Do I have enough booze?

[ChristyMarie]

Our annual martini party is on Saturday and we always overbuy. Trying to be a bit more frugal this year as well. I have 45 confirmed guests, 10 mabye guests, and 18 no rsvp. I'm guessing we end up with about 50 poeple, mabye 55.

Most people will have 1 or 2 martini type drinks then switch to wine. We have some big drinkers coming (who are staying over) and for many parties I allow 1 bottle of wine per person with a couple extra for cushion.

So far this is what I bought:

1 1.5L vodka
1 1.5L gin
3 bottles regular size vanilla vodka
1 regular size rum
Misc Beer
Misc Mike's Hard Lemonade (my mother bought it)
12 bottles white
12 bottles red
1 case small bottles (think beer bottle size) of sparkling sake.

I feel like I need more wine, vodka and some bubbly because I just realized my husband didn't put champagne on the list. What was the man thinking?

Thoughts?

[aggie94]

I can't really respond to your original question since a) I'm not much of a drinker and b) I always overbuy for parties (we still have at least 5 bottles of prosecco leftover from last year's Chinese New Year party), but I just wanted to say that you throw the COOLEST parties.

[ChristyMarie]

Originally Posted by aggie94

I can't really respond to your original question since a) I'm not much of a drinker and b) I always overbuy for parties (we still have at least 5 bottles of prosecco leftover from last year's Chinese New Year party), but I just wanted to say that you throw the COOLEST parties.

Thanks! But one question, how in the world have 5 bottles of prosecco survived that long???

[aggie94]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

But one question, how in the world have 5 bottles of prosecco survived that long???

See a) above. If you lived closer, you'd be welcome to them! I have no idea what to do with them, nor do I have any idea how long they keep (they've been in our wine fridge if that makes a difference). Maybe we need to throw a prosecco party??

[ChristyMarie]

I gotta believe prosecco is good for a couple of years. Just store it on the side so the cork doesn't dry out. Give them for Christmas gifts!

[SusanMac]

I want to go to a martini party!! I'd also attend a Prosecco party!

Aggie - at this point, they'd probably make wonderful Christmas gifts!

CM - even if you're a big drinker, 1 bottle of wine per person + martinis sounds like a lot to me. Yes, some people will drink that much, but not all 50 people. Plus, don't guests typically bring something to drink, as well? You'll no doubt end up with more wine & vodka than that based on guests gifts

[Canice]

I'm no help either, but Eva I'm behind the Prosecco party! Prosecco and Italian hors d'oeuvres

[ChristyMarie]

Nah, a couple of people might bring wine as a hostess gift but usually that is of the "stick in cellar, don't let party people see it" variety.

Most people know by now that we don't require you to BYOB anything. I will probably buy more wine - maybe 3 bubbly and 2 red and 2 white for cushion. But more vodka or gin...that seems to be the question.

We did a champagne dinner once with our wine club. Food that goes with bubbly is very very good.

What I think I'm really concerned about is it getting to the part of the party where the last few die hard guests settle in for the night and we run out of wine and my husband sends people into the cellar to "pick out a bottle" - nothing down there is of the drink now or party wine variety. It has happened before...

[donleyk]

I'd probably get more vodka. It's not like it goes bad. DH and I can dent a bottle of vodka just having a couple of martinis. I'm not a gin drinker so I can't help there. I've heard that they use it make martinis I thought it was just a rumor

[HejazSunKat]

The only thing I have to contribute is that I love the title of this thread!

[Canice]

Was your first thought "Probably not?"
It *is* an attention-getter anyhow!

[HejazSunKat]

Originally Posted by Canice

Was your first thought "Probably not?"

I think it was: "If you have to ask...."

[aggie94]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

But more vodka or gin...that seems to be the question.

Do you recall if a majority of your guests prefer vodka to gin (or vice versa) or if it's fairly even? From what I can tell, most martini recipes call for about 2 ounces of vodka/gin. So you'd get approx. 25 drinks out of each large bottle you have on hand, so enough for 1 drink per person, plus the 3 bottles of vanilla vodka. I don't think I'd buy anything more, unless you know for sure that more of your friends are gin martini drinkers.

[armel]

When I read how many people and how much alcohol, I thought . . . well you might have enough wine. But it could be close. I assume 1/2 bottle per person for dinner. But for a party, I know we drink more. And you only have 24 bottles of wine for 50 - 55 people.

And I also thought you didn't have enough vodka. When I make martinis for 3 people and we use the regular size bottle, we easily have 2 martinis each and kill half the bottle.

I don't drink gin martinis so I have no clue on that one.

[aggie94]

I guess I should have asked, is the vanilla vodka meant to be used for martinis also? And if so, then the question to ask is whether most of your guests who would otherwise be drinking vodka martinis would be OK with vanilla vodka martinis? If not, then you probably need another bottle of plain vodka (or gin, but I'd opt for vodka since it seems most people prefer that to gin).

[cakebaker]

Don't you need vermouth for martinis?

[krhm]

Oh, I wanna come! I agree...your parties always sound like they are to die for. I can't imagine anyone not dropping everything to attend!

At the last party I threw, very few of the hard liquor drinks were consumed, but I was close to running out of wine. Because we were all in for the duration of the night, I think people wanted to sip lighter beverages more than I anticipated. So I actually had an entire pitcher of mojitos and two of rum punch that were wasted.

On the other hand, if you are worried about running out of anything, I say stock up. With the holidays coming up, I'm sure you'll put it to good use, even if it just ends up being a gift or otherwise worked into food (Rachael Ray's Vodka Sauce is awesome).

[ChristyMarie]

Good thoughts! Thanks! To answer some questions...

The only thing we've ever run out of in the past was vanilla vodka. Luckily my husband made more since we had a ton of plain.

I also forgot I bought a 1.5L of Citron vodka. So I think I'm good on spirits. Oh, and a bottle of plum wine to float on the sparkling sake.

I have vermouth, godiva, contreau, etc. All the mixers you need. Oh and I have 2 bottles of Jamaican rum cream if things get really desperate.

I agree that if I want to avoid a midnight raid on the cellar I need more wine. I'm thinking another case - 6 white, 6 red. I have a bottle of bubbly in the fridge I forgot about so I think if I pick up 2 more I should be good.

And, yes, if you have to ask you probably don't have enough!

[Terri_A]

I always figure out how much I think I need, then buy more. In my house (unlike Eva"s ) any extra will be consumed at some point, either by myself or friends at an impromptu happy hour. I think buying one more case of wine is a great idea!

Sounds like you all are going to have a blast!!!

[dearamy]

Originally Posted by HejazSunKat

I think it was: "If you have to ask...."

That was my first thought exactly

[cama_cook]

I love the idea of a martini party! One thing I get the sense of is that you might be worried about over-buying and having a lot of left over liquor. Are you a costco member? I'm not, but from what I understand, you could easily return whatever you don't open!

[avariell]

I figure alcohol really doesn't go bad - so might as well over buy

[LakeMartinGal]

Wow. I am soooo out of touch!

[hollysmom]

C) Eva's pregnant...(and I want to see a picture!)


Now for THIS party - you need that Lake Michigan high-rise penthouse...

SSM

[swquilts]

In answer to your original question.....

NEVAH DAHLING!