Ice vs dry ice

Dry ice can burn you if not handled properly.

I wouldn't risk it, personally.

Please do not get dry ice. People consuming alcohol and a container full of alcoholic bottles and dry ice do not mix.

^^ that's what I was thinking also /:

I'm not even sure your venue would approve this because it feels like a liability issue.

No dry ice

No dry ice. Not only it is dangerous, it will freeze whatever liquid you put in.

I work with dry ice in the lab and we require eye protection and special gloves to handle it.

Our venue is a friends B&B. If I don't use dry ice what do u suggest I do.

I would get large coolers for ice. Make sure you pack your cooler tight. Air pockets increase the temperature inside. A block of ice lasts longer that cubed ice. That’s something to consider.

I wouldn't risk dry ice with kids around or drunk adults for that matter!

Where will the rest of the drinks be stored before the troughs get refilled?

@Keri M, in the guest house of the B&B. There's only one fridge and we have beverages for 200 people

Maybe you can have dry ice in the guest house where they'll be stored if there's not enough room in the fridge, that way guests can't get to it. They can then be refilled to the reception area and you can keep ice in the troughs?

I work with dry ice.... With gloves. Stick to regular.

My hubby is a chemist. I showed him your post. He said, "do not use dry ice. Have 2 stations. Back up station using regular ice replenished regularly. Move beverages from station 1 to station 2 where guests handle the beverages. Ice refills at station 2 can be more lax. Dry ice is controlled when sold to the public, is dangerous to handle, can freeze product, and is a HUGE liability."

Invest in frozen water in the form of ice cubes.

It sounds like your bar is DIY. Truly I would hire someone to be strickly in charge of ice and moving beverages from point A to point B. Trust me that that will be a full time job during your reception and an important one. No one wants to drink a warm beer on a hot night after a great set of fast dances.

@Kathleen, thanks. I also posted this on FB and I think we are able to get regular 12x12 blocks of ice from a local grocery store. Thinking this will work. We can put them in then store extras in a few coolers. Also had friends say to add rock salt to the water which helps also.

Hire a bartender. Case closed.

Devon, somewhere back in "storage" can you have back up booz in a plastic pool/pools instead of coolers? I'm only thinking of volume. Someone can then move small amounts from the pool to the troughs. Small plastic kiddie pools are AWESOME for beverages when those beverages are covered to the top of the pool with ice. I know. I lived that dream. A few times. .

I would still hire a person whose sole responsibility it is to man the ice/bev transition. Money very well spent.

We are getting like a big cooler thing with doors to hold 900 lbs of ice on dry ice. Like what they have at liquor stored

We finally figured it out. Going to take the 2 metal tanks we are using & line the bottom with 12x12 blocks of ice (not dry ice), fill with ice chunks put drinks in put more ice then have some coolers with extra ice off to the side and add to it. We have a few people that said they would keep an eye on it for us. The 12x12 blocks on the bottom should help a lot and it's in the shade and will not be set out until around 4pm or later. Now on to the next last minute OCD freak out....lol