Beer Calculator — Cans & Bottles Per Guest

Plan for 2 beers in the first hour and 1 per hour after that. For a 4-hour party, that is about 5 beers per beer-drinking guest. Not everyone drinks beer — typically 40-60% of guests choose beer.

Cans are more practical for parties — they chill faster, do not break, and are lighter to carry. 330ml cans are the most common UK party format. For BBQs, 440ml cans are popular.

UK beer cases typically come in packs of 10, 12, 18, or 24. Supermarket multipack deals often come in 20 or 24 cans. We calculate for both 12 and 24 packs.

A standard 50-litre keg pours about 88 pints. Kegs are cost-effective for 40+ beer drinkers but you need a way to serve them (hand pump or CO2 dispenser). Mini-kegs (5 litres) are a good middle ground.