For theme camps that serve drinks/alcohol

[Irreverent Moniker]

How much do you usually bring or would recommend bringing for a 2 hour happy hour?

Sorry if this has been asked and answered before, I tried searching the forum for an answer, but all I could find were threads/posts about carding and not getting busted for serving booze to minors.

[This Woman]

I don't think there's any right answer to this, IM, or at least, not enough info provided to answer accurately. Are you a registered theme camp? That will get you more traffic than not. Are you on the Esplanade or some other high traffic area? Happy hours on playa won't get the same traffic that Babylonia bars get - the booze is free and there's three bars to each block these days. A bar has to distinguish itself in other ways round these parts.

I can tell you that as a small, but well known bar, we've never really met the goal of figuring out precise stocking, and it has never been an issue. Also, as any vertran bartender will tell you, it's a crapshoot anyway. Some years we can't keep enough vodka, and no one touches the gin. Some years it's the whiskey they want, and we over loaded on vodka this time. So we bring the amount of booze our collective budgets can handle, and we don't do a lot of organizing until closer to the event when I tally up the stock and let people know what we're light on.

There have been a couple years when I was really worried we would run out. Then I always tell myself we'll just close the bar and go be citizens in someone else's bar...would that be so bad? Despite these past worries, we've yet to come away without giving the DPW goodies and taking home some for next year or for a fundraiser.

Amii, Bartender
The Liver's End

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Or you do like we do...

For the first few years we had PBR. Period. I don't care what you ordered, you got a PBR. Makes it easy to stock.

We expanded later to include Vodka shots, in alignment with our theme. As such, we do 1-3 1.75's of Vodka and probably 4-5 cases of PBR a day. If we did a bourbon or tequila bar, I assume it would be along the same lines, tho Vodka seems to go well out there.

We also try to get only decent quality booze... read this as "no bottom shelf plastic bottle stuff". Some people still bring it in, we still serve it, but folk know the difference, esp. served neat.

Remember mixers. We don't do them, as my gift is "drink it NEAT, or drink it NYET", but again YMMV.

If your camp is a hot ticket item or in a high traffic area wtih a lot of visitors, you will go thru booze. If you're relatively new or in a suburb, you won't go thru as much. If you're on the Esplenade you should be getting liquid dividends from James Beam and Company to keep it afloat.

[Irreverent Moniker]

I don't think there's any right answer to this, IM, or at least, not enough info provided to answer accurately. Are you a registered theme camp? That will get you more traffic than not. Are you on the Esplanade or some other high traffic area? Happy hours on playa won't get the same traffic that Babylonia bars get - the booze is free and there's three bars to each block these days. A bar has to distinguish itself in other ways round these parts.

we're registered and we're going to be at the 9:00 & B plaza. It's our first year as a registered camp though, so we have no name recognition outside of the community of burners that we already know. We're planning on a 4-6pm happy hour

We expanded later to include Vodka shots, in alignment with our theme. As such, we do 1-3 1.75's of Vodka and probably 4-5 cases of PBR a day. If we did a bourbon or tequila bar, I assume it would be along the same lines, tho Vodka seems to go well out there.

thanks, we're just trying to get a rough estimate of playa alcohol consumption and that helps!

[Bay Bridge Sue]

B at 9:00 Plaza? Yep, expect people. Wanderers to Ranger Tokyo and ESD to Luke Spokewalkers to Overflow from Arctica, then add + 225%.

BTW - congrats on your placement!

[Irreverent Moniker]

B at 9:00 Plaza? Yep, expect people. Wanderers to Ranger Tokyo and ESD to Luke Spokewalkers to Overflow from Arctica, then add + 225%.

BTW - congrats on your placement!

Thanks! Yeah we're stoked, we weren't really expecting to get placed let alone get such a good placement.

With all the people getting ice across the street though, I kinda want to serve them screwdrivers and bloody mary's in the mornings rather than have an evening happy hour.

Or both!

[Bay Bridge Sue]

I love doing a day bar... I set the time, I want to run late I can. Rule #1 - Open until we close, Closed until we open.

Oh yeah, 3 things. One, make sure you got at LEAST 3 others to help out running the thing. I love my place, but I made this mistake last year, luckily I had a friend who took the night shift. But I figure at least 4 peeps. I'd rather really have 8. But no less than 4.

Two, make SURE you can get from the backbar to the front bar DIRECTLY. We had a couple yahoos I had to take care of last year, and it was a LONG walk around or a jungle gym climb to do that.

Third, make sure you can secure your bar. Especially the backbar, but also be able to close it down in front. Killing lights works wonders, but realize people will walk in all hours asking.

Of course, know the Litany against Jail - it's 3 questions, and ask them religiously to EVERYONE, every time:

(1) I will need to see your ID before I can serve you. No ID, no booze! (And have the current legal date posted somewhere where YOU can see it.)

(2) Are you at or over the age of 21 years right now? (It's Illegal to lie to this question to procure alcohol. Puts the responsibility on the drinker.)

(3) Is it legal for you to consume alcoholic beverages in the state of Nevada Right Now? (Some are prohibited by the courts from drinking - this question clears you from serving them unknowingly - again, puts the responsibility on the drinker.)

I've had Undercover cops wander in and try to schmooze a drink, but as soon as I do the litany against jail (see above) they back off. One said "I am tomorrow", and I said "Come back tomorrow". They never came back. Another hemmed and hawed trying NOT to answer the Litany questions... I asked them to leave, and they showed me their badge, told me thank you, and have a good burn! Remember - they don't want to fuck up your burn, they WANT you to have fun out there and do what you do, but they also want to make sure you follow the law.

bb

[Irreverent Moniker]

That aspect is going to be bit strange. When I used be a bartender, it was in England...where if you're tall enough to reach the bar you're legal to drink. The strict enforcement here in the States takes some getting used to. Anything to avoid a LEO incident though! Thanks for the info and tips!

[This Woman]

How odd, my last comment seems to have evaporated like a spilled drink on the playa.

You might not get to practice Sue's # 1 rule; I remember in Center Camp we had obligations about how often we'd be open - might be the same in a plaza. But it's a fine rule, that we also subscribe to.

And you can forget about private parties in the closed bar because people will come around back or whatever if they see lights, clever ducks. We generally reward their tenacity with a drink.

[Eric]

There have been a couple years when I was really worried we would run out. Then I always tell myself we'll just close the bar and go be citizens in someone else's bar...would that be so bad?

Last year Fandango was running low after BootieBRC on Thursday night & still had to get through the rest of the weekend (could have, but it would have been vodka free if I remember right)- our mayor went on BRBC 99.1 and put out a call for booze. We ended up with leftovers. Granted, Fandango's been an established camp forever, so YMMV, but if people like your bar & you put out a call for booze, you might be shocked at what actually shows up.

Personally I always bring a handle of good vodka to gift to a bar on Thursday or Friday- last year it went to Fandango, but if I like a bar I try to make sure I can thank them.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

No such rule on the plazas. Of course, being there you will get people whether you want them or not. One of the downsides of the plazas... but still, you set the hours, how you enforce them is up to you.

(And yes, people on playa are like moths - have a light going, and they will come.)

[HandJamMasterC]

I'm going to have a bible handy and make all our bar patrons say -

PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME – I SWEAR ( ON THIS BIBLE ) THAT I AM 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND IT IS LEGAL FOR ME TO DRINK ALCOHOL IN THE STATE OF NEVADA.

Just because it's your first year doesn't mean you won't get swamped. This is a photo from our first theme camp last year. Who knew champagne tasting on Tuesday would be so popular -




Just bring as much booze as you can afford, and meter it during the week !!

[Dr. Pyro]

If you pour it, they will come.

[This Woman]

and you loved it, didn't you!

All this talk of hard work and running out of booze has made me long for the playa.

[HandJamMasterC]

I loved every minute of it !!

[theCryptofishist]

When I used be a bartender, it was in England...where if you're tall enough to reach the bar you're legal to drink.

Wow, you could build a really short bar and get 8[year olds. Or was there a mandated height?

And would I be tall enough?

[Trishntek]

We "budget" a certain amount each day and are usually overstocked on Wednesday and are able to offer a bit more on the busy nights Thursday-Saturday.

Here's our sign: