Currently I am working on the alcohol portion of my catering
course, which teaches you about wines, beers and other various things. I almost
feel like I’m reading this study guide in vain as I’m still not sure whether or
not alcohol will be part of my catering business.
For a few years now I’ve been arranging my husband’s navy
reunions. The first two years we provided all of the alcohol for them. We
purchased various types of hard liquor, wines, different types of beers and set
it up on a table in the hospitality room. This gave the guests the ability to
party like they were still in the navy, without having to pay the hotel bar. As
the years have gone on we’ve eliminated the alcohol and are now purchasing a
keg through the hotel we stay in. Most of the people drank beer anyway; I know
this because I still have a bottle of gin in my garage from years ago. Lots of
hotels are prohibiting outside alcoholic beverages as well. But I will admit
the main reason we stopped providing the liquor was because we didn’t want to be
held responsible for someone that had too much to drink. Since we are now
purchasing the beer from the hotel, they are held accountable, not us.
We’ve done a lot of research on providing alcohol, and the
bottom line is that the facility that serves it can be held accountable for the
person who drinks it. This makes me want to shy away from providing adult
beverages during my catering functions. Not only will I need a liquor license,
but I’d also need extra insurance to cover my own …tushie.
Since I live in Oklahoma,
better known as the Bible belt, I don’t think this will be a major issue, but I
have decided to think it through. Perhaps later on in my catering career I’ll
find it necessary to provide spirits, but for now I’m keeping my business dry.