What is Drink Can?
Drink Can is a two-team relay. Each player opens an unopened can, drinks it down to about 75%, and balances it on its edge as fast as they can — the moment it holds, the next teammate in line does the same. First team through their whole line, with the last can standing, wins.
It works because the balancing part is a real skill, not a coin flip. A can that's three-quarters empty has just enough weight sitting low enough to hold at an angle, but finding that angle under a team's attention takes actual trial and error — which is why the players not yet up spend their wait coaching, not just watching.
Skip it for a room that can't or shouldn't be drinking — the tips above swap in water or sand rather than dropping the balancing act, so the game still runs dry. It also needs a stable, reachable surface for every line, so a room without tables or a flat spot to lean on isn't the right fit.
The rules
- Split the room into two teams, arranged in a line each so play order is clear.
- Give every player one unopened can.
- The starting players open their can, drink it down to about 75%, and balance it on its edge as fast as they can.
- The moment a can holds, the next teammate opens their own can and takes their turn.
- First team to get every player through the line — with the last can balanced — wins.
Before you start
- Two teams, split roughly even. Uneven team sizes are fine — the shorter line just finishes first.
- One unopened can per player. Standard 330 ml cans work. Don't open or drink any of them until the game starts.
- A stable, reachable surface. Tables work best — everyone needs somewhere flat to balance their can.
- Save the empty cans. Sliding Towers and Candelier (below) both reuse them, so don't recycle until the whole session's done.
- Choose the beverage. Alcohol or a non-alcoholic swap both work the same way — decide before the first can opens.
How to run it
- Split into two teams 1–2 min
Divide the room evenly and have each team line up in play order, so everyone knows when they're up before a single can opens.
- Hand out the cans 1–2 min
Give every player one unopened can. Nobody drinks or opens anything until you say go.
- First players drink and balance 1–2 min
Have the lead player on each team open their can, drink it down to about 75%, and race to balance it on its edge.
- Wave in the next teammate 1–2 min each
The moment a can holds, that teammate opens their own can and starts their turn — no waiting on the rest of the line.
- Call the win 1 min
The relay ends the instant the last player on a team balances their can. First team through wins.
← the balance is the whole game.
Facilitator tips
Variations
Empty cans only, and everyone needs 6 of them: one to push solo with just your head and face from one end of the table to the other, then stacks of 2 and 3 for the harder passes. First to push a 3-can stack the full length wins.
Give each player 15 empty cans and 5 paper plates, then race to build an inverse pyramid — wider at the top, more unstable with every layer. First one standing when it's finished wins.
Why it works
Reflection questions
A few minutes after the last can comes down — these turn a party game into an actual conversation.
- What did you enjoy most about the Drink Can icebreaker?Surfaces what actually landed, so you know what to run again.
- How did working in a team during the Tipsy game affect your experience?A read on how the group collaborates under a little competitive pressure.
- What strategies did you use to balance the cans during the Tipsy game, and how did they change over time?Gets at problem-solving and adaptation — what people tried, and what they learned from what didn't work.
- How did you feel when you successfully completed a challenge during the Drink Can icebreaker?Names the payoff of finishing, which is worth calling out before the room moves on.
- What did you learn about yourself and your abilities through the Sliding Towers game?Points at strengths and blind spots the balancing act doesn't always make obvious.
- How did you approach the Candelier challenge differently from the other games, and why?Compares strategy across the three games — useful if you're deciding which to run again.
- What was the most challenging part of the Drink Can icebreaker for you, and how did you overcome it?Surfaces persistence and problem-solving, not just the win.
- What would you do differently if you were to play the Drink Can icebreaker again?A quick pulse on what to change before the next round.