Need help planning beer for a wedding

Having about 60-75 people for a wedding. Ages range from 25-65+

Having about 20 people (the younger set) all crash there for 2 days, the other people are just there one day/night and won't drink as much.

typically I would plan about 10 beers per head for the younger and 2-3 for the older.

10 x 20 = 200 beers
3 x 45 = 135 beers

likely 20oz pours, so 6700 ounces, or about 52 gallons. rounding that to 60 gallons.. I make 5 gallon batches, so thats 12 kegs of beer?

Thinking 4-5 varieties, but might have a keg or two of more special stuff.

So thinking I would do:
4 kegs of blonde ale
2 kegs of amber ale
2 kegs IPA
2 kegs of TX red
1 keg something special (hoppier)
1 keg something special (darker)

Sound about right?

Thats about 5 kegs more than I own so far.

That sucks you don't have the capability to do 10 gallon batches. I would probably only make 1 keg of IPA considering although it's one of my favorite styles, it's not most peoples favorite. I'd probably stay more with Blonde's, Cream's, Nut Brown's, Amber's, and Wheat's (Hefe's or Wit's--People seem to love those).

Just what I might do if I were in your shoes.

i, personally, would go buy some cases of beer, peel the labels off, and pawn it off as your own if i had to make that many beers. Do you have the capacity to do that? How long is it going to take you to get that many beers made and conditioned and ready to go?

That is A LOT of beer to make... if youre not completely set on the idea, make a batch as a party favor and buy some personalized pint glasses to go with the beer for each guest.

thats quite a tall order, if you choose to brew all of that then more power to ya, I would personally do like half store bought half homebrewed. How do you figure on 20oz pours? If people are drinking out of solos or pint glasses you'd only be at like 8 kegs.

I personally think the numbers for beer needed are way to high because some people:
- do not drink craft beer often and when they do they get tore up fast.
- will not like or even want to try your beer(s).
- are die hard BMC drinkers.
- will only drink 1 or 2
- do not drink beer
- will bring their own regardless

I am having a wedding in May next year. We will have around 200 guests. I will be using sanke kegs. I am planning to have:
1 - 1/2 bbl of BMC light *not home brew*
1 - 1/2 bbl of wheat
1 - 1/4 bbl of Irish red
1 - 1/4 bbl of IPA
1 - 1/4 bbl of stout
and maybe 1 - 1/4 bbl of yellow fizzy beer

We will also have 5 gallons of Apfelwein and 5 gallons of a sweet white wine (brewed by the mothers) limited champagne and no hard liquor (at least for guests).

The above reflects 50+ gallons of beer and 10 gallons of wine. Now my ceremony and reception are not for an "overnight party" but I think I will have more than enough for everyone who wants some to get their fill. I also will have signs up describing the beer and asking people to try a small amount before pouring a full glass to minimize waste.

If I were you I would make beer for the equipment I owned and when its gone, it's gone. I would be pretty surprised to learn that less than 100 people kill 35-40 gallons of beer overnight. If it is a HUGE concern, buy up some champagne/hard liquor for shots to help supplement the beer.

well that's my plan anyways.

But the more beer he estimates the more kegs and equipment purchases he can pawn off as a "wedding expense" and take it off the wedding budget instead of brewing budget.

You really have to go by your guests and how well you know them. I know for my wedding I got 2 cases of DFH 60 minute, one case of Miller Lite, and a smaller assortment of other craft beers. After the wedding I had about a case of DFH and mixed craft beer left, and half of the single case of Miller Lite... which I still have sitting in a closet somewhere because I couldn't bring myself to throw out beer or drink Miller Lite. If your guests like good beer go with what you think they'd like.

mosquitocontrol said:

but the more beer he estimates the more kegs and equipment purchases he can pawn off as a "wedding expense" and take it off the wedding budget instead of brewing budget.

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ding!

oh man your numbers are scaring me

I'm getting married just under a year from today (brewing an RIS this weekend to age for the date!) and have really been contemplating what to brew for the wedding, and how much of it. My wedding will be about the same size...and I was only figuring brewing about 3-4 5 gallon batches but I may have to rethink it.

I was planning on doing something light (blonde probably), maybe a brown, maybe a stout, maybe an IPA...who knows. This RIS is going to be bottled (brewpastor's dark night of the soul) and probably not served in large quantity anyway. Please post how it turns out and how much beer you end up actually needing

Just as others have said you really want to figure out what you think your guests will be enjoying.....hard for me because I don't generally drink with my family or fiance's family either...friends on the other hand...

snowveil said:

oh man your numbers are scaring me

I'm getting married just under a year from today (brewing an RIS this weekend to age for the date!) and have really been contemplating what to brew for the wedding, and how much of it. My wedding will be about the same size...and I was only figuring brewing about 3-4 5 gallon batches but I may have to rethink it.

I was planning on doing something light (blonde probably), maybe a brown, maybe a stout, maybe an IPA...who knows. This RIS is going to be bottled (brewpastor's dark night of the soul) and probably not served in large quantity anyway. Please post how it turns out and how much beer you end up actually needing

Just as others have said you really want to figure out what you think your guests will be enjoying.....hard for me because I don't generally drink with my family or fiance's family either...friends on the other hand...

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I am lucky. Our wedding, our money, our call. It's more a party for friends for 3 days than for family. Only immediate family is invited for the full 3 days, the rest can get a hotel!

I have 53 gallons of beer in fermenters right now, walk in the park! I do however do 10 gallon batches. All I can suggest is aim high. I brewed beer for my cousins husbands birthday party. I made 3 batches (6 gallon batches at the time) of red lager, cream ale, and a pilsner uriquel clone). There were people there that never had/liked craft brew and were hardcore Miller Lite fans. After 2 hours they were running out to buy beer. Now me personally I would have brewed more but that is all my cousin wanted. I'd rather leave the end of the night with extra beer rather then not have enough. JMO
tom