The first “In Any Event” blog entry appeared in 2014 when planners were invited to “check in to EventCheck Knox” when the website launched. The second one offered practical advice for planners on the ins and out of ordering alcohol for your event.
We checked back in four years later with Jerry Kruse of The Pour Guys to find out if the rules of measurement still apply and what, if anything, has changed since then.
For details on calculating how much beer, wine and liquor you need for an event – number of attendees remains key, along with a little math – the 2014 blog entry still applies, and you can read it HERE.
“The averages still apply,” Kruse said. “But it also depends on the style of the event. You have to stay flexible and adapt to your event.”
For example, Kruse recommends to his clients that a wine order be adjusted depending on whether it’s a brunch or dinner. Attendees are likely to have a single glass of wine at lunch, and two or three for a dinner event. In that case, a formula calculated by attendees would need to be adjusted to reflect the type of event.
“The day of the week also matters, because that affects consumption,” Kruse said. “If it’s later in the week, people may be ready to wind down and spend more time at the event and thus enjoy an extra drink or two. If it’s a Monday or Tuesday, the work week is still on their mind, and they may exit earlier.”
That window of opportunity for flexibility is fully open before the alcohol is ordered. The Pour Guys, which has been in business for 11 years and handled more than 1,400 events, draws on its considerable experience to help customers make accurate orders and not overflow on alcohol or, even worse, run out.
But he also noted that the window doesn’t slam shut after the event and ordering from a liquor store is the safest route. Unopened products, such as liquor and cases or packs of beer, can be returned, as can refrigerated wine. Products that were iced down are not returnable.
“For beer, it’s because the packaging has been opened,” Kruse said. “In the case of wine, it’s because the ice damages the label, so it can’t be sold by the store. If you want to return chilled wine, put it in a refrigerator, not an ice cooler.”
The best decision is to consult with an experienced professional before the event.
“We have a very good idea based on all the variables about how much a client needs for all types of events,” Kruse said. “Whoever you choose, make sure you’re working with someone who has done multiple events.”
Maria Cornelius, a writer/editor for Moxley Carmichael, populates the EventCheck Knox calendar. Maria is enjoying college basketball season and elated that pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training. With advance apologies to fictional Coach Eric Taylor: clear costs, full glasses, can’t lose on booze.