Looking to play the ultimate beer pong game? This supply list will help get started. Once we’ve gone over the supplies you need, we will go over how to set everything up to run smoothly.
Table of Contents
What You Need For Beer Pong, Also Known as Beirut
Beirut, more commonly known as beer pong, is a very popular drinking game commonly played with friends during summer parties. Unlike many games though, beer pong requires only three things – there really isn’t much in the way of beer pong equipment.
One is the beer pong table, then the cups filled with either water or beer, a huge amount of beer for the drinking part, and of course the beer pong ball. Beer pong balls are very easy to find and very cheap as well. You can run a search through the various online retailers and get a set or two at very low prices.
Table
The first item you will need is your table. Now, there are a lot of ways to go about it. You can make or build your own beer pong table but this can get very pricey and time-consuming as well. You don’t want to ruin any of your household tables; so, don’t use those.
A regulation table needs to be eight feet long and around twenty-seven and half inches high. This size of a table makes it a little difficult to store when you not using it. My recommendation would be to purchase a professionally-made table.
They are not too expensive and are usually under $130.00. These tables are portable and break down to about the size of a briefcase and have carrying handles for easy storage. The table is made especially for playing beer pong with clear markings for the cup layout and placement.
These tables are also water-resistant, durable and sturdy, and often presented in a cool design. Many come with a holder for the balls as well.
Ping Pong Balls
Now you will need some balls for playing. You could purchase balls that are made “especially for beer pong”, as written on them. But don’t be fooled – they are the same as any ping pong ball.
A regular ping pong ball will do. There are generally two sizes: 38 mm and 40 mm. However, the 38mm balls have become rarer since 2000 and are no longer used in ping pong competitions.
Not all balls are created equal though. Ping pong (or table tennis) balls are marked with a 3-star rating. The rating is based on roundness, size, seam, and weight. The 3 star balls are of the highest quality; while 0 star balls are of the lowest. These ratings apply to beer ping pong balls too.
Balls with a 1 to 3-star rating have less of a chance to fill with liquid because of a pinhole. Balls without the seam throw and bounce better a well. Three-star balls are more expensive – don’t break the bank if you don’t have to. A 1 or 2-star ball will play just as well for most occasions. Make sure to buy more than one ball as they are very easily lost or crushed.
Many people often buy dozens of these beer pong balls to ensure they have backups in case the ones they are using become dented. But to save money, there is really no need to throw away dented balls.
Cups
Cups are usually 16 ounces in size and made of plastic. Most games are played with six or ten cups on each side of the table plus two cups for rinsing called dip cups. You should at least start off with twenty-four cups. This way you have a couple of extra ones on hand.
The cups can be purchased pretty much at any market or store. The cups that have different sayings, logos, and designs on them tend to be a little more expensive.
Beer or Water
Last but not least on the list is the beer (or water). Depending on the situation and the type of gameplay, people use water to save money. This is also a good idea if it’s going to be a family game and players are under the legal drinking age in your country.
But the game doesn’t absolutely have to be played with only beer or water. But if you plan on having a party with many players and teams involved, I would just get a quarter barrel of beer. The type of beer used is all down to personal preference. Once you have all your supplies, it is time to set up and play some beer pong!
How to Setup a Beer Pong Table
You will need an area large enough for the table and some space around you for movement. If at all possible, stay off carpeted areas; no matter how hard you try to stay clean, the floor will get wet.
Assuming you have a professional beer pong table, there will be two triangles on each of the beer pong tables. This is where you place the cups. Six or ten cups are to be placed in each triangle. Fill the cups to about 1/3 with beer or water.
On the outside of the triangle will be a marked area for the dip cup on each side of the table. This cup gets filled to about 4/5ths of the way with warm water. You are finally ready to play some professional beer pong.
This game can be for anyone who wants to play. Just remember you can always use water if you are a minor or abstain from alcohol. Time to have some fun!
Three Ways To Fix Dented Balls
Every now and then you might run into the problem of dented balls. Play a little too forcefully and chances are you’ll dent a ball or two. Fortunately, dented beer pong balls can be easily fixed with one of three easy methods.
Salvaging dented beer pong balls with any of the three methods mentioned here is a good way to save money instead of buying a new set.
Use Hot Water
First, you can use the water method which is by far the most commonly used method among table tennis enthusiasts. What you need to do is boil a pot of water, then place the dented ball on top of the water until the dent is gone. Once it is back to its original shape, let the ball cool and dry it off. It is then ready to be used again.
The Hair Dryer Method
Another method is to use a hair dryer or blower directly on the ball until it resumes its original form. Quick and simple with little wait time – if you’ve got a hair dryer around!
Use a Flame
Lastly, you can also use the flame method which is recommended for people who can handle a flame. The trick is to continuously run the ball over a flame until the dented part pops back to its original form.
Personalize Your Beer Pong Balls
Personalizing your beer pong balls is also quite easy, as many retailers offer specialty color and custom-printed designs to suit your fancy. These balls also work well as a great giveaway gift after the party ends. Customized beer pong balls are mostly given to the winning teams as a souvenir.
Portable Beer Pong Tables
Beer Pong has evolved to become a very popular sport. You might ask, “Sport?” Yes, that’s right – a sport with $50,000 on the line for the winners.
Beer pong championships are held every year in Vegas around January. So if you are thinking about competing, you better start practicing now because these players don’t mess around.
Getting The Right Portable Beer Pong Table
Finding a portable beer pong table is easy. Finding a portable beer pong table with the right construction requires a little more effort. You need to make sure that it has the right sturdiness and that it can be folded and stored away easily.
The best material to be used is lightweight high-grade aluminum (This includes the frame and legs). This is because aluminum does not rust but at the same time is strong enough to support the table and its contents.
A portable beer pong table that is eight feet or larger needs to have at least six legs to ensure the center of the table has enough support. Some people even make their own foldable beer pong tables!
The nice thing about a portable beer pong table is that it can usually be folded up into a nice storable size. The table and legs fold into a suitcase size rectangle with a built-in handle for carrying, making it ideal for an outdoor beer pong setup. A portable beer pong table should always lock into position, whether it is broken down or in the open position.
Smoothness and Water-resistance
The playing surface, which is the top of the table, needs to be smooth as well as water-resistant. This makes it easy to clean and provides for a nice bounce shot. Most of the portable beer pong tables come with an array of designs and colors to choose from.
Having a nice heavy gauge vinyl covering with non-slip triangles for your six or ten cup placement is a nice feature to look for in a portable beer pong table.
Also, a ball holder and a bottle opener are very good accessories to have. These features do not come with all tables, so make sure to read up on all the information provided for the table that you are interested in so you get what you want.
The official length of a beer pong table should be eight feet long. However, that’s not your only option. Portable beer pong tables range from six to eight feet.
If you have a competitive personality, an eight-foot table would probably be right for you. If you are short on space, this does not mean that you can’t have some fun with one of the shorter tables.
This article should give you a basic understanding of what to look for with the vast amount of portable beer pong tables on the market. If you love the game, there is definitely a table for you. Please play responsibly.
Inflatable, Floating Beer Pong Tables
What’s even cooler is that the setup for beer pong can be varied in many interesting ways. One of these are floating beer pong tables, also known as the inflatable beer pong table, which allow you to play the game while in water. They are perfect for swimming pools. Most public places don’t allow alcoholic beverages, but you can play a proper game of beer pong if you have a pool in your backyard.
Make sure to have a supervisor because getting drunk in the water can cause a life-threatening accident if you accidentally hit your head on the pool rim or pass out.
Why Play Floating Beer Pong?
It is summer once again and one of the best ways to enjoy the summer is by throwing a party. Of course, what would a party be without a swimming pool and drinks, right?
Well, one drinking game that has become excessively popular for youngsters these days is beer pong. So why not combine swimming with this game? Yes, a floating beer pong table now exists specifically for this purpose.
Beer pong, otherwise known as Beirut is a great drinking game with very simple rules, that is – two teams take turns to shoot a ping pong ball on the opponent’s set of glasses either filled with water or beer on each side of the table.
If the ping pong ball lands inside the opponent’s cup, they are tasked to drink a glass of beer while the other team tries to land the ball on your team’s cups and whichever team knocks out all of their opponent’s cup wins.
What’s The Difference Between Regular and Floating Beer Pong?
Floating beer pong is a new spin on the game. This requires a floating table and is usually played in the swimming pool. The mechanics are the same as an ordinary beer pong game; however, the game gets a bit trickier as the table is floating on the surface of the water.
A floating table can be made of a lightweight piece of wood with floaters underneath to keep it from sinking. However, the most popular type of floating beer pong table is the inflatable one.
The difference in design compared to regular beer pong tables is that a floating beer pong table has ridges placed on the table to hold the beer cups in place as the table floats. There are numerous online retailers that offer affordable floating beer pong tables for purchase.
GoPong Floating Beer Pong Table
This is a popular GoPong floating beer pong table that is 6 feet long and 3 feet wide. It can fit 10 cups on each side.
The sleek design with the bright neon green color is very eye-catching. You may inflate it very fast by using a pump. Alternatively, you can simply use your mouth to blow air into it. You can then start playing the game in a matter of minutes.
Similar To Inflatable Rafts
The floating beer pong tables are akin to inflatable rafts that you set up in the water. They’re like those floating lounge beds that people lounge on when they’re outside in their swimming pools, just soaking up the rays. However, the main difference is that there are an array of cup holders arranged in a triangle shape to facilitate the game of beer pong.
You play with plastic cups, ideally red plastic cups to offset the usual blue of the inflatable raft, and then you go at it like you would with any normal game. They’re relatively cheap, at about $40, and you can have fun with the game in no time.
You can also read our opinion on the best floating table tennis table.
Put a Floating Beer Pong Table Together Yourself
Alternatively, you can check online for those handy “do it yourself” instructions on how to assemble a floating beer pong table by yourself. The materials are cheap so if you are in a tight budget, creating your own floating table is a very wise choice. You really do not need to spend too much money to buy this kind of table to enjoy this game.
Playing Beer Pong in a Pool is Fun!
With the advent of such a table, everyone can join in the fun. The floating nature of this type of table will allow people all around the pool to play.
A floating beer pong table can certainly take your summer pool parties to the next level. So the next time you throw a summer party, consider having a floating beer pong table, and watch as the fun kicks off. The only limit is your imagination when it comes to beer pong cup setup ideas.
If you are interested in buying one, you can get these tables on sale on Amazon or Spencers, and also from retail stores like Walmart, Kmart, or Target.
Also worth reading: The History of Beer Pong and What is the Game in Today
Warren Davies
