We’re going to have an open house and I know some of the attendees like beer. I’m not looking to impress, but I don’t want to buy crap, either. What’s a decent brand that most people are likely to enjoy? And how do I figure how much to get? 2-3 bottles/cans per person? I don’t need tons of leftovers.
Life would be so much easier if everyone drank lemonade… 
I will assume that you can’t ask them what they like. Err on the side of “light” IMO. Bud light, Miller lite, Corona light. Beer for the anonymous masses. 12 beers per person. (kidding.)
Don’t worry about leftovers, just leave it where some neighborhood teenagers will find it.
Bud Light.
Inoffensive generic beer.
Nobody really likes it but any beer drinker will drink it.
Hey, I like Bud Light!
Just get a variety case of some reasonable local beer, and then maybe something more neutral/mainstream like Yuengling or Miller or whatever. Around here, my usual middle-of-the-road beer is Goose Island 312. It’s light and easy drinking enough that the BudMillCoors people enjoy it, and crafty enough that the beer snobs don’t mind it. Two bottles of beer per person should be enough, I would think, assuming that there’s gonna be a number of folks who are not going to drink beer, and a number who will only drink one. If you are catering to a crowd that would be well described as “drinkers,” then you may want to go a bit higher. Also, it will depend on the the length of the open house. I see a rule online that says “two bottles per person for the first hour, and one per person each additional hour.” While that number would be absolutely right for me, though I’d probably also have a second one each hour, I’m best described as a “drinker.” I would think it would average out to less than 2/first hour 1/each additional hour, since it seems you will have other drinks there and only some of your attendees like beer.
How long are you expecting people to stay? If people might show up at 2 pm and stay til 10 pm then sure assume 3 beers. But I think that would be on the extreme end unless everyone is a college student.
I would get a 12 pack of something like Bud or Miller Lite and either 2 sixpacks of something slightly nicer like Blue Moon or Leinenkugels or an equivalent sampler pack.
People’s taste in beer varies so widely that it’s hard to say. If I were you, I’d avoid the usual American and Mexican adjunct lagers like Budweiser, Coors, Corona, etc., as well as anything very adventurous at all, such as India pale ales or stouts. Maybe you could get something decent but innocuous and widely available like Blue Moon?
So do I, but I don’t really like it.
I don’t really want to poll the guests - this is to show off a new business facility after work hours, so it’s sort of a happy hour type event. I’ll be surprised if it lasts 3 hours, but I’ll use that as my plan.
And yes, there will be soft drinks and water for folks like me who don’t do beer. And assorted noshes.
Agree with the others. Something like Miller/Bud/Coors Light will be fine. If you’re going to be serving enough people that you’ll need more than a 12 pack of cans, you could pick up something like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Blue Moon (just the regular, not the seasonal).
If you know them to be beer drinkers, get something local/regional and grab an IPA and their flagship.
ETA:
If you’re just looking to have beer out, just grab something lite. The beer drinkers will drink it, no one is going to have half a bottle and decide they don’t like it and you won’t feel bad if you have a bunch of cans laying around after the event since they’re not that expensive.
No one will be impressed, but no one will think anything of it either.
Well, I don’t LIKE like it. More of a friend, really.
I’ll echo this. Yes, get the Bud Lite or whatever, but also get a local beer. Does your location of “Southern Merryland” indicate you are actually in Maryland?
I live in St. Mary’s county in southern Maryland. I’m aware of several wineries around here, but breweries, not so much.
No they won’t.
Buy some mass produced German or Dutch beer (not Heineken!) like Amstel or St. Pauli Girl. For all that is holy DO NOT provide anything “lite.”
Get a “good” beer and a “lite” beer. Most everyone will be happy with soft drinks or one or the other of your beers. Something local and Bud Lite would be my recommendation. And plan to give the leftovers to someone who likes beer. The stuff doesn’t keep very well, and you don’t want to accidentally give someone a 9 month old beer at your next event.
Don’t feel forced to serve beer. If your house is alcohol-free and your tipple of choice is lemonade, then lay out lemonade.
Like silenus said: no, no we won’t. I’m a beer drinker, but will choose soda over Bud Light (or Miller Lite).
Seconded. Specifically, Coors Light and either Sam Adams or Stella Artois. At a happy hour business type thing, I’d only plan for 1-2 beers per beer drinker. And it’s perfectly fine to be conservative with that number: it won’t kill anyone if the beer runs out and they have to drink something else, and frankly I wouldn’t think twice about it (as a guest).
We’re not anti-alcohol - just that no one in the household likes beer and I’m not going to set up a bar. I’d be OK with a bottle or 2 left over that I can use in recipes, but yeah, I know old beer is nasty beer. When we bought this house in 2004, the fridge in the garage had several cans of Coors light dated 1997. :eek: Couldn’t give that stuff away!
A couple of the young guys who work with me like beer - they’ll get the extras.
Buncha lousy beer snobs!
*consoles self with cold Bud Light
Sorry, but I agree with DrFidelius.
We have company a lot. And Bud Light is the one beer that everyone will drink even as they groan while cracking one open. I can’t say that for any other beer.
Don’t know why it matters, but I have almost 1100 ratings on Ratebeer.com. I rated BL pretty low yet no matter how much I have there is rarely any left when the guests leave.