Camps with bars on or near Esplanade...

kiuney · Post by **kiuney** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:46 pm

Help! Our camp is located very near the Esplanade (we're in a portal) and we're a little concerned about running out of drinks. We were in 4:30 plaza last year and ended up bringing more than we needed. I'm thinking we may have the opposite problem this year. If anyone has run a bar in a high traffic area and you some idea of how many drinks you served, I'd be most appreciative! Thanks! :)

nc_guy · Post by **nc_guy** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:15 pm

I have DJed and bartended in big dance camps for last 3 years and choosing to camp in a mellow way this year. The answer to your question depends on many factors. It does not depend on just how many drinks are needed it also depends on how many drinks your camp can afford to gift out.

1. How many days of the week do you plan to have the bar open, all 7 days Mon-Sun?
2. How many hours each day do you plan to have the bar running?
Typically camps keep a daily quota of alcohol and run the bar until it runs out. If incase you have not figured out how many set hours you want the bar to be run each day, this will be a good approach.
3. How many people are there in your camp and what is your alcohol budget?
The playa is 50000+ strong nowadays and you can buy 15 bottles of vodka per night and still run out. Are people in your camp financially stretched as it is, and how many bottles of alcohol per head can they afford at this point?

I doubt if you will have time now to do all the due diligence and arrive at an exact number, so here are some rough estimates.

An Active Bar - 4 bottles of rum/gin/vodka per night and 6-7 bottles of cranberry/orange or any other juice

Moderately active bar - 3 bottles of rum/gin/vodka per night and 5-6 bottles of cranberry/orange or any other juice

Remember that you can also stretch things a bit by diluting drinks a bit so they can last longer, and no there is nothing wrong in doing that in the playa inorder to gift as many people as possible.

I hope this helps atleast a bit.

cheers!

Dato · Post by **Dato** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:56 pm

Running a bar close to the esplanade is rough. We're in the 9:00 plaza, just as last year. Last year, the alcohol list consisted of:

Rum: 35 bottles (1.75)
Spiced Rum: 8 bottles (1.75)
Brandy: 5 bottles (1.75)
Triple Sec: 4 bottles (1.0)
Tequila: 11 bottles
Peach Schnapps: 6 bottles
Vodka: 46 bottles (1.75) 8 bottles were used for jello shots
Gin: 10 bottles (1.75)
Whiskey: 21 bottles (1.75)
~20 gallons of moonshine.

.....and it was all out by wed. This year, we're bringing:

Rum: 110 bottles
Tequila: 45 bottles
Vodka: 135 bottles
Whiskey: 35 bottles
Plus maybe 15 bottles of vodka for jello shots
~ 40 gallons of moonshine

These are all 1.75s, and about double last years amounts, so we're hoping it will last. Then again, we're adding live music this year, so that may increase traffic.

It's also worthy to note that last years amount was almost double the previous years. The previous year, the bar was at 3:45ish and B if I remember correctly, so that should give you some idea of how much closeness to esplanade affects drunkard traffic!

I can't even imagine having a bar ON the esplanade, that would be nutty!

Less than a week! whooohooooo

zabsinth · Post by **zabsinth** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:22 am

damn, i am going to need to get a bigger still for next year....

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:54 am

The advice to base your supply on your ability to pay for is really sound advice. It does not make any sense to over extend your resources. Brain Freeze Camp has enough supplies to produce 140 gallons of frozen Margaritas. When that is gone we are done. Also, we have posted a sign stating that we do not serve minors. It seemed to make the authorities happy when they stopped by last year.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:24 am

"posted a sign stating that we do not serve minors."

A Very good idea for any Bar that is doing a brisk Gifting.

on a side note, but related..
KEEP IT IN THE BOTTLE until you get to camp, get out of the car / truck, turn of the engine, roll around in the dust, and THEN start drinking...

the LEOS popped a few people last year on the way in who were just a little too anxious to start tipping em' back.

it's still a road, and the laws apply to drinking and driving, and if they see you swigging from the ten-high and screaming "woo-hoo mom, I'm HOOOOOME"
they will pull you over, albeit at 5 miles an hour.

ps. we went thru 100 bottles of vodka on our bloody mary sunday at 10 and espl. if that helps. it was ALOT of fucking celery too.
[/quote]

taximark · Post by **taximark** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:25 pm

Hello,

Newbie question about the bars. When im running around and pass 'a bar' do i have to gift something back to get a drink or do they just pour you a drink?

Box Burner · Post by **Box Burner** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:23 pm

taximark wrote:Hello,

Newbie question about the bars. When im running around and pass 'a bar' do i have to gift something back to get a drink or do they just pour you a drink?

A smile is greatly appreciated. Be sure to bring your own cup many, if not most bars do not provide cups as they often end up as MOOP.

gifting is something you bring to the community. do not worry too much about what you can bring if you are new. You could vollunteer at Lamplighters for an evening and that would be a fine gift. Moreover you will find that you get more out of it than you put in. that is why most bars and other theme camps keep doing it every year. For your first year relax and have fun. you will get it. Just remember, No expectations.

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:28 pm

taximark wrote:Hello,

Newbie question about the bars. When im running around and pass 'a bar' do i have to gift something back to get a drink or do they just pour you a drink?

Gifting back is not required, or even expected. But if you want to, hey, no problem.

The BEST gift is to have your OWN CUP! Get a cup, hook a carabener to it, and take it everywhere you go!!!!

The second best gift is to be there and have a good time, chat with the people, DO NOT complain about the drinks (hey, they are free), etc.

Another way to gift is to ask if they need anything. Or help clean up; ask for a trash bag and clean up the trash.

Some bars do want patrons to "interact" in some way; usually when it is a zillion degrees out, and the bartender is bored!

In the middle of "party time" bars are more into just handing out cheap drinks fast. And that is when they REALLY want you to have your own cup.

Martini Steve
Bartender - Rommel Towers, Penthouse Suite
Black Rock City

taximark · Post by **taximark** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:04 pm

Awesome, thanks for the info.

alt12 · Post by **alt12** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:39 pm

Simon of the Playa wrote:"posted a sign stating that we do not serve minors."

A Very good idea for any Bar that is doing a brisk Gifting.

on a side note, but related..
KEEP IT IN THE BOTTLE until you get to camp, get out of the car / truck, turn of the engine, roll around in the dust, and THEN start drinking...

the LEOS popped a few people last year on the way in who were just a little too anxious to start tipping em' back.

it's still a road, and the laws apply to drinking and driving, and if they see you swigging from the ten-high and screaming "woo-hoo mom, I'm HOOOOOME"
they will pull you over, albeit at 5 miles an hour.

ps. we went thru 100 bottles of vodka on our bloody mary sunday at 10 and espl. if that helps. it was ALOT of fucking celery too.

[/quote]

are you doing that again because I fucking love bloody mary's?

ovrkast · Post by **ovrkast** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:12 am

[quote="Dato"]Running a bar close to the esplanade is rough. We're in the 9:00 plaza, just as last year. Last year, the alcohol list consisted of:

Rum: 35 bottles (1.75)
Spiced Rum: 8 bottles (1.75)
Brandy: 5 bottles (1.75)
Triple Sec: 4 bottles (1.0)
Tequila: 11 bottles
Peach Schnapps: 6 bottles
Vodka: 46 bottles (1.75) 8 bottles were used for jello shots
Gin: 10 bottles (1.75)
Whiskey: 21 bottles (1.75)
~20 gallons of moonshine.

.....and it was all out by wed. This year, we're bringing:

Rum: 110 bottles
Tequila: 45 bottles
Vodka: 135 bottles
Whiskey: 35 bottles
Plus maybe 15 bottles of vodka for jello shots
~ 40 gallons of moonshine

These are all 1.75s, and about double last years amounts, so we're hoping it will last. Then again, we're adding live music this year, so that may increase traffic.

It's also worthy to note that last years amount was almost double the previous years. The previous year, the bar was at 3:45ish and B if I remember correctly, so that should give you some idea of how much closeness to esplanade affects drunkard traffic!

I can't even imagine having a bar ON the esplanade, that would be nutty!

Less than a week! whooohooooo[/quote]

OMG...the thought of all that alcohol makes my liver hurt :shock:

ZaphodBurner · Post by **ZaphodBurner** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:28 am

nc_guy wrote: Remember that you can also stretch things a bit by diluting drinks a bit so they can last longer, and no there is nothing wrong in doing that in the playa inorder to gift as many people as possible.

Your idea is -very- good because people are already more dehydrated and have been drinking more than on the average Friday night in town. The drinks are free so fuck 'em anyway if they don't they're strong enough.

Also, from experience, make sure your bartenders aren't heavy drinkers or alcoholics or else your visitors will be puking all night, you'll run out of alcohol quicker, and it won't make the party any better at all.

Vodka = ethanol and water.

KBALL · Post by **KBALL** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:13 am

Althought we have been located in the 9:00 plaza for the past 5 years, we have never gone through the inventory that some are mentioning here. Now, we are a smaller, more neighborhood pub type bar that encourages people to "linger" as opposed to moving gallon after gallon of product. That said, we still manage to go through about 30-40 1.75 bottles throughout the week. The only wicked-strong drink that we move is our Thursday night Flaming Blue Phucks, consiting of a shot of 151 set on fire. Other nights we tend to mix rum punches, etc. Easy to move, and they go down smooth.

Good luck!

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:52 pm

are you doing that again because I fucking love bloody mary's?

yes, sunday morning after the burn at about whenever we get the fuck up-ish.

come get saucy with us, because it'll be 12:00 on the east coast and we're basically hard core alcoholics on a week long bender, so any excuse is fine with us.

Last post til the playa, im off and running and probably off the grid for a while, so much to do, fucking white rabbit syndrome...TWO 18 wheelers to load etc etc....fun fun fun fun fun. Logistics Logistics Logistics.

Have a Safe Trip Home everybody, better to be a day late than not make it all.

gosh, i am so fucking happy, you can even see my bad teeth and gold crowns, which normally stay hidden under a half-sneer.

It's working already....how pavlovian.

Shagy · Post by **Shagy** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:59 am

Bring more than you expect to pour and leave the rest with the clean up crew when you leave.

Limit your serving size by providing your own cups. Decrease the length of your bar to limit your exposure to new arrivals. Don't provide seating. Talk first, pour second. Have only one bartender at a time. Close periodically.

I run a sake bar and everyone gets a new 2 oz paper cup and then we burn them. We serve 600 people per day with no complaints.