The Drinks Your Group Chat Will Actually Agree On

Every group has the same problem. One person only drinks beer. One person likes tequila. One person is on a health kick and wants something with fewer calories. One person will drink anything. And one person is sober and needs to not feel like an afterthought.

Choosing drinks for a group should not require a UN summit. Here is how to keep everyone happy without losing your mind.

The Beer Person

This one is easy. They want beer. Buy beer. Have a mix of light lager (for volume) and something with more flavor (an IPA or wheat beer). Done. Do not try to convert the beer person to cocktails. They will get there on their own or they will not.

The Cocktail Person

This person wants a real drink but does not expect you to bartend. A bottle of premium ready-to-drink cocktails is the move. It satisfies their preference without requiring you to own a shaker, bitters, and seven kinds of citrus. Pour over ice, done.

Deko Cocktails covers the three most common preferences: gin lover (Bee's Knees), bourbon lover (Gold Rush), vodka lover who wants something different (Number 3). Three bottles and you have literally covered every cocktail drinker in your friend group.

The Health-Conscious Person

They want to know the sugar content, the calorie count, and whether it is made with "real ingredients." Fair enough. Spirits-based cocktails generally have less sugar than beer and much less than wine. A cocktail made with real citrus and honey has significantly less sugar than most canned cocktails or mixed drinks made with soda.

Give them the facts without making it a whole thing. "It's made with real bourbon, honey, and lemon. No artificial stuff." That is usually enough.

The "I'll Drink Anything" Person

God bless this person. They are the social lubricant of any group. Give them whatever you have the most of and they will be fine. They are secretly the easiest guest and the most underappreciated.

The Non-Drinker

This is the person most hosts forget, and it matters. Having a good non-alcoholic option is not about being politically correct. It is about making someone feel included. A sparkling water with a lime wedge is the bare minimum. A premium NA drink or a mocktail made with the same care as the alcoholic options is the standard we should aim for.

The Shortcut

If you are hosting and cannot deal with five different preferences: one cocktail option, one beer option, sparkling water, and ice. Four things. Everyone finds something. Total cost: less than one round at a bar for the same group.