Keg beer parties (called keg parties in English) are an integral part of the life of a college student. But throwing a party like this isn't as easy as you think. Planning on time is a must!
Steps
Step 1. Find a place to throw your parties
In theory, you will need to find a place where it will be easier to throw a party, so you will probably have limited the possibilities already. In any case, there are various factors to consider when deciding whether a home is suitable:
- Dimensions of the space where the party will be held (for example the cellar) expressed in meters.
- Proximity to the campus and to the place where the houses where the students live are concentrated. This should eliminate the problems caused by drunk driving, in fact it is better if everyone moves on foot.
- Arrangement of bathrooms, windows and entrance (access to the cellar directly from the garden and a bathroom in the cellar are ideal).
- Arrangement of the house and people who live there.
- Strength of the walls in the spaces where the party will be held and inability to cause damage.
- Neighbors.
- Isolation.
- Home owner.
- Closest police station, which will come in handy if things get out of hand and you need help.
- Cellar drainage.
- Central air conditioning (always useful).
- DJ area (should be inaccessible to guests).
Step 2. Prepare the house
Getting the space ready is essential to save time and money. This allows you to avoid theft, property damage and unwanted guests (police, campus security guards, postmen, prostitutes, drug dealers, etc.).
- All rooms off-limits to guests should be locked, including the DJ booth, if you are going to use a room for this purpose. This specifically refers to bedrooms and bathrooms that you don't want guests to use. Keep the keys with you during the party. Do not treat certain guests in a special way (for example by letting them use another bathroom because the line is too long for the one you have made available): you will regret it. Don't give in to the demands of girls trying to get you to do what they want. By giving up, everyone will want to use the clean bathroom. If guests bother you too much to enter the other rooms, give the keys to a neighbor or trusted friend not present at the party.
- Anything you don't want to be stolen, broken or destroyed should be moved to a locked room. You should also get rid of items that people could get hurt with or use as weapons.
- Make the most of space by moving unnecessary items that have accumulated in the house and basement. Do a thorough cleaning. Free up any spaces that guests might enter by moving or throwing away the objects that occupy them.
- Rearrange the furniture. You have to maximize the spaces so that everyone can move. This way, traffic jams will be minimal.
- The steps may be slippery if beer is poured out. Have non-slip adhesive tape available to prevent people from getting hurt.
- In theory, the floor on which the party will be held will be concrete, tile or wood, so you will be able to clean it more easily. If, on the other hand, the entire room is carpeted, and you are hoping to get back the deposit you paid when they rented the room, you should cover it with two layers of oilcloth. Use chipboard and a couple of old sofas to secure it. If you have rugs, roll them up and leave them next to the walls.
- All windows that allow you to see what's going on in a house should be covered with thick curtains or black garbage bags. You should make sure that the house looks empty, with all the lights off, with no noise. Under no circumstances should you leave the windows open for a party, no matter how hot it is. If necessary, secure them with padlocks. The police shouldn't notice anything, even if the neighbors complain. They will be confused as to which house the phone call was referring to. 90% of the time, they will go away, unless you give them a reason to stay. They could pass the house about three times. At this point, pay special attention. Turn off the music and lock the front door. Nobody will go out or go in. Let a person go out the back door so that you can take a tour of the neighborhood.
- All doors to the street should have curtains that can cover the opening, leaving nothing in sight. This way, even if they are opened, the police will not be able to see the bottles of alcohol.
- If you live in an area where law enforcement knows their stuff and actually cares about this sort of thing (after all, their concern is to prevent crime), buy a dedicated radio to listen to police communications. Some of the more expensive models will tell you exactly how far the transmissions are coming from.
- Watch out for the unmarked cars at the end of the street and the plainclothes officers. If necessary, ask guests to bring their university booklet with them, so you know who will attend.
- If you have central air conditioning, consider yourself lucky. Otherwise, choose only one window that can bring fresh air into the house. Better be a cellar window. Buy a fan according to your needs and hang it in front of the window. If the window faces the street, cover it. Cheaper fan system in the house for air to circulate through the window. If you're still having trouble, you might want to buy an industrial fan or air conditioning device.
- Most heating devices have fans that will circulate the air around the house without heating it. This helps, but remember to turn it off when you no longer need it, as this is not very good for the device.
- You should have the temperature in the place where you are hosting the party go down two hours before it starts. In winter, the heating should be turned off (you may still need fans or air conditioning).
- Make sure you have enough toilet paper (several rolls). Place it in a toilet paper holder, otherwise it will fall to the ground and get dirty, becoming unusable. If you don't have a sink, offer wet wipes. Remove everything you don't need from the bathroom.
- You should have several 150-liter garbage cans. Place them in different places around the place where the party is held. Put two 190-liter bags inside them. Ashtrays are also useful.
- Take care of the lighting and decorations. Insert road signs, fire extinguishers, everything you need to drink, collections of cans, bowls full of jelly, billiards, tables for playing beer pong, beer funnels, a dance floor, disco balls, stripper poles, fairy lights decorations, sofas, a counter, cages for dancing, fluorescent sticks, in short, everything you deem appropriate.
- Prepare the house for sound. In theory, you'd better have a place to dance, where people will immerse themselves in the music, but the sound also has to travel remotely through something or bounce off something before you leave the house and hit the street. A cellar is the best space. By doing this, you shouldn't hear any sounds coming from outside. You don't need anything extremely expensive or elaborate. A good 5.1 surround sound system will do just fine. Install speakers on the walls or ceiling. Connect them to a computer or even just an iPod in a bedroom (it's important that guests can't access them). Drunk people actually don't care about sound quality. In fact, it is better to have a system that does not exceed a certain limit, so that, if a person does have access, there will be no problems. It has been proven that the louder the music, the more people drink. This is because loud music is extremely irritating, and people have to do something to numb the annoyance. Since you won't get paid for individual drinks, obscenely loud music can be counterproductive to your goals and your wallet.
- If you have decided to serve cans, you need to prepare the refrigerator and the bar area. A few hours before the party, clear the fridge and freezer as much as possible (lower the temperature), fill it with beer cans, and stack the crates in the garden or in the trash. Do not enter more beer than will be drunk though. When it's running out, put more cans in the fridge. Block access to the kitchen with wooden crates at the entrance and set up a makeshift bar. For some reason, drunk people tend to congregate in the kitchen, so it is imperative to block access for guests.
- Get a cash box and coins and small bills to give change. Put them in the bedroom or in a closed closet, they should be safe. This is where the money for the next party will go.
- Make other drinks too. Buy a cooler. You should mix a few drinks a few hours before the party starts. Usually lemonade and vodka make a good combination, quite cheap by the way. Ethyl alcohol will save you even more if you can handle it. In any case, make sure you have enough glasses available. Store mixed drinks and beer behind the counter so you can keep people from approaching when things get out of control.
- Offer non-alcoholic drinks. It might sound silly, but sometimes drunk people can drink rapeseed oil as well and think it's something else. Get some fruit juice so guests can hydrate. You must also have water and sodas containing vitamin B12 available. They can prevent guests from feeling bad in your home. Also, the younger ones, who are not of the right age to drink, or people who don't appreciate alcohol will still feel welcome.
Step 3. Choose the music
Creating a playlist is a job in itself. Unless you throw a themed party, you will probably put on a lot of pop, rap, hip hop, dance and some 80s hits. If you don't usually listen to this music, take a look at the current charts to find out which are the most popular pieces. It is also important to keep your playlist fresh at every party. Live performances can allow you to change a bit, but the drawbacks are not lacking: groups tend to take up a lot of space and make more noise. Either way, never, ever let a DJ or band take control of the party.
Step 4. Determine the type of beer you want to offer and the type of container
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Barrels.
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Benefits:
- Lots of beer.
- Ability to drink from the barrel upside down.
- It is cheaper than other alternatives.
- Avoid beer thefts. Minimum supervision.
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Disadvantages:
- In some countries, kegs are labeled and traceable by the police, so this option may not always be considered.
- People tend to over pump, so much of the beer is lost in the foam (unless handled properly).
- Problems with the plug, rental price, etc.
- The drums are extremely heavy.
- Damage to the house.
- It cannot be stored for too long at room temperature.
- It requires a lot of ice to keep cool.
- Requires glasses.
- Empty kegs are often stolen. Many opportunists will take advantage of this to obtain the deposit paid (often exceeds 20 euros).
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Tin cans.
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Benefits.
- It is not necessary to buy glasses.
- You can choose from numerous varieties of beer.
- Hot cans can be stored for a long time at room temperature.
- The cheapest beers are sold in cans.
- It's much easier to put limits on people who can't control themselves.
- They are safe in many ways, for example it is difficult to introduce drugs such as flunitrazepam.
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Disadvantages:
- You will end up with a huge amount of junk.
- You run a higher risk of the beer being stolen (unless you handle it properly).
- It requires some organization for it to be served properly.
- Requires ice. Otherwise, someone would have to constantly restock the refrigerator.
- The bottles can be used as weapons and therefore should not be bought at all (unless it is a private supply of good beer).
- Unless you've invited more than 200 people, cans are usually fine. A well-managed, behind-the-counter kegerator is ideal, but if you don't have it, don't despair. All you need is some space and an old refrigerator. The main advantage that cans have over kegs is that leftover cans can be used for a future party, while a half-empty keg cannot be reused (unless you have a kegerator). You don't even have to bother to predict how many people will be attending the party. And there is no maximum purchase limit for cans: those that remain can be used on another occasion. Also, by going directly to a brewery, you could get the crates that for some reason will not be put on the market. Therefore, you will pay less.
- Go shopping to determine what type of beer to buy. Contact any distributor in your area. Find out about prices, promotions and closing times (you may have to buy more beer in the middle of the party). Make good use of this information. Local breweries usually have a great cost advantage as they sell wholesale. Typically, these sales aren't posted, so you'll have to pay in cash. In any case, give it a try, it's worth it. Also, do the math before you buy. For example, make sure the 24 pack is cheaper than the 30 pack per can. Most people will drink whatever you offer (there is no shortage of exceptions to the rule anyway). Whichever decision you make, don't buy a wide variety of beer (unless you throw a party that requires every guest to bring drinks), otherwise people will waste time choosing and lines will be longer and slower.
- If you choose kegs, estimate the number of guests to determine how many kegs you will need. Basically, a keg allows about 30-40 people to drink all night (more or less). Think about the lines too: the more barrels there are, the shorter the queues and the more people will have fun. Buy the keg on the day of the party so it is cold. If you have to pick it up in the morning, find a box and fill it with ice to keep it cool or buy a special container.
- A week in advance, find a keg rental shop and reserve the ones you need. Usually, in addition to paying for the rental, you will have to pay a deposit.
Be Cool at School Step 2 Step 5. Advertise the party
This step is important. Don't worry if the first party is an absolute flop. Your reputation will only improve from party to party, except among people who don't like this kind of meeting. Your situation will determine how you go about promoting the party. You should start doing this at least a week in advance (usually a few days after your last party). Keep in mind that hardly anyone wants to be the first to arrive, don't be surprised if the party starts an hour later than you indicated.
- Get noticed. Walk around the university, dormitory, and student-frequented areas to promote the party.
- Post flyers to bulletin boards. Take advantage of all the areas that are particularly popular with students so that more people find out about your party. You can also distribute them by hand.
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Distributing flyers is certainly the most successful method. In fact, you can exercise some control over the types of people who will show up at your parties. You can give flyers to your friends and ask them to invite other people or go to a student house and place them under the doors of whoever you want to invite. However, you should observe some basic rules.
- Under no circumstances should you suggest or imply the presence of alcohol at your party. People will be able to figure this out for themselves.
- Do not enter the names of the organizers. You can simply write down your address or phone number so that interested parties know where to go. Once your reputation has increased, you will no longer need these methods.
- Leave more flyers to the girls than to the boys, in this way the ratio between the two sexes will be more balanced. In any case, you will need to experiment and adjust the promotion accordingly. In fact, this strategy can have a certain disadvantage: in many cases girls are accompanied by boys, who could be real troublemakers. Don't offer preferential treatment just because a guy looking for trouble was brought in by a girl; in case there are any problems, you will have to hunt both.
- Facebook. It is useful for advertising your party. But rely on common sense and don't refer to alcohol.
Deal With Party Crashers Step 2 Step 6. Get the party started
The house is ready and your best friend just ran out because he forgot his glasses. The rooms were locked and the windows covered. You have not left anything that can be stolen or broken. The drinks are al fresco. The rest of your friends are already drinking. If possible, ask your friends to take turns doing the following tasks:
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Doorman. There should always be someone watching the door. This person must be completely sober or responsible, especially at times when traffic is heavier.
- Make sure no one is hanging around outside the house, at any time (this quickly puts an end to the party). Guests should enter the house and then, if applicable, pay for access (if you have a corridor, use it to manage the queue).
- Nobody should leave the house with alcohol.
- If you have decided that the party is paid, make sure everyone pays the necessary money before entering.
- Make sure that unwanted guests don't have access to the party.
- The door should be locked if the police come. Tell whoever is responsible to turn down the music and close the windows completely. Nobody should leave the house until the police are gone.
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Bartender. Ask friends to stand behind the counter and serve drinks.
- Make sure they open each can before giving it to a guest.
- Make sure your guests aren't drinking beyond their limits.
- Listen to the police radio to find out if the address of the house is mentioned. If so, notify the person controlling access.
- Put more beer in the refrigerator as the colder one is distributed.
- When there are only three crates of beer left, notify the person in charge so that they can buy it if there are still shops open.
- Decide how far to let people in. After that, don't accept anyone anymore.
- Ask a few trusted friends to keep an eye on the party to prevent fights.
Deal With Party Crashers Step 7 Step 7. In some cases you may have a problem:
contentious individuals.
Get these people away immediately. Don't give them second chances. Arguing, destroying property and behaving inappropriately are all behaviors that cannot be tolerated. Talk to this person along with other friends. If she doesn't want to leave, kick her out. Don't give her another chance. Don't talk to her rationally so that she knows she has to go. You and your friends can forcefully drag her to the door. It is important to have a suitable physical shape in order to take care of people of this type. It is also useful to have a taser gun to defend yourself in an emergency. If for some reason you can't get rid of the annoying person, don't argue with them. Tell everyone the party is over, turn on the lights, turn off the music and explain that the police are on their way. They will all leave immediately. His reputation will suffer for ending the party. This type of behavior will occur less and infrequently if you demonstrate a zero tolerance policy. If you still have any problems, call the police
Advice
- Make other drinks besides beer, which not everyone likes!
- Unless you have money to throw away, you may want to charge an entry ticket to amortize the cost of beer. In some campuses it is compulsory to pay, in others it is not. Regardless of the rules, understand that you can't throw parties every Friday without getting paid. It is much smarter to only allow organizers of other neighborhood parties and people who help you advertise the party to get in for free. Don't be persuaded by those who tell you that they should get in for free because they won't drink anything (unless you're sure they won't), remember that guests also pay for the space they occupy.
- To help you amortize the costs, have your friends keep the aluminum cans left over from the party and resell them to the companies that reuse them.
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Serving drinks properly can save you a lot of time and prevent long lines; in addition, you will prevent the beer from filling up with too much foam.
- If it's a big party, ask someone to take care of the keg and serve. He can alternate with other people.
- Replace the person you serve regularly, so that everyone can have fun.
- When you start using a keg plug, depressurize it. Many plugs have a silver button on the side that is used for this. Then, pump for a few times and let the beer flow.
- Don't pump too much. This can tempt you because the beer will come out quickly. The problem is that half of the beer poured this way will be foam. It will take longer to fill a glass without the foam spilling everywhere.
- Hold the glass at a 45 ° angle as you pour the beer. This reduces the foam and the waiting time. It is a simple trick.
- If the party is very crowded and both kegs and plugs are few, a simple trick is to pour the beer into jugs before the crowds arrive. This way, people can use it while filling the other jugs.
- If you throw a lot of parties, you might want to invest in a kegerator. They are quite expensive but useful if you are a tireless party planner.
- There are shops that sell barrel plugs with two to four pumps, eliminating lines for serving guests.
- If it's a party where the guests are high school students, make some non-alcoholic punch and pour it into two special bowls. You can do this before the party or during. Explain to guests that one of the bowls contains alcohol while the other does not. Many teens don't even know what alcohol really tastes like, and will start acting like they're drunk. In this way, the alcohol can be consumed by the organizers of the party and the cost of the party will be lower. The next day, once they wake up, they will complain of having a hangover. You tell them they were duped and that the punch did not contain alcohol.
- Decide if you prefer to have a selected guest list or if you want to let anyone in. If you only want to invite certain people, write the list and ask someone to be a bouncer at the entrance.
- Research alcohol-based games before the party (they'll come in handy if it gets boring!).
Warnings
- Do not allow guests to go to the roof under any circumstances. Falling from a height is the number one cause of deaths related to alcohol-related parties.
- Based on the amount of party guests, ask one or two people to volunteer to stay sober. They can drive others home, call taxis, or help those who have drunk too much to call someone who can pick them up.
- Do not leave containers or jugs within everyone's reach. Someone could alter its content.
- At the entrance, ask the guests to give you the car keys. Attach labels to each key to know who it belongs to. Explain to them that they will get them back once they have to leave, but only if they are able to drive. In the meantime, keep them in a safe place.
- Do not leave cans in melted ice containers for several hours. When the temperature changes, the cans can burst, and the beer will be ruined. You will find yourself facing a dire situation. Drill holes in the bottom of the containers to prevent this.
- Always drink responsibly.
- Make sure all guests are of legal age.
- Do not leave the cans within the reach of the guests, otherwise they will be stolen. Serve them after opening them. Using a butter knife will allow you not to cut yourself after opening hundreds of cans. Open each can in front of the person who will drink the beer.
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