Beverage Planning for a Crowd
As you begin to plan your large crowd menu, don't forget that you will need to serve hot and cold beverages including water. The menu planning process must also include the types of beverages that will satisfy your guests and compliment the dishes being served.
Nearly all beverages are appropriate no matter what the menu, but keep in mind the nature of the event, the guests, the location and the time of year. These all factor into the decision making process.
The main types of beverages to serve your large crowd will generally be coffee, tea, punch, sodas and water. Depending on the occasion, you may conside fresh lemonade, specialty coffees, smoothies, juices, hot chocolate and hot cider. Do not feel the need to serve every type of beverage at any one event.
Chose your beverages based on the event. An afternoon baby or wedding shower would call for sweet fruit flavored iced teas or punches, while a outdoor cook-out would call for beer, sodas, iced teas and water. Coffee and tea should be the star at breakfast, brunch or early lunch but not at a late dinner or cocktail party.
Remember to calculate any beverage quantity based on the number of attendees and their likely consumption rates to avoid running out or having too much left over.
Of course, for any beverage service, don't forget the ice.
Serving alcoholic beverages is an option that requires a bit more consideration.
What to Serve
Coffee
Make use of a coffee urn to serve large crowds. The urn makes large batches of coffee and keeps it hot. Urns are available in 10 to 100 cup sizes and can be rented. Search online for party rental businesses in your area. Also check out rentals of cappuccino and other specialty coffee makers if needed.
Offer regular brewed coffee at breakfast and dinner and espressos, cappuccinos or frappes at a continental breakfast, brunch or lunch. You might also offer iced coffee, cold brew and flavored specialty coffees. Provide sugar and milk. Optional accompaniments include flavored syrups, sugars and milks, and simple garnishes with cinnamon, cocoa powder and nutmeg.
If an urn is not available, make large individual pots of coffee and transfer to airpots, carafes or hot pots. This is great for a seated service.
Look for coffee retailers, shops or businesses that provide a coffee service. This service will deliver and set-up carafes or airpots of hot coffee along with cups, stirrers, napkins and cream and sugar.
Serving Size Suggestion: 1-2 4oz. servings per person per hour of event. Adjust according to the occasion, other beverage offerings, weather, etc.
Tea
A little pre-planning may be necessary to serve hot or iced tea to a large crowd of people in an easy and cost effective manner.
Purchase tea bags in bulk. You can use large pots or urns to brew hot tea and then transfer it to dispensers for serving. For iced tea, brew the tea in advance, chill it, and then transfer it to large containers with ice for serving. For hot or cold tea provide sugar and lemon wedges.
Borrow or rent large beverage dispensers to serve both hot and iced tea. This way, you can easily accommodate a large number of people without the need for multiple smaller containers.
Prepare the coffee or tea in advance, hot or iced. Store in large insulated containers to keep at the desired temperature until serving time.
If your event budget allows, consider hiring a catering service that specializes in beverage service. They will have the equipment and expertise to efficiently serve hot and cold coffee and tea to a large crowd.
The most popular selections of hot or cold tea are green, black, Chai, Earl Gray, orange pekoe and fruit flavored blends.
How ever you decide to serve, have lemon, milk, sugar and honey on hand.
Serving Size Suggestion: 1-2 6oz. servings per person per hour of event. Adjust according to the occasion, other beverage offerings, weather, etc.
Punch
Punches are festive and “party-like”, but with a large crowd require additional planning. The punch bowl area will require some attention to keep the table and floor from getting too sticky. Also, watch out for guests who side step the ladle and “double-dip”. Not too sanitary.
A punch bowl will require a larger volume of punch as opposed to a pitcher or individual glasses placed on the buffet. You will also need prepared cold punch in reserve to keep the bowl filled. Avoid fruits and other tidbits just to cut down on the mess and need to replenish.
Serving Size Suggestion: 1-2 4oz. servings per person per hour of event. Adjust according to the occasion, other beverage offerings, weather, etc.
Soda and Water
Here is your easiest beverage solution. Include plain and sparkling water, colas, ginger ale, lemon-lime and fruit-flavored drinks. Also include noncarbonated products, such as iced tea, lemonade and juice drinks. Again, make choices based on the time of day, food being served and make up of the crowd.
Buying beverages by the gallon or liter is more economical. Check out discount stores but also contact local soft drink distributors to determine what type of soda and water services they provide, such as a beverage station or barrels of iced drinks.
Guests will drink more soda and water if the weather is warm, if they are outdoors or if there is dancing or other vigorous activities before the meal. Also plan to increase beverage quantities for teens and children
Soda Serving Size Suggestion : 1-2 8oz. servings per person per hour of event. Adjust according to the occasion, other beverage offerings, etc.
Water Serving Size Suggestion : 1-2 6oz. servings per person per hour of event. Adjust according to the occasion, other beverage offerings, weather, etc.