Party Planning FAQs

Planning a party and need a little advice? The SPORTSMAN’S team is here to help.

We’ve planned hundreds of parties for our loyal friends over the years (from graduations to wedding receptions to retirement parties) and have learned quite a few tricks of the trade. The following is our step-by-step guide to help you plan the perfect party – including suggested quantities and product recommendations so that you can wow your guests without breaking the bank.

First….A few Pearls of Wisdom we’ve picked up along the way.

• The old adage of white wine being more popular than red wine has changed. People today are drinking as much, if not more red wine at parties than white wine. Of course, you need to consider the time of day of the event, what food you’re serving and the climate of the party setting. We like to plan equal amounts of white and red wine, unless there is some significant factor that would skew the ratio such as a Sunday Brunch party or a warm weather, poolside affair.

• Stock up on plenty of ice. You’ll need it for chilling bottles of wine or Champagne as well as serving drinks on the rocks. A good rule of thumb is to have 1-pound of ice per guest.

• Be prepared with an assortment of glass styles to cover the type of drinks you plan to serve. These include:  good quality wine glasses (rent them if you have to); straight-sided highball glasses for tall drinks; tumblers for spirits and juices; and martini glasses.

• Have twice as many glasses on hand as you have guests.

• Don’t forget to stock up on mixers including:  fruit juices (orange, grapefruit, cranberry & pineapple), club soda, tonic, ginger ale, cola, tomato juice & plenty of lemons and limes. You may need to add other items, depending on the types of cocktails that you choose to serve.

• If you’re serving wine, uncork a few bottles of each offering in advance. It will not only save you time when your guests arrive, but help you to identify if any of the wine is ‘corked’ or off. Decant the red wine, especially if it is ‘big’ and needs some time to open up.

• Consider hiring a bartender to mix the drinks for your party. It will allow you more time to socialize with your guests. Many caterers also offer bartending services.

• As party supplies go, bottled spirits will probably be your greatest expense (unless you raid the wine cellar). Our advice is to buy the very best spirits that your budget will permit. Your guests will recognize & appreciate your effort.

• Have coffee available for any guests that may need a little assistance at the end of the party. Also, keep the number of a local taxi company handy. Friends don’t let friends drive drunk. Remember, you want all of your guests to make it home safe & sound.

• What barware do I need to set up my bar? 
• What liquor & mixers do I need to set up my bar? 
• How many drinks should I plan on serving at my party? 
• How many drinks will I usually get per bottle? 
• How many bottles of wine should I buy for my party? 
• Any suggestions on appetizers? How many should I prepare? How many choices should I offer? 

Back to FAQs

What barware do I need to set up my bar?

SPORTSMAN’S knows that great tools can make a great bartender. We stock a wide variety of these bartender’s best friends and are happy to guide through their uses. You’ll not likely need all of these tools, but it’s good to know what they are. Here’s a selection of our favorites:

Bar spoon:  Bar spoons and teaspoons are primarily used for the mixing of cocktail ingredients and measurements. Most bar spoons have a twisted handle.

Blender:  Blenders have multiple uses: not only for making cocktails, but also crushing ice cubes. In a bar, they're used to make mixed drinks like colada's, frappés and frozen beverages. They are made in a variety of styles and sizes.

Can/Bottle Opener:  When opening bottled beers and juices, a can opener becomes very handy. 

Champagne Stopper:  Champagne stoppers are special types as they keep the pressure of the natural effervescence of the wine in the bottle and keep the champagne from going 'flat'. Other stoppers do not secure around the bottle's lip and do not work with champagne.

Citrus Reamer/Juicer:  The citrus reamer or juicer helps create fresh cocktails with fresh citrus fruit juice. There are many kinds of citrus reamers in the market.

Corkscrew:  Corkscrews are used to open a wine bottle. There are many types to choose from in all price ranges. 

Ice Bucket and Tongs:  An ice bucket is useful if you don't have a large kitchen where you can store the ice. Use tongs to pick ice cubes from a bucket. If you use a very large ice bucket, never dip glasses directly into the ice to fill. Use tongs or a small ice shovel.

Jigger:  The jigger is a standard bar measurement tool. Most jiggers allow you to measure 1 ½ oz on one end and ¾ oz on the other end. Glass jiggers usually only have one size. 1 oz = 2 tbsp.

Knife:  A knife is one of the essential tools in a bar because large numbers of cocktails are served with fruits as garnish. When you use a blender to make a drink, you may also need knife to cut ingredients before putting them into a blender.

Mixing Glass:  A Mixing glass is useful for stirring cocktails that are served with ice. A pint glass could do the same task for stirring cocktails with ice. 

Muddler:  Some cocktails require grinding ingredients using a Muddler. Use this to crush fruit in a glass. 

Pitcher, Glass:  To hold fruit juice, beer, and liquors, a glass pitcher is one of the ways to serve more than one person at the same table. Often used at events for "set-ups" or in restaurants for "family service" of beverages. 

Shaker:  One of the most important pieces of bar equipment. The most important part of a shaker is the body part (tumbler) where you store the cocktail ingredients. We recommend classic metal shakers because they help chill faster. Most classic shakers have three parts: tumbler, snug fitting lid and a cap on the top.

Strainer:  A strainer fits in the shaker or mixing glass to help strain only the liquid and to keep chunks of ice from diluting drinks.

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What liquor & mixers do I need to set up my bar?

Liquor

Your liquor stock really depends on what you plan to serve. Assuming that you’ll want to make the most commonly requested cocktails, this is a basic list. Start with this lineup and add to your stock as necessary. 750ml bottles will suffice, however if you want to save some money, consider 1 liter or 1.75 liter sized bottles. Recommended brands are listed in Red for Classic Selections and Blue for Splurge Selections.

• Bourbon (Maker’s Mark / Blanton’s)
• Canadian Whiskey (Crown Royal / Crown Royal Reserve)
• Rum (Mount Gay Eclipse / Ron Zacapa)
• Tequila (Stock Silver, Reposado & Anejo if your budget allows)
  • Silver (Milagro / Ocho)
  • Reposado (Milagro / Corzo)
  • Anejo (El Tesoro / Casa Noble)
• Blended Scotch Whiskey (Dewar’s / Chivas Regal)
• Amaretto (Disaronno / Lazzaroni)
• Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier / Extase XO)
• Brandy (Torres / Delamain XO)
• Gin (Plymouth / Hendrick's)
• Dark Rum (Gosling’s / Zaya 12 Year Old)
• Vodka (Tito’s / Grey Goose)
• Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Glenlivet / Macallan 12 Year Old)
• Irish Cream (Bailey’s)
• Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua)
• Sweet Vermouth (Martini & Rossi / Noilly Prat)
• Triple Sec (Hiram Walker)
• Dry Vermouth (Martini & Rossi / Noilly Prat)

Mixers

Stocking mixers is like stocking your alcohol. It really depends on what you plan to serve. The list below will prepare you for most requested cocktails.

• Orange Juice
• Pineapple Juice
• Tomato Juice
• Bloody Mary Mix
• Lime Juice
• Simple Syrup
• Tabasco Sauce
• Tonic
• Ginger Ale
• Half & Half
• Mineral Water
• Cranberry Juice
• Grapefruit Juice
• Sweet & Sour Mix
• Angostura Bitters
• Grenadine
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Club Soda
• Cola
• Diet Cola
• Milk

Garnishes

Use fresh fruit for your garnishes. Again, it depends on what you plan to make, but this will prepare you for most cocktails. You can use your imagination and add fresh fruits, candies, sprinkles, or even tiny umbrellas to give your own touch to your concoctions.

• Lemons
• Cocktail Onions
• Limes
• Spanish Olives
• Oranges
• Coarse Salt
• Maraschino Cherries