Best Beer for Wedding: Great Beer Recommendations for Your Event

Choosing the best beer for wedding is as important as any other catering decision. There are simply too many questions to answer and choices to make, so if you are hung up on which beers to serve at your wedding, we got you.

No one needs the additional stress when planning their big day, so read this article to learn all you need to know about choosing the right beer to serve at wedding.

Best Beers for Wedding: Beers That Have Proven Themselves

Although there are numerous kinds and brands of beer in the market, some beers are better for wedding ceremonies. The beers listed below have been proven to be great for weddings.

– Ale

The crisp and sharp nature of ale gives it a unique taste that most people love. Serving ale at a wedding is a great idea. Your wedding guests will feel comfortable as they savor the taste of this familiar and well-loved drink.

– Stout

The low alcoholic content in stout makes it the perfect choice for weddings. Stout is excellent for weddings because it wouldn’t leave your wedding guests tipsy and is also quite easy to customize to fit your wedding theme. With this being said, stouts are best suited for winter weddings.

– Lager Beer

If you are looking for a popular wedding beer, lager beer is on top of the list of options to consider. This beer has a distinctive taste that every beer lover appreciates, and it can also go with almost all kinds of food.

– IPA Beer

IPA beer has a unique aroma that makes it different from other kinds of beer. It is best for summer weddings and can be easily used for creating craft beer.

When Is the Best Time To Serve Beer at Your Wedding?

Before you decide to serve canned or bottled beer at your wedding, you should first consider the following:

– Variety at Your Wedding

Bottled and canned beer are great when you want to serve different types, brands or styles of beer at your wedding. These can bring a wide variety to the table.

To serve 10 or more kinds of beer at your wedding, for instance, all you need to do is to buy the different brands in units. This kind of variety is harder to achieve with a keg since serving up to 10 to 15 kegs at a wedding is simply not rational.

– Personalizing the Beer Label

The best way to add style to your wedding decor is by incorporating personalized beer labels. For instance, you may want the color of the beer label to match the wedding colors, theme or style, or have the bride and groom’s initials embossed on the labels.

You can create custom beer labels to suit your needs. The labels will be placed on the bottles or cans and decorated on the tables. If kegs are used for this purpose, you may not get the desired effect.

– Managing Beer Leftovers Efficiently

There is a good chance that you will have some leftover beer after your wedding. It is much easier to save or manage the leftovers when they are beer bottles and cans. There are different ways to manage the leftover beer from your event. Take them home and put them in the fridge for later consumption or distribute them to guests as wedding favors.

If you use a keg, it would be more challenging to manage since you can’t efficiently distribute them to guests or put them in your fridge. Hence, it’s better to use bottled beer for wedding reception, especially if it is a small wedding.

When Should You Serve Keg Beer at Wedding?

Here are some situations where it is advisable to serve keg beer at your wedding:

– Hosting Many Guests

Kegs may be a better idea when you’re planning to host a large wedding. A big keg (half-barrel) contains up to 124 pints of beer, which is approximately 47 gallons. A fourth barrel has up to 63 pints of beer. Depending on how many people you plan to host, a beer keg or two will probably be enough for your wedding guests.

– A Cheaper Option

Although cans and bottles are great for weddings, they are usually more expensive than kegs. If you are looking for the best way to cut alcohol costs for a large wedding, you should consider kegs.

Keg prices vary depending on the size of the keg and the beer’s style or brand. They are, however, cheaper than bottles, as they contain more beer.

– Creating a DIY Beer Bar

If you plan to have an open beer bar at your wedding or a beer-themed wedding, you should use kegs. To provide variety at the bar, you can use about three or four beer kegs, which is great for both large and small weddings and adds a unique touch to your reception area. A DIY beer bar also allows you to explore your creativity.

How To Choose the Beer To Serve at Your Wedding

These are the vital factors to consider when choosing the perfect beer to serve at your wedding:

• Season of the Year

The time of the year greatly determines the kind and amount of beer to serve at your wedding. If you want to select beer for summer wedding, for instance, you should consider serving citrus-flavored beers or summertime ales. Lighter beers are usually more appropriate for hot weather conditions, while you can choose to go for darker ones during the winter or when you’re having your reception at night.

• Type of Food To Be Served

Before choosing the type of beer to serve at your wedding, it is important to consider the kind of food on the menu. For instance, lager beer is great for spicy food like chicken wings or hot sauce, while stout can go with different kinds of dessert.

• Drinking Theme

If you have a drinking theme, ensure that the beer you select matches the theme. The theme will also determine if you should use craft beer or store-bought beer.

• Popular Demands

You should also consider the likes and dislikes of your wedding guests. While you may not know what kind of beer every guest prefers, you should consider selecting some popular brands of beer.

Things To Consider When Buying Beer for Your Wedding

Once you’ve chosen the best beer for your wedding, it’s now time to go out and buy it.

However, there are still some things to keep in mind, including:  

– The Number of Guests at the Wedding

One of the most important factors to consider is the number of guests that will attend the wedding. If you are expecting only a few guests, you may decide to buy a few packs of beer or a small keg. Alternatively, you can go for larger kegs or more packs of beer if the turnout is expected to be high.

– Your Total Budget for Beer

You must consider how much you intend to spend on beer. Aside from the number of guests expected to be in attendance, your beer budget will also determine the amount and kinds of beer you will buy.

To check your budget, calculate how much you are willing to spend per head and research the prices of beer you are thinking of. The calculations will give you an idea of what beer you should buy.

– Bulk or Retail

Before buying beer for your wedding, you should first decide how much you intend to buy. If you want to buy a particular brand in bulk, you can go directly to the manufacturers or wholesalers.

If, on the other hand, you intend to buy a variety of beer brands in smaller quantities, you may need to contact retailers. Buying beer in bulk is usually cheaper than buying smaller quantities, but you could get a variety of brands when you buy in units or from retail stores.

Unique Ways To Serve Beer at Your Wedding – It’s All About the Looks

If you want your wedding reception to look different from others, you can do that by finding unique ways to serve beer. The guests will love it, you and your partner will love it, and it will be picture-perfect.

Here are some creative ideas to try: 

• Serve Beer in Creative Containers

If you want to give your wedding guests something to talk about even years down the road, you should pay attention to beer containers. Whether you’re using cans, bottles, or kegs, there’s always room for creativity.

Instead of hiding them behind the bar, it’s better to design and display them upfront. You can use custom labels to decorate the beer cans and bottles and paint the beer kegs to match your wedding decor.

• Serve Craft Beer With Custom Labels

Serving craft beer for wedding is one of the most creative ways to serve beer. You have the chance to create the labels and mix-and-match whatever you want. You get to produce combinations that will perfectly match your wedding theme or style.

• Use Beer-related Items as Part of Your Wedding Centerpiece

Incorporating beer into your wedding centerpiece decor is a great way to attract the attention of your guests. Instead of the conventional ways of adding numbers to tables, you could place the numbers on beer bottles instead. If you’re planning on serving keg beer, you can decorate your tables with tiny keg centerpiece designs.

• Mix Beer With Different Kinds of Fruits

Incorporating fruits into your craft beer is a unique and beautiful way to serve beer to your wedding guests. Fruits and beer don’t just add beauty and style to the drinks, but it also makes them taste fresh and delicious.

How Much Beer Do You Need? The Ultimate Beer Calculator

Typically, you will need to provide one bottle or can of drink per guest, or one keg per 150 guests. However, there is more to this calculation since a single bottle or glass of beer may not always be enough for everyone.

Deciding how much beer you want for your wedding guests is probably the most challenging part of wedding planning. It’s hard to measure how much beer every individual might drink. Some guests may not drink any, while others may drink more beer than you anticipated. A few guests may also choose to drink other alcoholic beverages if available.

If you are only planning to serve beer and wine at the wedding, then beer should constitute about 35 to 40 percent of the total amount of drinks. If you plan to include other beverages such as cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks, the quantity of beer you should consider will then be between 20 to 30 percent.

The hour of day and day of the week you hold your wedding will also influence how much beer you should buy. Wedding guests are more likely to consume more beer during the weekend than during weekdays. They may also drink more beer in the evenings than in the daytime.

Pros and Cons of Serving Beer at Your Wedding

Pros

• It is easy to customize beer to suit your wedding style
• There is a variety of options available to choose from
• Leftover bottled beer can be taken care of easily
• Keg beer is cheaper than most beverage options
• Many options are available for different seasons

Cons

• Your guests may prefer other kinds of drinks
• Craft beer creation could easily go wrong
• Bottled and canned beer can be a bit expensive

Conclusion

This guide covers all you need to know about choosing the right beer for your wedding.

Here’s a quick recap of all that you’ve learned:

• You can choose to serve keg beer, bottled beer, or canned beer at your wedding. In some cases, you may even decide to serve all three kinds.
• Bottled and canned beers are more expensive than keg beer, but they give room for variety.
• You can easily incorporate beer into different aspects of your wedding decor.
• Different kinds of beers match various times and seasons.
• You can either buy beer in bulk or in smaller quantities.
• Leftover beer can be used as wedding favors.

Choosing a good beer for wedding is not a very difficult task, but you must pay close attention to the choices you make. Selecting beer that will suit your personality and the needs of your guests is sure to be a big hit on your wedding day.