Guide
Dirty soda party bar
How to set up a dirty soda bar for a party: how much to buy for 10 or 20 guests, the setup, labels and a simple menu.
The setup
Line it up in build order: cups and ice, syrups, sodas, creams and toppers, then straws and limes. Put a printed menu card at the start.
How much to buy
For 20 guests: six 2-liter sodas across three flavors, four syrups, one quart half & half, one can coconut cream, 10 limes and about 20 lb of ice (plan on roughly 1 lb per guest).
| Item | 10 guests | 20 guests |
|---|---|---|
| 2 L soda | 3 | 6 |
| Syrups (750 ml) | 3 | 4 |
| Half & half | 1 pint | 1 quart |
| Coconut cream | 1 can | 1 can |
| Limes | 5 | 10 |
| Ice | 10 lb | 20 lb |
| 16 oz cups | 20 | 40 |
Keep it fizzy
Keep sodas in an ice bucket and open new bottles as you go. Never batch the soda; batch only syrup and cream mixes.
Recipes to try
FAQ
What sodas should I offer?
One dark (spiced cherry cola or cola), one bright (lemon-lime) and one caffeine-free (A&W root beer or Fanta orange; Barq's and Sunkist contain caffeine).
Can kids have dirty sodas?
Yes, with caffeine-free bases like lemon-lime, ginger ale or A&W root beer. Check labels: Barq's root beer and Sunkist orange contain caffeine.
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