Handled properly, wine, beer, and spirits can help create a warm, friendly
atmosphere and facilitate social mixing and favorable thinking toward
the event’s mission. That said, the same beverages done wrongly
can be part of an unsuccessful evening (and a legal liability issue).
At the time of the site walk through, as the beverage stations and
flow charts and flow stations are mapped out, the event coordinator
should confirm if the site has a continuous coverage liquor permit or
if one will have to be acquired especially for the event (this is a
government
permit and can take weeks to get), and who will be responsible for making
the application and posting the license. This should always be part
of the contract.
The event should have some coverage for alcohol misadventure on its
insurance, if the venue does not have any. Liability can be limited
by using taxi vouchers, providing “sleep off” rooms, and
by having an event staff member on hand to backup parking valets who
feel an attendee should not be driving and provide tactful alternatives.
Ensure that bartenders have strict instructions to ask for I.D. for
anyone who might be underage. Some events will stop serving alcohol
an hour or so before people are expected to go home and will provide
coffee, late-night
appetizers and treats, to promote safe driving.
Type of Alcohol
During the event’s planning
stage, the intended ambience should be decided on; the bar selection
will be an important part of creating that mood. An elegant evening
will be helped by good wines, premium liquor brands, upscale beers,
and elaborate cocktails. Servers should be professional and in constant
circulation. At a company sports outing or picnic, beer and wine coolers
in ice-filled tubs may be just the thing. At a pre-awards cocktail party,
a martini created especially for the event, a glass of champagne, or
a vintage wine or port may be proffered as guests enter (it’s
also a good idea to have some unique appetizers circulating at the same
time).
Beer
If the event’s location is well known for a certain beer, add
local interest by providing it (and most cities now have microbreweries,
too). Decide whether the event requires cans, bottles, draft, or a combination
of all three. Will premium and foreign beers be available for guests?
Wine
Is the event a formal meal with sophisticated guests? If so, it may
be better to provide less wine of a better quality (perhaps a themed
cocktail service before the meal and then control the amount of wine
used by having servers pour it at designated intervals). Always go with
the best quality wine that the budget allows for (with a little research
it is always possible to find inexpensive wines that are quite good).
White wines will need to be chilled, and the cardboard the bottles
are boxed in will slow down this process. Ideally, the whites should
be loaded into a walk-in fridge either the night before the event or
quite early on the morning. A 750 ml bottle of wine pours 5 glasses.
It is difficult to estimate in advance the amount of wine that guests
will consume (perhaps two glasses per hour, but it will vary), but unopened
wine can usually be returned to its point of purchase for a refund (there
may be a 10% restocking fee).
Spirits
Inexpensive bar brands are available, but they do give an impression
of cheapness. It is better to stock mid and higher quality brands and
then limit the bar’s hours. For appreciation events, a positive
impression can be made by offering high-end brands. One corporation’s
annual golf tournament
provides a snifter of 50 year old single malt scotch as each participant
finishes the 18th hole—for about $12 per person (the bottle costs
$300 and provides 26 portions) each guest experiences a singular luxury.
By making it a finishing ritual, the event’s
organizer can stay within budget without seeming cheap.
Spirits will require ice, common mixers, and garnishes, along with
straws, etc. Make sure that the shot sizes are determined in advance.
If a bartender is pouring 2 oz shots instead of the standard 1 oz shots
(especially if the drinks are mixed), the bar may run out, attendees
may become inebriated, and the cost to the organizer may shoot well
past the budgeted amount.
Cocktails
Here is where inexpensive bar brands can work well; it’s almost
impossible to determine a brand of vodka when it’s mixed with
juices or other liqueurs to create a feature martini. Consider using
two signature cocktails for the event—one sweet and one less so,
to appeal to a broader range of palates.
| Ottawa Conventions.com
Event Planning 101
Chapter 3: Food & Beverage
|
|
|
