Beersbee Drinking Game

Knock the bottle off the pole - catch the frisbee or drink.

Also known as: Polish Horseshoes · Frisbeer

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Players 4 (2v2)

You need2 poles, 2 bottles, frisbee, drinks

DrinkBeer

Intensity

Time20-40 min

Beersbee - Also known as Polish Horseshoes or Frisbeer - Is the thinking athlete's lawn drinking game. Two poles stand about 30-40 feet apart, each with an empty bottle balanced on top. Teams of two take turns throwing a frisbee at the opponents' pole, trying to knock the bottle off, while the defenders scramble to catch both the falling bottle and the frisbee before they hit the ground. Points for hits, drinks for drops, and a shocking amount of diving.

What makes Beersbee endlessly replayable is the double-duty defense. A good throw forces impossible choices: lunge for the tumbling bottle or track the deflected frisbee? Meanwhile, the signature rule - You must have a drink in one hand at all times - Turns every catch into a one-handed highlight. It scratches the same itch as cornhole and spikeball but adds real athletic drama, making it the go-to for beaches, campsites, and tailgates everywhere.

What you need & setup

Plant two poles (ski poles, PVC pipe, or a store-bought Beersbee set) upright about 30-40 feet apart on grass or sand.
Balance an empty bottle or can on top of each pole - Glass bottles are traditional, but plastic or cans are safer on hard ground.
Form two teams of two, each team standing behind its own pole; everyone opens a drink, which stays in one hand for the whole game.
Agree on the target score (21 by classic rules, 11 for quick games) and whether you're playing win-by-two.
Set the ground rule line: throwers must release from behind their own pole.

How to play Beersbee

Square off at your poles

Each team of two stands behind its pole, drinks in hand, facing the other team across the gap. Teams alternate throws - One frisbee, one throw per possession, launched from behind your own pole. The throw must be catchable-ish: at or near the pole, not spiked into the dirt or sailed over everyone's heads, or it scores nothing and costs the thrower a drink in many house rule sets.

Attack the bottle

The dream throw clips the pole or bottle directly, sending the bottle flying. A direct bottle hit is worth the most, but even near misses matter: any frisbee the defenders let touch the ground can score. Aim for the pole at chest height - It forces defenders to choose between bodies colliding, bottle falling, and frisbee skipping away. Chaos is your friend on offense.

Defend with one hand

Here's the beautiful problem: you must keep your drink in one hand at all times, so all catching is one-handed. If the frisbee hits your pole, one defender tracks the falling bottle while the other chases the deflected frisbee. Catch both and the throw scores nothing. Communication matters - Call 'bottle!' or 'disc!' early, because two teammates diving for the same object ends badly and hilariously.

Score the possession

Classic scoring is simple once you see it in action: a bottle that hits the ground scores 3 points, a catchable frisbee the defenders let touch the ground scores 1, and a clean defense - Bottle and disc both caught, or the bottle never disturbed - Scores zero. Uncatchable garbage throws score nothing no matter what happens afterward, which is why accuracy beats power on every single possession.

Drink by the rules

Drinking triggers keep the game social: defenders drink when the bottle hits the ground, when they drop a catchable frisbee, or when a throw scores any points. Throwers drink for wild, uncatchable throws. And the cardinal rule - Anyone caught without a drink in hand, ever, finishes it. Sips, not chugs; Beersbee is a long game and the diving catches demand functional reflexes.

Play to 21

Teams alternate possessions until one side reaches 21 points (win by 2 in most house rules). Swap which teammate throws each possession so both players stay involved. When the game ends, the losing team traditionally finishes their drinks and challenges the winners to a rematch, resets the bottles, and the afternoon disappears one possession at a time. Round-robin brackets work great with three or more teams.

The rules

Teams of two stand behind poles set 30-40 feet apart, alternating one frisbee throw per possession from behind their own pole.
Every player must hold a drink in one hand at all times - All catches are one-handed, and being caught empty-handed means finishing a fresh drink.
Knocking the bottle to the ground scores 3 points; if the defenders catch the falling bottle, the knock scores nothing.
A catchable frisbee that touches the ground on the defenders' side scores 1 point; catching it cleanly scores nothing for the throwers.
Uncatchable throws - Too high, too wide, or spiked into the dirt - Score zero and cost the thrower a drink.
Defenders drink whenever points are scored against them; both defenders drink when the bottle hits the ground.
The frisbee must not be blocked before it reaches the pole - Defenders play everything after it passes or strikes the pole.
First team to 21 points wins, win by 2; the losing team finishes their drinks and racks the next game.
Wind rule: if a gust knocks a bottle off with no throw in the air, no points - Reset it and toast the weather.

Variations & house rules

Polish Horseshoes Classic

The purist ruleset: glass bottles, exactly 30 paces between poles, and the strict one-point 'ground rule' where any catchable disc the defense fails to catch scores - No leniency for awkward hops or sun-in-eyes excuses. Games run to 21, win by two, and the drink-in-hand rule is enforced with religious fervor. This is the version arguments should default to.

Cannery Row

Swap glass bottles for empty cans, which fly further when hit and are far safer on decks, driveways, and crowded beaches. Because cans are lighter, the wind plays a bigger role and defenders get slightly more reaction time, making this the friendlier version for new players. House rule: crushing the can after a 3-point knock earns a bonus celebration sip.

Four-Pole Frenzy

Set four poles in a square with four teams of two, each defending their own bottle while attacking any other pole. Throw order rotates clockwise, and every team drinks by the normal triggers. Alliances form and collapse in real time. Scoring races to 15 because points come faster, and defenders quickly learn to never fully trust the team beside them.

Beersbee Golf

Play a 'course' around a park or campsite: each hole is a pole planted somewhere new, and teams count throws until someone knocks the bottle off, golf-style - Lowest total after nine holes wins. Drinks flow per normal Beersbee triggers along the way. Turns the game into a walking afternoon event and rewards touch and accuracy over defensive heroics.

Dry Beersbee

Identical rules with water bottles, soda, or nothing in hand at all - Though keeping the one-hand rule with any beverage preserves the game's signature clumsy-catch comedy. Beersbee is legitimately fun as pure sport, and this version keeps the whole campsite in the bracket, designated drivers and kids included. The diving catches need no alcohol to be spectacular.

Pro tips

Throw at the pole chest-high with a flat, fast release - Floaty rainbow throws give defenders all day to organize.

On defense, pre-assign roles every possession: one teammate owns the bottle, the other owns the disc. Freelancing loses games.

Practice your one-handed backhand catch with a drink in the other hand - Pin the disc against your forearm or chest.

Use sturdier poles than you think you need; wobbly poles drop bottles in wind and spark endless 'did it count' debates.

Play crosswind rather than into it when possible, and agree on the wind reset rule before the first throw.

Sand beats grass beats everything else - Never play with glass bottles on concrete or near bare feet.

Where Beersbee fits on the shelf

Beersbee is one of the gentler picks on the shelf - 14th of 17 challenge games by intensity, rated 2 out of 5.
It is one of the few games here that genuinely works with just 2 players, and it stays fun up to 4.
A typical session runs 20-40 min - a solid middle act for the evening.
Browse the full outdoor & challenge games shelf to compare all 17 games side by side.

A little history

Beersbee's origins are hazy, but the game seems to have grown out of North American campgrounds and college campuses, with roots often traced to the 1970s-80s frisbee boom - Some accounts credit Canadian campers, others American students, and the 'Polish Horseshoes' name adds its own unexplained folklore. Whatever its birthplace, the game spread through beach towns and tailgates for decades, and commercial pole sets in the 2010s turned a DIY pastime into a packaged lawn-game staple.

Drink responsibly: Beersbee's drinking pace is mellow, but the diving is real: play on grass or sand, swap glass bottles for cans anywhere near bare feet or hard ground, and cap pole height so falling bottles aren't head-hunters. Keep water in the cooler rotation on hot days, and sort out rides before the bracket starts. See our safety guide for pacing tips and alcohol-free versions.

Beersbee FAQ

What is Beersbee and how do you play it?

Beersbee is a 2v2 lawn drinking game where teams throw a frisbee at a pole topped with an empty bottle, 30-40 feet away. Knocking the bottle to the ground scores 3 points, an uncaught catchable frisbee scores 1, and defenders can erase points by catching everything one-handed - Because every player must hold a drink at all times. First team to 21 wins.

Is Beersbee the same as Polish Horseshoes?

Essentially yes - Polish Horseshoes, Beersbee, Frisbeer, and 'bottle bash' are regional names for the same pole-bottle-frisbee game, with minor scoring differences between houses. 'Polish Horseshoes' is the older folk name of unclear origin, while 'Beersbee' spread with commercial sets. Agree on your scoring numbers before the first throw and the name stops mattering immediately.

How far apart are Beersbee poles?

The standard is 30-40 feet, or about 10-12 good paces - Close enough that throws consistently threaten the pole, far enough that defenders have a real chance to react. Newer players should start around 25 feet and step back as accuracy improves. Whatever you choose, keep both throwing distances identical, and shorten the gap in strong wind rather than fighting it.

What do you need to play Beersbee?

Two poles that stand upright - Ski poles, PVC pipe, rebar with a safety cap, or a store-bought set - Two empty bottles or cans to perch on top, one frisbee, and a drink for each player's off hand. Grass or sand underfoot is strongly recommended. Total cost if you improvise: nearly zero, which is exactly why the game has thrived at campsites for decades.

When do you drink in Beersbee?

Defenders sip when points are scored on them, and both defenders drink when the bottle hits the ground. Throwers drink for uncatchable garbage throws. Dropping a catchable disc costs a sip, and the signature rule - Every player holds a drink at all times - Means being caught empty-handed costs a full fresh drink. Keep them sips; the game rewards steady hands.

Beersbee Drinking Game

What you need & setup