Does Bernie sell alcohol?
No. Bernie SERVES alcohol and drinks supplied by the event organiser or third party. This is a win-win as it means no liquor licensing is required, and you – the host – save money by buying your drinks direct. We can sort out everything else. (However, you can DRY HIRE Bernie yourself and take care of your own lisencing so you can sell from Bernie etc).
Ok, but how do I know how much to purchase?
We can help you with selection and quantities and can provide you with an educated recommendation based on the type of event and number of guests.
Does Bernie have staff to serve drinks?
Yes, usually 2+ bar staff works well for up to 80ish pax, but this depends on your party numbers and requirements- (or you can dry hire him).
What do you mean DRY HIRE?
Dry Hire means you hire Bernie only, and your catering company (that we must ok and hand over to) staff him. This can work well if your catering company are providing a package including bar staff, or if you want to hire him for multiple days as a pop up store, or an event or festival etc. There is a base dry hire rate of $1199 (+gst) and a list of added extras that you can hire to complete your 'Build your own Bernie’ gig.
Do you serve tap beer?
Yes! We can have up to two kegs running at one time (up to 50L each) – that means two types of beer, or a beer and cider combo. We can guide you as to where to source tasty brews as we're pretty well connected in these parts and can recommend our fave local breweries. If you'd rather serve bottles – no worries, we can have these displayed on ice in the sinks in the bar. Of course we also serve wine- and the rest!
Do you serve cocktails? What about table service/ roaming waiters?
Anything is possible, let us know what you envisage and lets make it happen! We will do whatever we can to make your event as you want it. (Cocktails and table service will likely require extra staff at an extra cost- and we are always happy to work alongside your caterer).
How long can I hire Bernie for?
However long you damn well like! No two events are the same, so you let us know what you envisage and we'll go from there. Fill in the details on our contact page for a personalised quote. Dry Hire rates are per day.
Does Bernie have a sound system?
Yes! Bernie has a super duper fantastic sound system that operates using blue tooth, so you can give us your play list, or we have some good tunes too. Look up 'Bernie Caravan' on Spotify for some great and ever evolving play lists. (For the techy ones: Inbuilt speakers in Bernie 2 x 280Watt, 200 watt subwoofer -in Bernie's floor, and 2 x external surround sound speaker of 200 watts- in other words- yes! It is loud and crisp and basey enough to be the tunes at your party). No, we do not have provision for a microphone.
What areas do you service?
Bernie is Queenstown-based and happy to travel. Just ask! Mileage fees will apply for areas which are 20km outside of the Wakatipu Basin.
Does Bernie need to be hooked up to power and water?
Not necessarily. Whilst Bernie has 1950's charm, he has modern tech; he can do his thing off the grid! When we staff the events drinking water is provided. Not having to plug into mains power means avoiding noisy generators and ugly power cords- bonus!
What items are included when hiring Bernie staffed/ for the full shebang party?
2 x experienced bar staff for up to 100 guests (*varies depending on event/ numbers/ cocktails etc)
2 x 10m LED festoon string light lengths (with lovely custom hardwood stands)
Fantastic sound system (that’s also gorgeous looking)
Drinking water and dispensers (jazzed up with fruity/minty goodness)
Cute retro woolen blankets (optional)
Ice (up to 20 bags)
Co2, line cleaning, installation (for keg beer on tap) and beer jugs
2 x huge 'chully buns' (esky's) 2 x 120L
Styling of Bernie including lush (real) plants, bar items, and optional bunting
Framed menu on bar and or hard wood framed blackboard for yuor menu or message
Does this gorgeous #manvan have any other items we might like to hire?
Yes! Bernie has a matching custom built drinks trestle table with in-built sinks available for hire. Pop ice and/ or drinks into the sinks and hello styley trestle! Perfect as a self service bar alongside Bernie OR if Bernie is leaving before the party is over- we can set up the trestle as a self service bar and leave ya’ll to it. (Scroll down for images).
How big is Bernie?
Bernie requires a flat surface of approximately 4m long and 3m wide. ( His exact measurements are: 2.35m high, 3.6m long + draw bar at 1.2m, he is 2m wide, and the 2 bar tops are 1.36m off the ground).
How much does Bernie cost to hire?
Every Bernie event is awesome but unique- just like you- so there is no fixed price. Base dry hire rates start at $1195 +gst NZD. Drop us a note to hey@bernie.co.nz or better yet fill in the easy peasy CONTACT form and we’ll come back to you pronto!
Bernies Trestle (click for more images)
