Bringing your own alcohol?

KatoNorway

Caterer I am considering doesn't have a license to serve alcohol outside their place of business, so that means I'll have to either hire an additional company to serve alcohol or bring it myself.

Most of my family are non-drinkers, so I'm thinking there's probably only 10 of the 75 guest that will even drink a beer or two. So I thought about just bringing beer would be enough. How the hell do I do that? What's involved in keeping the beer cold? Should I just get a keg and have a serve your own (with one or 2 adults in charge of keeping an eye out on it?)

Or should I hire another company? I really don't care to have alcohol availabe in the first place so its more for the guests than anything...

Thanks in advance!
Rebecca

SD3194

It will be cheaper just to bring it yourself.

Just buy bottled beer and put it in tubs full of ice like this...




I wouldn't buy a keg, it seems like a lot for ten people and you would also have to consider buying or renting pint glasses and the hassle of returning the keg shell to the store. Plus, with bottles you can have more variety. Buy more than what you think you will need, you never know who might end up drinking.

marinabreeze

I'm thinking that if it's only a few drinkers, maybe either have wine on the tables or get a pony keg or mini-keg and serve beer that way. 

You may want to look into the laws in your state and having some kind of one-day license or insurance for your event, because if you're self-serving, and someone goes out on the road drunk and kills him/herself or someone else, you may be on the hook for liability.

If you hire another company, particularly if they're insured, that will help liability-wise, and they might be all-inclusive so no worries about glasses/drinkware.  However, if only a few drinkers are coming, it might not be worth it.

If you in fact have very few drinkers, then I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea to have a dry reception.  It's not rude to do, as long as you give them some refreshments (like pop, water, tea, etc.).  It's just a little harder to pull off a long-lasting receptions with no drinking.  But that is an option.

HTH and GL!

ETA:  I know they sell small mini-kegs of Heineken and the like at the grocery store in my area to where you don't need tapping equipment.  I'm not sure about your area specifically, but I suspect that as long as there aren't "dry" laws in your local area, you should be able to find them.  Bottled beer is also fine too.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I would check about liquor law requirements and whatnot for your venue. If your caterer can't serve it, there's a chance you can't either.

If you can/do serve alcohol, I'd hire a bartender to pour it. Maybe 2 pony kegs, and 2 kinds of wine, if you think people will drink that. You don't HAVE to serve alcohol at all, though.

KatoNorway

thanks so much!

stephbonthego

We are hosting beer, wine and a signature cocktail and plan on low-key, galvanized tubs full of ice for beer & chilling the whites. I

n Washington, a banquet permit ($10) is required for events that do not have a liquor license on site. Not a huge deal but some places require that you obtain it a certain number of days prior to your event (haven't looked yet for WA).

DeanaS63

Wow! This post help me out alot...