Its rude. If I bring beer or wine to a party its a gift. If the host insists I take some home that is different.
I guess I wouldn’t think it was rude if it was BYOB and everyone was really just drinking only what they themselves brought. But most gatherings I attend all the beer, wine, etc that is brought by guests is pretty much then drunk by everyone. Unless the host said to take something home with me, I would just leave it.
I’ve never taken beer home. Anything I bring stays for the party.
we’re talking casual parties? I may take my leftover beer if I’ve already brought a dish or appetizer or dessert to share. Sometimes a bottle of wine or a sixpack is for the host, and I still bring my own beer or wine.
I’v known people to bring their own stuff to throw on the grill, its all good.
This. Once you bring something to a party, it’s no longer yours to take home.
If you’re a broke college kid or just started a job and trying to get your shit together and it’s a house party - go ahead and take your lefties home with you, if it’s a nice small gathering leave it.
If you’re an adult and not in serious financial straights, leave it regardless of the type of gathering.
Exception being if the host starts saying, “hey people, take some of this stuff away because I’m not going to drink it all.”
Depends on how old you are and what the circumstances are. Like mentioned upthread, if you’re a broke college student at a kegger, take it. If you’re a grown up professional at a dinner party, leave it unless the host asks you to take some.
Exactly. Unthinkably gauche in all other circumstances.
Of course it’s gauche. It means you are either a) too much of a lightweight to drink the beer your brought or b) too cheap to leave a couple of beers at the hosts house.
Yeah, you wouldn’t want to lose the deposit on a keg.
If you are at a place in your life where beer is necessary but hard to come by (poor student, underage student, etc.), then every beer counts, and you bring it home with you.
Once you are a bona fide grown-up with gainful employment, you leave it behind.
What if the host opens their place for a big party and has to clean up afterwards?
Beyond rude. I wouldn’t even think of doing so. Once I bring something to a party, it’s for the people at the party, not just for me. Even if there’s some leftover.
Unless the host asks you if you want to take home some leftovers, it makes you look like a douche.
Yes I understand the words leftover and beer, but I am unaware that they are ever used together, or what that phrase might mean.
It’s gauche. Don’t do it.
Depends (doesn’t everything?). In one circle of friends I am one of the few beer drinkers. I bring a six or 12 pack to a party, and three hours later, the only ones missing are the ones I drank, you bet I’m grabbing what’s left on my way out. If I think the host will drink what’s left, I’ll leave it.
That said, I find it odd that anyone would be insulted if a guest brought their leftovers home, no matter what ‘protocol’ is. In my mind BYOB does not equal “bring the dude who’s throwing the party a gift of booze.” Any host who gets put out because he or she is eyeing those three beers, hoping to drink them later only to see them vanish needs to get his/her priorities checked. If it really matters, you should grab one beer out of every six that come through the door and hide it away.
I wouldn’t think of taking with me.
I’ve thrown a number of parties where people brought their own beer or spirits, even though it was not a BYOB event… (I always supply tons of drinks and mixers but people have their own preferences). I’ve never batted an eye or thought ill of anyone who wanted to take back the leftovers of what they had brought. Even still, it seems like I always end up with more liquor at the end of a party than when I began it… which is impressive considering just how much drinking has gone on at my parties!
I would say that it’s never rude to take back your own beer you bring, especially if you are with very close friends. If it is really just acquaintances but you are wanting to make a good impression, leave it with them. If it’s someone you’re being dragged to see and couldn’t give 2 squats about them, take back your damn beer and fuck 'em!
Pretty much all parties I attend are BYOB. I would not dream of showing up empty-handed, nor would I commonly take stuff with me. I think of the things that people bring to parties as the entrance fee they ‘pay’ to the owner for hosting and cleaning up afterwards. Sure, you then proceed to drink and eat your own entrance fee, maybe entirely, and that’s fine, but if you don’t, that doesn’t mean you can take it with you because it’s really no longer yours.
Exceptions can be made 1) if you had very little and you’re leaving early or something; 2) if you’re bringing something the host won’t like - but even then, it would be up to the host to say ‘please take that shit with you, I don’t want it. And don’t ever bring Miller’s lite here again, scumbag!’. 3) I suppose large quantities of hard liquor, 4) beers to consume while walking home (bftr’s - beers for the road).
I think that this pretty accurately describes how this works in my group of friends, I’m pretty sure there’s a fairly strong consensus on this matter.