If this is your first time hosting a party, the thing most likely to go wrong isn't the playlist or the snacks. It's the drinks. New hosts under-buy, forget the ice, put warm cans in the fridge an hour before guests arrive, and end up staring at an empty cooler at 9pm. Here's a simple plan you can use today, whether you're hosting ten friends in a Toronto condo or thirty in a Calgary backyard.
First time hosting a party? Start with the drink math
The usual planning rule is two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per guest for every hour after that. For a four-hour party with 20 guests, that's 40 + 60 = 100 drinks. Then add a 15 to 20 percent buffer, because people bring friends and nobody wants to make a store run halfway through the party.
- 20 guests, 4 hours: plan for about 115 to 120 drinks.
- Non-drinkers and drivers: plan at least one non-alcoholic option per person, plus plenty of water.
- Variety: two or three choices is enough. More choices just means more leftovers.
What to buy: keep party planning drinks simple
Good party planning drinks are easy to serve, easy to count and don't need a bartender. Ready-to-drink cans do most of the work for you. A case of our vodka water cocktails gives you 24 pre-portioned 355mL cans in Cucumber Lime, Coconut Pineapple or Mango Peach, with no added sugar and nothing to mix. Aura is a still drink with zero carbonation, so it's an easy choice for guests who skip seltzers and sodas because the bubbles leave them bloated. Read more about why Aura is made that way.
If you want a signature drink too, make batch cocktails instead of shaking each one to order. Mix a pitcher a few hours ahead, keep it in the fridge, and put the ice in the glasses, not the pitcher, so the drink doesn't get watered down.
How much ice for a party (more than you think)
The most common rookie mistake is buying one bag of ice. Use this rule of thumb:
- For glasses: about 1 lb (roughly 0.5 kg) per guest.
- For chilling cans in a cooler or tub: another 1 lb per guest.
- Hot day or outdoor party: add 50 percent.
So 20 guests indoors need about 40 lb (18 kg) of ice. Buy it the day of the party, keep extra bags in a cooler, and keep the ice you serve separate from the ice chilling the cans.
How to chill drinks fast
Ideally, cans go in the fridge the night before. If you're short on fridge space, this method chills them in 15 to 20 minutes:
- Fill a cooler or tub with ice, then add cold water until the cans are covered. Ice water chills much faster than ice alone.
- Stir in a big handful of salt to drop the temperature further.
- Don't pack the tub too tight. Leave room so ice water surrounds each can.
Keep cans out of the freezer. They're easy to forget there, and a frozen can may burst.
Timing the first round
Have the first round cold and ready 30 minutes before your start time. Early arrivals are the real test: if you're still stocking the cooler when the doorbell rings, you'll spend the whole night catching up. Aim to get a drink into every guest's hand within two minutes of arrival, then point people to a self-serve station so you're not stuck bartending all night.
The mistakes that make hosts run out at 9pm
- Counting guests, not hours. A party that runs late burns through drinks. Plan for the realistic end time, not the one on the invite.
- One cooler for everything. When the drinks and the serving ice share a tub, both run out at the same time. Keep them separate.
- Putting out all the ice at once. Keep backup bags in a second cooler and top up as you go.
- Shopping at 5pm on party day. Stores get busy on weekends. Shop a day or two early, except for the ice.
- No water station. A pitcher of water and some cups keep guests hydrated and slow the pace of drinking.
Where to get Aura for your party
In Ontario, you can order cases directly from Aura for delivery to an Ontario address. In British Columbia, look for Aura at BC Liquor Stores and licensed private retailers. In Alberta, check AGLC-licensed private retailers. Our where to buy page shows your closest options across Canada.
Please enjoy responsibly, serve only guests of legal drinking age in your province, and make sure everyone has a safe way home.
Ready to stock up? Browse our vodka water cocktails, pick a case or two in your guests' favourite flavours, and throw a party where the drinks last longer than the guests do.