simple mixers
4–6 alcohol-free options

This works well for dinner, takeaway night, game night or a small balcony gathering.

For 10 Guests

This is where variety starts to matter.

Try:
24–30 beers, ciders or hard seltzers
4–5 bottles of wine, rosé or bubbles
1–2 bottles of spirits
6–10 alcohol-free options

A smart mix would be lager, cider, rosé, one red wine, one white wine, gin or vodka, tonic, soda and plenty of ice.

For 15 Guests

For a bigger group, balance easy drinks with a few crowd-pleasers.

Plan for:
36–45 beers, ciders or hard seltzers
6–8 bottles of wine or sparkling wine
2 bottles of spirits
10–15 alcohol-free options

This is great for birthdays, BBQs, match nights or house parties where people may drink different things.

For 20 Guests

Now you are officially hosting-hosting.

Go for:
48–60 beers, ciders or hard seltzers
8–10 bottles of wine, rosé or bubbles
2–3 bottles of spirits
12–20 alcohol-free options

Cases are useful here, especially for beers or ciders you already know people love. You can still add single bottles or cans for variety.

What to Buy by Occasion

• For a BBQ
  Go for beer, cider, red wine, rosé and whisky highballs.
  BBQs usually need refreshing drinks that can handle grilled food, spice, smoke and sauces.
  
  
• For a Dinner Party
  Focus on wine, bubbles and one easy spirit.
  Keep one white, one red, one rosé or sparkling wine, plus gin or whisky for after-dinner drinks.
  
  
• For a Football Night
  Beer and cases are your best friend.
  Add lager, cider, hard seltzers, 0.0 beer and maybe one bottle of whisky or rum for simple highballs.
  
  
• For a Cocktail Night
  Build around spirits and mixers.
  vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whisky, tonic, soda, citrus, mint and ice will cover plenty of easy cocktails.
  
  
• For a Mixed Group
  Do not try to guess one perfect drink.
  Choose lager, rosé, cider, sparkling wine, one spirit for mixing and a few alcohol-free options. Simple, flexible and safe for different tastes.
  

• How much alcohol do I need for 10 guests?
  For 10 adult guests, plan around 24–30 beers, ciders or hard seltzers, 4–5 bottles of wine or bubbles, 1–2 bottles of spirits and 6–10 alcohol-free options.
• How many bottles of wine do I need for a party?
  One 750ml bottle of wine usually serves around 5 glasses. For 10 guests, 4–5 bottles is a good starting point if wine is part of the main drinks basket.
• How much beer do I need for a party?
  For a relaxed gathering, estimate around 2–3 beers or cans per adult beer drinker, then adjust depending on the length of the party and whether you are also serving wine or spirits.
• How many bottles of spirits do I need?
  For small gatherings, one bottle may be enough if spirits are not the main focus. For 15–20 guests, 2–3 bottles gives more flexibility for simple cocktails and highballs.
• What drinks should I buy for a mixed group?
  Choose a flexible mix: lager, cider, rosé, white wine, red wine, sparkling wine, one or two spirits, mixers and alcohol-free options.
• Can I order party drinks online in Dubai?
  Yes. You can shop beer, wine, spirits, champagne, cider, hard seltzers and alcohol-free drinks online with African + Eastern and build your party basket in Dubai.

Final Sip

Planning drinks for a party does not need to feel like a guessing game. Start with your guest count, think about the occasion, then build a basket with something easy, something for food, something for mixing and something alcohol-free.

A few beers, a few bottles of wine, one or two spirits, plenty of mixers, lots of ice and a thoughtful 0.0 option can go a long way.

Shop party drinks online with African + Eastern and build your UAE hosting basket with beer, wine, spirits, champagne, cider and alcohol-free options.

Please drink responsibly. Alcohol is intended for adults of legal drinking age only.