Guess the Drink Blind Taste Test

The honest take

This works for receptions where your guests actually know wine or cocktails and want an interactive game that doesn’t require a dance floor. It tanks if your crowd just wants free drinks and zero effort.

How it works

Guests are blindfolded or look away as you pour 1-2 oz servings of various drinks (wine, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic). They taste and guess the drink name, type, or producer. Whoever identifies the most correctly wins a prize. The whole thing takes 10-15 minutes.

How to set it up

1. Source the drinks (2-3 weeks before)

   • Pick 5-8 bottles across different categories: a white wine, a red, a beer, a cocktail spirit. Include 1-2 non-alcoholic options so nobody feels forced to drink.
   • Buy from a local bottle shop or order online (Amazon, Drizly, wine retailers). Budget $40-60 if you pick mid-range bottles ($8-15 each).

2. Set up a tasting station (1 hour before guests arrive)

   • Arrange small numbered glasses on a table and fill each with 1-2 oz of liquid.
   • Hide the bottles behind a screen or cover them—guests can’t see labels.
   • Set out pens, paper, and instructions nearby.

3. Assign a host (day-of)

   • Ask a friend or family member to run it: pour drinks, collect answers, announce the winner.
   • Brief them 10 minutes before so there’s no improvisation mid-game.

4. Time it strategically (during reception)

   • Best slot: after dinner, before dancing or dessert, when people have eaten and are loose but not three drinks in.
   • Run rounds in groups of 5-10 to keep it manageable.

What to prepare in advance

• Buy 5-8 bottles (budget: $40-100)
• Print answer sheets with numbered lines (1 per guest)
• Print a master answer key for the host
• Gather enough small glasses (plastic shot glasses from Dollar Tree work fine—$1.50 for 50)
• Decide difficulty level: just guess “wine” vs. “guess the brand” (easier keeps more people engaged)
• Pick a prize ($10-25 gift card, bottle of wine, cocktail kit)
• Write simple host instructions (3-4 bullet points on a card)

Common mistakes

• Pouring full servings. People get drunk faster and stop paying attention. Stick to shot-glass pours (1-2 oz max).
• Picking obscure drinks. “Faroese juniper-infused malt whiskey” sounds clever but leaves everyone guessing randomly. Stick to recognizable categories—Pinot Grigio vs. Sauvignon Blanc, lager vs. IPA, vodka cocktail vs. gin cocktail.
• Forgetting non-drinkers. Include sparkling water, juice, or tea. People who don’t drink shouldn’t feel left out of the game.
• Running it too late. If you do this at 11 PM when people are already several rounds deep, you’ll lose half the room to slurred guesses and arguments over answers.

Variations by budget

Free ($0-5) Raid your own liquor cabinet and the bar at your reception. Ask your caterer if they’ll let you use opened bottles. Write answer cards on regular paper and use whatever glassware you have.

$ (~$10-30) Buy 3-5 mid-range bottles ($8-12 each, ~$25 total). Use plastic shot glasses (Dollar Tree, $1.50 for 50). Print answer sheets at home. Small gift card for winner ($10).

$$ (~$30-100) Buy 6-8 bottles including some mid-premium options ($10-18 each, ~$60-80 total). Use nice plastic wine glasses (Amazon, ~$15 for 12 stemmed glasses). Print on cardstock. Bigger prize: bottle of wine, cocktail kit, or $25+ gift card.

Works well with

• Trivia game about you two — back-to-back games during cocktail hour
• Mad Gab charades — keeps interactive energy going, no alcohol involved
• Champagne bar — lets guests build their own drinks after the blind tasting

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