Food, Drink & Nightlife / In the bar

Hosting a house party means ensuring you’ve worked out exactly how much you’re going to need in terms of food and drinks.

Everyone has a different drinking capacity so you’ll never know the exact individual consumption but on an average one bottle of wine serves four glasses and a 750ml bottle of liquor will give you about twenty five shots of alcohol. Most guys get hammered on their 3rd or 4th drink and girls are generally lighter drinkers than guys. When it comes to free booze beggars can’t be choosers so don’t try to please everyone. Your guests will generally be alright with whatever you serve.

Now, you could set up a bar with the usual drinks and mixers but how about adding a personal touch with some exotic cocktails!

Strawberry Mojito

white sugar - to rim the glasses 5 large limes, quartered
1-1/4 bunches mint leaves
15 strawberries, quartered
2 cups white sugar
2-1/2 cups white rum
5 cups club soda
20 cups ice cubes

Pour 1/4 to 1/2 inch of sugar onto a small, shallow plate. Run one of the lime quarters around the rim of each cocktail glass, then dip the glasses into the sugar to rim; set aside.

Squeeze all of the lime quarters into a sturdy glass pitcher. Toss the juiced limes into the pitcher along with the mint, strawberries and sugar. Crush the fruits together with a muddler to release the juices from the strawberries and the oil from the mint leaves. Stir in the rum and club soda until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the sugared glasses over ice cubes and serve.

Vodka Spiked Watermelon

1 bottle (750 ml) vodka (I suggest you use Smirnoff. Trust me. It’s the best mid range mixer vodka)
1 10 lb. or larger, chilled, whole, watermelon, with seeds

Cut a plug from the watermelon about 2-inches deep and the shape of the bottle opening. Save the plug (rind) that you cut out. Push a long wooden spoon handle into the hole. Cut another plug about 20 degrees from where you cut the first one. Save that cut out too. This is just for air flow, you will just plug this hole up when you are done.

Turn the bottle (carefully and slowly) upside down and stick it into the first hole you cut into the melon. Push it down tight. Let it drain in. Once your melon soak the plugs back in and put the melon back in the fridge till the party starts.

Traditional Margarita

This simple one can be the saving grace for the unadventurous of your party guests

Lime wedges
Salt
Ice cubes
3 1/2 cups Tequila
3 cup lime juice

Rub the rim of all glasses with a lime wedge and dredge in salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with the ice, tequila, and lime juice. Pour into the glass. Garnish with lime wedge, if desired.

A Cheap Chaser - Shandy

4 pints of beer
1 ltr Lemonade

Simply mix the beers and lemonade into a pitcher and serve chilled!

Last but not the least, if you are hosting a house party, make sure you have enough beds to accommodate your drunk friends. Please don’t let them drink and drive.