Buzz
Also includes Centurion and team play variations
Power Hour is a fantastic pregame activity for big groups before heading out. It’s simple: take a shot of beer every minute for 60 minutes—adding up to 60 shots total. That’s about 7.5 beers in an hour, making it a fast-track to a fun night! This guide will walk you through how to play Power Hour, how to create a custom playlist that suits your party’s vibe, and offer helpful tips to keep you safe and comfortable during the game.
What's the method for playing Power Hour?
Each player should have a shot glass and around 6 to 7 beers. Set up a playlist or timer that goes off every 60 seconds. When the music switches or the timer sounds, take a shot of beer. Try to make it through all 60 rounds—or go as far as you can before feeling too full or tipsy.
Instructions
What’s the Power Hour drinking challenge?
Power Hour is a fast-paced drinking game where players down a shot of beer every minute for a full hour. The aim is simple: take a 1.5 oz (44 mL) shot of beer—or another light beverage—every 60 seconds. There's no strategy or winner, just the thrill of keeping up. Popular for pregaming, Power Hour is a go-to for large groups prepping for a night out.
- Though usually not competitive, players can make it into a challenge by racing to complete all 60 shots.
- Use a timer or playlist to track the minutes. Each beep or song switch means it's time for another shot.
How do you actually play Power Hour?
Each player needs a shot glass, 6–7 beers, and a room with good sound for music or a timer. Pick a spot like a living room or backyard where everyone can comfortably gather. Make sure everyone has their own glass and enough beer—about 72 oz (2.1 L) should cover it.
- You’ll also need a playlist or timer to count each passing minute and cue the drinking.
- Heads up: While you can use any drink, light beer is the safest for lasting through the hour. Hard liquor or wine will hit harder, so pace yourself or go with smaller pours if you’re using stronger beverages.
Fill your glass, hit play on the playlist or timer, and kick off round one. Once everyone’s got their shot poured and is ready to go, start the music or timer and take the first drink together. That’s shot 1 of 60—let the game begin!
Use the minute between shots to refill and relax. Once you've taken your drink, pour the next shot right away so you're ready for the next round without rushing—especially helpful with foamy beer that needs time to settle. After that, just chill out: chat, sip some water, or zone out until the music changes or timer beeps. No pressure, no strategy—just keep pace.
Keep going with a shot every minute until the hour ends—or until you tap out. At this pace, you’ll be downing about one beer every 10 minutes. Try to stick it out for the full 60, or adjust as needed—skip a few, sip instead of shoot, or stop when you need to. It’s all about what works for your body.
- Everyone handles alcohol differently. Respect your own limits and others’ choices if they decide to slow down or take a break.
The game ends after 60 minutes—or when everyone’s done for. Power Hour doesn’t really have a ‘winner,’ but anyone who makes it to all 60 shots can definitely claim bragging rights. If only one person goes the distance, they might be crowned the unofficial champ.
- Want to up the stakes? Add a competitive twist by awarding a prize to whoever finishes or lasts the longest—money, wine, or a fun in-game perk like assigning drinks to others.
How much beer do you actually drink in a Power Hour?
If you take all sixty 1.5 oz (44 mL) shots, that’s around 7.5 beers total. Drinking every shot fills you with about 90 ounces (2.6 liters) of beer—roughly seven and a half 12-ounce cans. But if you skip a few or don’t fill each shot to the top, you might only go through about 6 beers.
- Bring at least 6 beers per person to be safe.
- Only drink what you can handle. It’s better to slow down than burn out—there’s still plenty of fun ahead after the game ends!
Creating the Perfect Power Hour Playlist
Pick a theme or genre and select 60 songs to match. While you can include any tracks you like, a playlist built around a theme—like “pop punk,” “90s bangers,” or “karaoke classics”—can elevate the vibe and keep people engaged between shots. Once you’ve nailed down your direction, grab 60 songs—one for each minute of the game.
- Spotify and YouTube are great platforms for building and playing your Power Hour playlist.
- Pro tip: Don’t want to build a playlist from scratch? Search “Power Hour playlist” on Spotify or YouTube—tons of curated options are already out there.
Try a Power Hour browser extension for automatic song changes on Spotify. These tools take care of the timing for you by skipping to the next track every minute. Just install the extension, log into your Spotify account in your browser, and follow the setup steps. Hit “Start” and you’re good to go!
- Check out tools like Power Hour by Netlify, PowerHourProject.com, or Power Hour on the Chrome Web Store.
Or build your Power Hour playlist using the Powerd app and YouTube. Start by creating a playlist on YouTube with 60 music videos of your choice. Then sign up for a free Powerd account to import and edit the playlist—reorder tracks and set custom start times so you skip long intros and get right to the music.
- You can also check out playlists from other users or make yours public for others to enjoy.
Different Ways to Play Power Hour
Centurion The Centurion—or Century Club—takes the Power Hour to the next level by stretching it to 100 minutes and 100 shots. That’s the equivalent of roughly 12.5 beers! It’s not for casual players, so pace yourself and stay hydrated.
- Use smaller pours and feel free to take a breather now and then—this one’s all about stamina, not speed!
Team Mode Break into evenly matched teams based on headcount or drinking skill—think 3 lightweights versus 2 seasoned drinkers. Play as normal, with everyone on the team taking as many shots as they can handle. At the end, total up each team’s shots to see who chugged their way to victory.
Swap Music for Movie or TV Clips If you’ve got a solid screen setup, ditch the music and play a playlist of movie or TV scenes instead. Search for compilations from your favorite genres or quirky themes—like 90s cartoon intros—and enjoy a more visual Power Hour.
- Make sure everyone has a good view for maximum entertainment!
Tips for a Safe & Chill Power Hour
Pace yourself based on how you feel. The goal here is a light buzz and good times—not overdoing it. If you're getting too full or tipsy, skip a round or swap in water or soda. You can even just sip instead of shooting. It’s all good!
- Don’t push past your limits—cutting out early is way better than crashing your night before it even starts.
Keep water nearby and snack often to slow down alcohol absorption. To keep the booze from hitting too hard, eat a solid meal beforehand and have plenty of snacks within reach. Food signals your digestive system to delay alcohol absorption into your bloodstream.
- Protein-heavy or greasy snacks like wings, cheese, pizza, fried food, tacos, or nachos work great—and they’re probably what you’ll be craving anyway!
- Drink water between rounds. Hydrating helps you drink less overall, prevents dehydration, and reduces your chances of a rough hangover.
Pre-pour your next shot and sip slowly to minimize swallowing air. Beer’s fizz can make you feel bloated fast. To help, pour your next shot as soon as you finish the last one and let it settle. This reduces foam and helps you avoid chugging down carbonation. Then sip slowly and deliberately for a smoother ride.
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Make sure someone in your group is a sober driver if you’re heading out afterward—6 or more beers in an hour is more than enough to push your BAC past the legal limit (0.08%).
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Stick to just one Power Hour session so everyone stays in control. Sixty rounds is more than enough to catch a buzz—and it’ll already be an hour into the night!
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Grab a filling snack or light meal before you start. You might feel full during the game, but that’s way better than trying to down 7 beers on an empty stomach and regretting it later.
