Expert: Paul Wagner - 1/12/2010

Question
The days of going over to a friends house and being asked, "can i get you a drink?" seem to be long over.  I was wondering what types of different alcohol should one keep to be a good host?

thank you for all your help!

Answer
Hi Alex

This is a great question!  And you are right--the old days of having a full bar to meet the varied demands of cocktail drinking guests are now in the past...and I think that's a good thing.

The real question is what kind of entertaining you are doing?  For a simple barbecue, some beer is probably all you need--and maybe a bottle of wine or two.  But if you are hosting a "cocktail party" then you probably need to stock up your bar.  

In the end, it is your guests who will determine the answer to your question, because your job as a host is to try to make them feel comfortable.  Thankfully, many guests now bring a "hostess" gift, which is often something THEY like to drink!

My suggestion is two-fold.  

1.  Try to be clear about what kind of party you are hosting, and fine tune your bar to meet that expectation.  If you have something interesting to start ( a wine tasting of German Rieslings, for example) then you are providing both beverages and entertainment for your guests.  And they will be happy.  

2.  It's never a mistake to ask your guests what they like to drink as part of the invitation.  That way you can plan ahead---and often the guest will suggest that they will bring a particular brand or style that they enjoy---and leave the rest of the bottle as a gift.

you win, either way!

Paul Wagner