A Canned Drink Bar Will Change The Way You Host

In theory, we all love the idea of hosting a party. The problem is that no matter how celebratory the mood is, or how great the people are, hosting can become quite a stressful affair. So, we're forever in search of ideas for cutting that stress altogether and taking a more effortless approach to entertaining — one that allows us to wow our guests and enjoy the party, too. When thinking about tips for hosting a relaxed lunch party, guidance on having a stress-free holiday gathering or any other type of soiree, one approach to your beverages is a guaranteed game-changer: Create a canned drink bar.

The bar can be one of the biggest hosting headaches. You need to buy various spirits, liqueurs, mixers, garnishes, and so on, as every cocktail a different guest might want requires multiple ingredients. That's before you even get to beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options. This adds up fast financially, and also nearly guarantees you leftovers to store. Plus, while you're actually at the party, you'll need to be making all those drinks, rather than spending time with guests. Luckily, we're in a golden age for canned beverages, with loads to choose from for ready-to-drink cocktails, wine, beer, non-alcoholic options, seltzers, and more. You can curate options on a tighter budget and better calculate drinks per guest to avoid overspending and waste, creating a fun setup so there's something for everyone and no one has to work behind the bar.

For your beverage assortment, you will want an accessible beer style plus a non-alcoholic beer option — get a six-pack of Athletic Brewing's booze-free golden ale on Amazon for $8.99. You can affordably have a wine option on hand, too — something bubbly is always festive, so look for some of the best canned sparkling wine brands near you. Cocktail possibilities are endless – we ranked 28 popular store-bought RTDs, and that's the tip of the iceberg. There are margs, mules, G&Ts, and a whole subcategory of various canned whiskey cocktails. Look into the growing world of shrinking can sizes, as smaller portions help guests try more drinks without overdoing it. We rated tasty RTDs from Tip Top, whose options come in cans of just over three ounces. 

Add flavored seltzers and non-alcoholic RTDs from brands like Ghia. Arrange them in a fun way, like on a lazy Susan, tiered on a desktop shelf, or plunged into a cooler with novelty-shaped ice. Set out glasses and an ice bucket, and have fun with garnishes. Prearrange cocktail skewers with berries or olives, laying them next to pre-sliced citrus or peels. Pretty up both the display and guests' drinks with edible flowers and fresh herbs like mint and basil. Curly straws and tiki-inspired umbrellas are more playful touches, and you can even set up a rim station: A bowl of Tajín with lime wedges for Mexican lagers, for instance, or lime and salt for canned margaritas.