Types of alcohol

Wine is pretty popular. Usually a pinot grigio and pinot noir cover the basics. A beer cider or beer and cider? Everything would really depend on knowing your guests.

As a young wine drinker, I tend to stick to sweet wines (like moscato). If wine isn't an option, cider is my next choice. I would go for a fruity cider. We had some from a local brewery at a conference that were really good. They had black currant, cranberry, and cherry vanilla. I would recommend something along those lines.

View Quoted Comment Sorry not a beer cider bit a beer & a cider

I usually go a sweeter wine myself. We are having a moscato and red blend. Then bud light and michelob ultra. For cider what about angry orchard or something local?

View Quoted Comment I was just thinking I’d skip the wine. Definitely doing a local cider 😊

If you go with wine, I'd probably pick blends or even table wines - something similar to a house wine at a restaurant. I used to be all about moscato but it's really more of a dessert drink, so I wouldn't make that your only white. I love cider, so I think that could be a good substitute as long as you don't have a ton of wine lovers as guests.

View Quoted Comment Thanks! I really don’t think we do. And the ones who are like sweeter wines so I think cider fits that bill.

It may help to have one sweet and one dry wine. I can’t stand sweet wines and I know a lot of my friends get sick to their stomachs due to the sweetness.

Perhaps doing one beer type, a semi-dry cider (stone Dry by Angry Orchard or Easy Apple by Angry Orchard), a dry red (like a Cab or Merlot) and a semi-sweet sparkling white wine like a semi-sec cava would be nice.

View Quoted Comment Thank you!!

Will food be served? What kind? If you're doing something spicy, a moscato or sweet reisling could work. Or it could pair with cheeses and meats, like a charcuterie board. Otherwise, I'd forgo a sweet wine and go for a fruit-forward white wine or a dry rose instead. New Zealand sauvignon blancs tend to have citrus flavors and unoaked chardonnays can be pretty fruit-forward. A pinot grigio is also usually a safe bet; it may not be as fruity, but they typically appeal to a wide audience.

View Quoted Comment Thank you! Food will be pulled pork, Mac & cheese, potato salad, green salad

Cider isn’t a thing in CA (or our group of friends). I think beer, champagne, and a Merlot for your pulled pork & Mac & cheese would be good.

I would do a vodka lemonade cocktail, apple cider cocktail or a fruit sangria punch. Apple ale or regular beer would work too.

We cannot have hard liquor 😔

For pulled pork I would recommend a syrah or zinfandel for red, a reisling or pinot grigio for white if you wanted wine. Ciders are really popular here too but some may be too sweet depending on the type of bbq you're having. If you like a sweeter sauce go for a crisp and light cider. Sweet cider would play well with a spicier sauce. Good luck.

Personally I don't drink beer or cider so I think having a wine option would be important if others are in the same boat.

A pinot grigio is a safe bet for a white.

Apothic Red is a California red blend that is super popular and delicious.

Far more people will drink wine than cider or champagne. I would do one or two beers, one red wine and one white wine. If there's something that you personally prefer I would add that as well. For example we had only beer, wine, and margaritas at our wedding (plus soda and water).

Thank you everyone for your comments so far still deciding on specifics.