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How Much Beer for a 75 Guest March Madness Party?

🍺
18
cases of beer

For a 75-guest march madness party lasting 4 hours

15% buffer included
370
Total servings
4.9
Per person
+2
Buffer cases

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

1

Estimate actual drinkers

75 guests × 75% drinking rate
= 56 drinkers

At medium events, about 75% of guests typically drink alcohol.

2

Calculate base consumption

56 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 4 hours
= 336 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 4-hour event.

3

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.25)
= 273 adjusted drinks

People drink faster in the first hour and slow down as the event progresses.

4

Apply march madness party modifier

× 1.35 (+35% for beer)
= 370 beer servings needed

March Madness Partys typically consume 35% more beer than average.

5

Convert to cases

370 servings ÷ 24 servings per case
= 15.4 cases (raw)

Each case of beer provides 24 servings.

6

Add 15% buffer & round up

15.4 × 1.15 = 17.7, rounded up
= 18 cases

Always round up and add a buffer. Running out is worse than having leftovers!

* Why trust this formula?

Based on industry standards and refined by bartenders with 30+ years of experience. We factor in consumption decay (people drink less as events progress) and real-world drinking percentages.

📊 Quick Reference: Beer by Guest Count

Guests Beer Needed Total Servings
25 guests 6 cases 123 servings
50 guests 12 cases 247 servings
75 guests (you) 18 cases 370 servings
100 guests 24 cases 493 servings
150 guests 36 cases 740 servings
200 guests 48 cases 987 servings

* All calculations include a 15% buffer. Amounts for march madness party.

Your Shopping List

Everything you need, plus essentials you might forget

🍺
Beer
The main event
18
cases

Don't forget these

  • Ice (Keep those beers cold!)
    216 lbs
  • Coolers (2 cases per cooler)
    9 coolers
    Buy

Pro Tips for Your March Madness Party

Insider advice from experienced bartenders

💡

Games run back-to-back during opening weekend - people may stay 6-8 hours.

Stock light beers for marathon watching sessions.

🎯

Multiple games mean multiple peaks - don't front-load everything.

🧊

Have non-alcoholic options for designated drivers and early bracket busts.

Weekend games have 30% higher consumption than weekday games.

🛒 Buying Guide

March Madness parties are beer-heavy but lighter than Super Bowl (longer duration, people pace themselves). Stock 70% light beers. Have coolers at every TV location. Plan 4-5 beers per person for a 4-hour session.

🎉

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