Hosting a beer party where nobody drives home after drinking

Put the transport plan in the invitation

The easiest moment to sort transport is before anyone arrives. Add one line to the invite: "Plenty of beer, so please plan a cab or a lift home. Happy to put you up if you want to stay." Guests read it sober and plan accordingly.

For a group of friends, ask who is driving when they reply. If someone has to drive, make sure they know there will be good alcohol free options for them. Our companion guide on getting home safely after a brewpub night covers the guest's side of the same plan.

Choose the beer with the evening in mind

What you buy shapes how the night goes. A fridge full of 8% strong lager in 650 ml bottles means each guest who has three bottles has drunk about 156 ml of pure alcohol. The same three drinks of a 4.5% wheat beer or pale ale in 330 ml bottles add up to about 45 ml.

Lead with lower strength beers: session pale ales, wheat beers, light lagers. Keep one or two stronger beers as something to share in small glasses rather than open by the bottle. Smaller cans and bottles also stay colder, which matters in Indian heat. Our guide to storing beer at home covers keeping them in good shape before the party.

Serve in glasses rather than straight from the bottle. A 250 to 300 ml glass poured from a shared bottle slows everyone down, shows off the colour and aroma and makes it easy to notice who has had enough. It also makes the party feel like a tasting, which is more fun to host.

Make the non drinkers' table as good as the beer

The guest who is driving should not be left with a warm cola. Put real effort into the alternatives:

• Alcohol free beer, chilled as carefully as the rest.
• Fresh lime soda, nimbu pani or jaljeera made in a jug.
• Sparkling water with sliced lime, mint or cucumber.
• Iced tea or cold coffee for late in the evening.

Put these on the same table as the beer, not hidden in the kitchen. Guests who see them often switch for a round or two without being asked.

Food and water from the first hour

Serve food as soon as guests arrive, not at 10 pm. Something with protein and fat in the first hour slows how fast alcohol is absorbed. Kebabs, paneer tikka, chana chaat, peanuts and a proper main course later all help.

Put out jugs of water and glasses where people stand. A full jug on every table gets drunk. A bottle in the fridge does not. Plan for at least a litre per guest over a long evening, more if the party is outdoors.

Call last orders an hour before the end

Bars stop serving well before they close for a reason. Do the same. If the party is meant to end at midnight, stop opening new beers at about 11 and switch to tea, coffee and dessert. That hour gives everyone's liver a little time, roughly one UK unit's worth. It also gives you a calm end to the night.

The quiet hour is also a natural moment to check how each guest is getting home and to start booking cabs before surge pricing kicks in.

Be ready to take the keys

Despite the invite, someone may still reach for their car keys. Have a plan before it happens:

• Offer the spare room or the sofa. Keep spare pillows and a toothbrush ready.
• Book and pay for the cab yourself if money is the excuse.
• Ask a sober guest to drive them in their own car.

Say it plainly and kindly. "Stay here, I will get you a cab, we will sort the car tomorrow." A host who takes the keys is doing the friend a favour, whatever they say at 1 am.

Remember that the next morning still counts. A guest who drank late may be over India's 30 mg per 100 ml limit at breakfast. Offer a slow breakfast rather than an early lift to their car.

Write the invite line now

Before your next party, write the transport line into the invitation and decide which beers lead the fridge. Then make the jug of nimbu pani the night before so it is ready when the first guest walks in.

Common questions

How do I stop guests driving home after a party?

Put the transport plan in the invite, offer a bed or the sofa and be ready to book cabs. Stop serving beer an hour before the end.

What should I serve guests who are driving?

Chilled alcohol free beer, fresh lime soda, sparkling water with fruit and iced tea. Put them on the same table as the beer.

How much beer should I buy for a party?

Buy mostly lower strength beers in smaller bottles and keep strong beers for sharing in small glasses. Plan water and soft drinks as carefully as the beer.

When should I stop serving beer at a party?

About an hour before you want guests to leave. Switch to tea, coffee and dessert.