Power Hour is one of the most iconic and enduring drinking games ever created. The concept is deceptively simple: take one shot of beer every minute for a full 60 minutes.
What is Power Hour?
Power Hour is a timed drinking game in which every participant takes one shot of beer (typically 1 to 1.5 ounces) every 60 seconds for an entire hour. That adds up to 60 shots over the course of the game.
A Brief History of Power Hour
Power Hour has its roots in American college drinking culture, where it emerged as a popular party game sometime in the 1980s and 1990s. The exact origin is impossible to pin down because, like most drinking games, it was passed along by word of mouth from one campus to the next.
The Core Concept: 60 Shots in 60 Minutes
The beauty of Power Hour is its simplicity. There are no complicated rules to memorize, no cards to shuffle, and no special equipment beyond a timer, shot glasses, and beer.
What You Need
One of the best things about Power Hour is how little you need to get started. Compared to games like Beer Pong, which requires cups, balls, and a table, Power Hour has a minimal equipment list.
Shot Glasses
Each player needs at least one shot glass. Standard shot glasses hold about 1.5 ounces, though some players prefer using smaller 1-ounce glasses to keep the total volume more manageable.
A Timer or Power Hour App
You need a reliable way to mark every 60-second interval. The simplest approach is to use a phone timer and have someone call out each minute, but this is tedious and error-prone.
Beer (and Plenty of It)
Beer is the traditional drink of choice for Power Hour, and for good reason. The relatively low alcohol content of beer (typically 4 to 6 percent ABV) makes it feasible to sustain 60 shots over an hour without the game becoming dangerously intoxicating.
A Great Playlist
While not strictly required, music is a huge part of the Power Hour experience. Most groups use a playlist that changes songs every 60 seconds, with the song change serving as the signal to drink.
How to Set Up Power Hour
A little preparation goes a long way toward ensuring your Power Hour runs smoothly and everyone has a great time. Here is how to set everything up before the first shot drops.
Choose Your Drinks
Decide as a group what you will be drinking. Standard beer is the classic choice and the one we recommend for most groups, especially if you have first-timers.
Prepare Your Pouring Station
One of the biggest logistical challenges in Power Hour is keeping everyone’s glass filled between shots. With only 60 seconds between each round, there is not much time for pouring.
Set Up Your Music and Timer
Connect your phone or laptop to a speaker system loud enough for everyone to hear the song changes or buzzer clearly. Test the audio before starting to make sure the transitions are obvious.
Create the Right Atmosphere
Clear a space where everyone can sit or stand comfortably in a circle or around a table. Lay down towels or newspaper if you are worried about spills, because spills will happen.
How to Play Power Hour
Once everyone is set up and ready to go, it is time to play. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of exactly how a Power Hour game works from start to finish.
Step-by-Step Gameplay
- Gather all players around the table or in a circle. Make sure everyone has a shot glass and access to beer.
- Start the timer or playlist. The moment the music begins or the timer starts, everyone fills their glass and takes their first shot together.
- Every 60 seconds, when the song changes, the buzzer sounds, or the designated timekeeper calls out, everyone refills and takes another shot simultaneously.
- Continue this pattern for the full 60 minutes. The pace is steady and unrelenting. By around minute 20 to 30, most players start to feel the cumulative effect of the alcohol.
- At the 60-minute mark, the game is officially over. Anyone who has taken all 60 shots has successfully completed a Power Hour. Celebrate accordingly.
What Counts as a Shot?
A standard Power Hour shot is 1 to 1.5 ounces of beer, taken in one gulp. You do not need to slam the glass down on the table or perform any special ritual, though many groups develop their own traditions over time.
Keeping the Pace
The key to Power Hour is maintaining a consistent pace. The first 15 to 20 minutes usually feel easy, almost too easy.
Official Power Hour Rules
While Power Hour is fundamentally a casual game with room for house rules, there is a commonly accepted set of official rules that most groups follow. Establishing clear rules before the game starts prevents arguments and ensures everyone has a fair and enjoyable experience.
The Core Rules
- Take one shot of beer (1 to 1.5 ounces) every 60 seconds for 60 consecutive minutes.
- All players drink at the same time when the signal goes off.
- Every player must use the same size glass to keep the game fair.
- You must keep pace with the group. No drinking ahead of the signal and no falling behind.
- Beer is the standard drink. Using hard liquor for a full Power Hour is strongly discouraged for safety reasons.
- The game ends after exactly 60 minutes and 60 shots.
Penalties for Missing Shots
Different groups handle missed shots differently. Here are some common penalty systems.
Bathroom Breaks
This is one of the most debated topics in Power Hour. Drinking 60 shots of beer over an hour means you will almost certainly need to use the bathroom before the game is over.
Quitting and Safety
Any player can quit at any time, no questions asked. This is not optional; it is the most important rule in Power Hour.
Power Hour Music and Playlists
Music is not just background noise in a Power Hour. It is the heartbeat of the entire experience.
Making Your Own Playlist
Creating a custom Power Hour playlist is one of the best ways to personalize the game for your group. The basic format is simple: compile 60 songs and edit each one down to a 60-second clip.
Themed Playlists
Themed playlists add an extra layer of fun and can become the defining feature of your Power Hour. Some popular themes include decades playlists (all 80s, all 90s, all 2000s), genre-specific mixes (country, hip-hop, EDM, classic rock), artist marathons (60 different songs by the same artist), movie soundtrack mixes, one-hit wonder collections, and holiday-themed compilations.
Power Hour Apps and Tools
If building your own playlist feels like too much work, there are several apps and tools designed specifically for Power Hour. These apps connect to music streaming services, automatically play 60-second clips, and handle all the timing for you.
Best Genres for Power Hour
Not all music works equally well for a Power Hour. You want songs that are immediately recognizable, high-energy, and fun to sing along to.
Tips for Surviving Power Hour
Completing a full Power Hour is harder than most people expect. Here are tried-and-true tips that will help you make it to the finish line while still having a good time and staying safe.
Eat a Solid Meal Beforehand
Never attempt a Power Hour on an empty stomach. Eating a substantial meal one to two hours before the game gives your body a foundation to absorb the alcohol more gradually.
Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your Power Hour. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it causes your body to lose fluids faster than normal.
Pace Yourself Mentally
The biggest mistake people make in Power Hour is getting too excited in the first 15 minutes. The early shots feel effortless, and the party atmosphere encourages enthusiasm.
Stick with Beer Over Liquor
This cannot be stressed enough: Power Hour is designed for beer. A single 1.5-ounce shot of beer contains a tiny amount of alcohol, but a 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor contains a full standard drink’s worth of alcohol.
Know Your Limits and Play Responsibly
The most important survival tip is also the simplest: know your limits. Not everyone has the same tolerance, and there is absolutely no shame in sitting out a few rounds, switching to water, or stopping the game early.
Popular Power Hour Variations
Once you have mastered the classic Power Hour, there are many variations you can try to keep things fresh. Each variation puts its own spin on the core format while maintaining the fundamental one-shot-per-minute structure.
Century Club (100 Minutes)
Century Club is the ultimate Power Hour challenge. Instead of 60 shots in 60 minutes, players attempt 100 shots in 100 minutes.
Team Power Hour
In Team Power Hour, players are divided into two or more teams. The rules are the same as a regular Power Hour, but teams compete to see which group can have all members complete the full 60 minutes.
Movie Power Hour
Movie Power Hour replaces the music playlist with a movie or TV show. Instead of drinking when the song changes, players drink every time a specific event happens on screen, such as a character saying a catchphrase, a particular camera shot, or any recurring element.
Music Video Power Hour
Music Video Power Hour is the visual upgrade to the classic format. Instead of just playing audio clips, you play 60-second clips of music videos on a TV or projector.
Themed Power Hours
Themed Power Hours take the basic format and layer a theme on top. Some popular themed variations include Holiday Power Hour (Christmas songs, Halloween music, Fourth of July anthems), Decade Power Hour (exclusively 80s, 90s, or 2000s music), Genre Power Hour (all country, all EDM, all hip-hop), and Guilty Pleasure Power Hour (songs everyone secretly loves but would never admit to).
Non-Alcoholic Power Hour
Power Hour does not have to involve alcohol at all. A non-alcoholic version using water, soda, juice, or non-alcoholic beer lets everyone participate in the fun regardless of whether they drink.
Power Hour Math: How Much Do You Actually Drink?
One of the most common questions about Power Hour is exactly how much alcohol you end up consuming. Let us break down the numbers so there are no surprises.
The Basic Calculation
If you are using standard 1.5-ounce shot glasses, you will take 60 shots totaling 90 ounces of beer. Since a standard beer is 12 ounces, that works out to 7.5 beers over 60 minutes.
Alcohol by Volume Matters
Not all beers are created equal. A light beer at 4 percent ABV will hit very differently from a craft IPA at 7 percent ABV, even in the same volume.
Blood Alcohol Considerations
The rate of alcohol absorption varies based on body weight, sex, food consumption, and individual metabolism, but consuming 5 to 7 beers in an hour will put most people well over the legal driving limit. A 160-pound male drinking 6 beers in an hour would likely reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of approximately 0.12 to 0.15 percent, which is significantly above the 0.08 percent legal limit in most jurisdictions.
Related Drinking Games
If you enjoy Power Hour, there are plenty of other drinking games that bring the same energy and fun to your next party. Here are some of our favorites that pair perfectly with a Power Hour night.
- Beer Pong – The undisputed king of party drinking games, Beer Pong combines skill, competition, and plenty of drinking into an endlessly replayable format.
- Flip Cup: The Team-Based Drinking Game – A fast-paced team relay game that is perfect for large groups and builds incredible energy at any party.
- Kings Cup: The Centerpiece of Party Games – A card-based drinking game with a different rule for every card, creating hilarious and unpredictable moments throughout the night.
- Sociables: The Ultimate Card Drinking Game – Similar to Kings Cup but with its own unique set of rules and challenges that keep every round interesting.
- Thumper Drinking Game – A high-energy, rhythm-based game that gets louder and more chaotic with every round, making it the perfect follow-up to a Power Hour.
- Thunderstruck Drinking Game – If you love pairing music with drinking, Thunderstruck takes the concept to another level by having you drink every time a specific word is sung in AC/DC’s legendary track.
