You're hosting a cocktail party. You've stocked the bar, prepped your garnishes, and you know you can make a solid 15 cocktails. Now comes the question every host dreads: how do you tell your guests what you can make without standing behind the bar all night repeating yourself?
Home Bar Hero's Party Host Mode solves this with a scannable QR code. You generate a code, print it or display it on your phone, and guests scan it with their camera. A clean, browsable menu pops up in their browser -- no app download required. They see your spirits, your cocktails, or a curated list of your 10 best drinks. They pick what they want. You pour.
It turns your home bar into a real cocktail bar experience.
How Party Host Mode Works
Step 1: Set Up Your Menu
From the Home screen, tap the QR code icon in the header. This opens the QR Code modal showing your scannable code. To customize what guests see, open the Party Host Mode settings.
Three visibility options let you control the guest experience:
Show Spirit Selection -- Display your bar's complete spirit and liqueur collection. Guests can see what you're working with -- your bourbons, gins, rums, liqueurs, and everything else. This is great for guests who know cocktails and want to make requests based on what you have.
Show All Cocktail Recipes -- Display every cocktail you can currently make based on your inventory. The matching algorithm runs against your bar, and only recipes where you have every required ingredient appear. Guests browse and pick from the full list.
Curate a Custom Menu -- Hand-pick up to 10 featured cocktails. This is the premium experience -- you choose your signature drinks, your crowd-pleasers, your showstoppers. It's a curated cocktail menu, just like a real bar.
Note: "Show All Recipes" and "Curate a Custom Menu" are mutually exclusive. You either show everything you can make or you show a hand-picked selection.
Step 2: Curate Your Featured Drinks (Optional)
If you choose the curated menu option:
- Tap "Choose cocktails..." to open the cocktail picker
- Browse your craftable cocktails with thumbnails and ingredient summaries
- Select up to 10 cocktails (selected drinks pin to the top for easy review)
- Save your selections
Your curated menu shows up as removable chips in the settings screen, so you can easily swap drinks in and out.
Step 3: Share the QR Code
Your QR code links to your public bar URL. Three ways to share it:
- Display the QR code on your phone -- Guests scan it directly from your screen
- Print the QR code -- Tape it to the bar, frame it, or put it on a table tent
- Share the link -- Use your phone's share sheet to text, email, or AirDrop the URL
The URL format is clean and shareable: homebarhero.quetzals.ai/bar/[your-id]
Step 4: Guests Scan and Browse
Here's the best part: guests need nothing. No app download. No account creation. No sign-up form. They scan the QR code with their phone camera, it opens in their browser, and they see your menu.
The public bar view shows your menu based on your settings -- spirits, full cocktail list, or curated picks. Guests can browse recipes and see ingredients, giving them everything they need to place their order with you.
Three Menu Modes for Different Party Styles
Party Host Mode adapts to how you want to run your bar. Each mode serves a different hosting style.
Mode 1: Spirit Collection Display
Best for: Experienced host with knowledgeable guests
Show your full spirit and liqueur collection. Guests who know their cocktails can browse your bottles and make informed requests. "You have Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin? I'll take a Negroni."
This mode works well when your guests are cocktail enthusiasts who enjoy the back-and-forth of discussing what to make. It's a conversation starter.
Mode 2: All Craftable Cocktails
Best for: Well-stocked bar, variety-focused party
Display every cocktail you can make right now. The matching algorithm ensures only cocktails where you have every required ingredient appear. No awkward "sorry, I'm actually missing the Chartreuse for that one."
This mode is ideal when you want to show off the range of your bar. If you can make 25 cocktails, let your guests see all 25 and choose their adventure.
Mode 3: Curated 10-Drink Menu
Best for: Focused entertaining, signature cocktail experience
Hand-pick up to 10 featured cocktails. This is the closest to a real bar menu experience. You choose your strongest recipes -- the drinks you make best, the crowd-pleasers, the ones that showcase your bar's personality.
A curated menu also makes hosting easier. Instead of fielding requests from a full cocktail list, you have a manageable set of drinks you've prepped for. Garnishes are ready. Ingredients are measured. You know exactly what's coming.
Why Zero-Friction Guest Access Matters
Every cocktail party app that requires guests to download something fails the reality test. Here's what actually happens when you tell 15 party guests to download an app:
- 3 people do it immediately
- 4 people say "I'll do it later" and never do
- 5 people don't have storage space or can't find it in the app store
- 3 people don't hear you over the music
QR code to browser eliminates every one of those friction points. Guests already know how to scan QR codes -- they've been doing it at restaurants for years. Camera open, scan, menu appears. No download. No account. No barrier.
This is why Party Host Mode uses a public web page rather than an in-app view. The technology decision is intentional: maximum accessibility for your guests.
Setting Up the Perfect Party Menu: A Walkthrough
Here's a practical guide to hosting a cocktail party with Home Bar Hero.
Before the Party
Update your inventory. Scan any new bottles you've purchased for the party. Add mixers, juices, syrups, and garnishes. The more accurate your inventory, the more accurate your cocktail availability.
Test your curated menu. If using the curated option, select your 10 drinks and make sure you genuinely have every ingredient for each one. The algorithm should handle this, but double-checking means no mid-party surprises.
Generate and print your QR code. Print it large enough to scan easily. A 3x3 inch print on a table tent or taped to the bar works well. If you'd rather go digital, keep the QR code ready on your phone or tablet.
During the Party
Keep the QR code visible. Place it where guests naturally congregate -- at the bar, on the kitchen counter, or on a serving table.
Let the menu do the talking. Instead of explaining what you can make, point guests to the QR code. "Scan that, pick a drink, and I'll make it for you."
Enjoy hosting. With a clear menu, guests serve themselves the decision-making part. They come to you with a specific order. You make drinks instead of answering "what do you have?"
Live Updates
If you add bottles during the party or adjust your curated menu, the public view updates automatically. Picked up an extra bottle of tonic water? Add it to your bar, and "Show All Recipes" mode instantly includes cocktails that need tonic.
Real-World Party Scenarios
The Casual Get-Together (6-10 Guests)
Use "Show All Craftable Cocktails" mode. With a smaller group, variety is welcome. Guests browse the full list and make personal picks. You might make 8 different cocktails over the course of the evening, and that's manageable.
The Proper Cocktail Party (15-30 Guests)
Use the curated 10-drink menu. With a larger group, you need efficiency. Pick 3-4 spirit-forward classics (Old Fashioned, Negroni, Manhattan), 3-4 refreshing options (Margarita, Mojito, French 75), and 2-3 crowd-pleasers (Espresso Martini, Aperol Spritz). Prep your garnishes for these specific drinks.
The Tasting Night (4-8 Close Friends)
Use "Show Spirit Selection" mode. This is an intimate group that wants to geek out. Show them your bottles, discuss what you have, and collaboratively decide what to make. The spirit display sparks conversation and discovery.
The Holiday Gathering
Use the curated menu with seasonal picks. A winter party might feature Hot Toddy, Irish Coffee, Espresso Martini, Eggnog, Mulled Wine, Boulevardier, and a few cold options for balance. Label your QR code with something festive: "Holiday Cocktail Menu -- Scan to Order."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my guests need to download Home Bar Hero?
No. That's the entire point. Guests scan the QR code with their phone camera, and the menu opens in their web browser. No app download, no account creation, no sign-up. Just a scannable menu.
Can I change my menu during the party?
Yes. Any changes to your Party Host Mode settings take effect on the public page automatically. Add or remove curated cocktails, toggle visibility modes, or update your bar inventory -- the guest-facing menu reflects changes in real time.
Is Party Host Mode free?
Party Host Mode is available to Top Shelf and Founder tier accounts. The feature is shown as a premium perk in Home Bar Hero's tier comparison. Setting up and generating the QR code itself doesn't consume AI credits.
What can guests do on the public bar page?
Guests can browse your spirit collection, view cocktail recipes, and see ingredients. They cannot save, rate, comment, or interact with the app's social features -- the public bar view is read-only for browsing.
Is there a limit on how many guests can scan the QR code?
No. The public bar page is a standard web URL with no access limits. Whether 5 guests or 50 guests scan the code, everyone gets the same browsable menu.
Host Your Bar Like a Real Bar
You've put thought into your bottles, your recipes, and your home bar setup. Party Host Mode gives your guests a way to appreciate all of it -- a browsable, professional-looking cocktail menu that's as easy to use as scanning a code at a restaurant.
No app downloads. No awkward "just let me pull up the menu" fumbling. Just a QR code, a clean menu, and cocktails worth ordering.