Games Bottle Bash Rules
how to playBeersbee Rules: How to Play Bottle Bash
This guide uses Bottle Bash manufacturer scoring for the disc-and-pole game also called beersbee or polish horseshoes. Two teams try to knock a bottle off the opposite pole while the defenders catch the disc and bottle. A dropped live disc is one point, a dropped bottle is two, and dropping both is three; other backyard variants can differ.
- 4 (teams of 2) PLAYERS
- AGES 12+
- 5 min SETUP
- About 20 to 40 ft between poles
What you need
- Two poles, usually ski-pole-style stakes, pushed into the ground (sets include these)
- Two bottles or empty cans to balance on top of the poles as targets
- One flying disc (frisbee)
- Four players split into two teams of two
- An open, flat area about 20 to 40 ft long with nothing breakable nearby
Need the gear? See our bottle bash picks before game day.
How to play bottle bash
- Set up the two polesPush the two poles into the ground directly across from each other, roughly 20 to 40 ft apart. A common starting distance is about 20 ft, but tune it to your space and skill. Balance an empty bottle or can on top of each pole.
- Split into teams and pick sidesMake two teams of two. Each team takes one pole and defends it. The two teammates stand on either side of their own pole, ready to catch. Decide who throws first with a quick disc flip or coin toss.
- Throw and keep the disc liveThrow toward the opponent's pole and alternate throwers. Apply the set's low-disc zone: a low or uncatchable disc cannot score a dropped-disc point, but a bottle knocked off the pole is still live.
- Defend by catching everythingThe defending team tries to catch the incoming disc and, if it gets knocked off, the falling bottle before either touches the ground. Catching saves you points. Dropping a catchable disc or letting the bottle hit the dirt costs you.
- Add the dropped-item pointsScore 1 for a dropped live disc and 2 for a dropped bottle, up to 3 for both. Catches prevent the corresponding points. Record the throw before the teams switch attack and defense.
- Reach the target and lead by twoPlay to the agreed 11, 15 or 21 with a two-point lead. A disc-drop point can win the game only if the bottle was also knocked off the pole on that throw.
Scoring
- Only the throwing side scores: a dropped catchable disc earns 1 point, a dropped bottle earns 2, and dropping both earns 3 maximum.
- Catching either item prevents its points. A pole hit is not required for an otherwise live, catchable disc to score when dropped.
- A disc below the low-disc zone or otherwise uncatchable does not score a dropped-disc point. A knocked-off bottle remains live even if the disc was low.
- Do not guard or catch the disc in front of the pole. Let the throw reach the target before defending.
- Agree a target of 11, 15 or 21; win by two. To win from a dropped-disc point, the bottle must also have been knocked off the pole on that throw.
Keeping score on paper? Print the free bottle bash score sheet. No signup needed.
Bottle Bash court size & dimensions
Bottle Bash, also called Polish horseshoes, sets two poles about 20 feet apart, each topped with a bottle. Here is the layout to scale, with the pole height and how teams line up.
| Pole distance | About 20 ft apart (common); step back to 30 or 40 ft as players get better |
|---|---|
| Pole height | Roughly 4 ft tall, with a few inches anchored in the ground |
| Bottle | An empty bottle balanced on top of each pole, knocked off for points |
| Disc | One flying disc; teams alternate throwing and defending their bottle |
| Players | 4 (2 vs 2); a team stands by each pole |
There is no single official distance, so pick a gap and keep it. Twenty feet suits a casual game; serious players slide out to 30 or 40 feet for a harder throw and catch.
Fun variations
- Beersbee and polish horseshoes are names for the same core disc-and-pole game, but local rules vary. This card uses Bottle Bash manufacturer scoring.
- A house height rule is a different variant. In the manufacturer game, a low disc removes disc-drop points but does not make a knocked-off bottle dead.
- Shorter match: choose 11 or 15 instead of 21; keep the manufacturer's win-by-two finish.
- Long-pole challenge: stretch the poles out to 40 ft or more once your group is dialed in. Far fewer knockdowns, way more dramatic catches.
Bottle Bash rules FAQ
Is beersbee the same as Bottle Bash and polish horseshoes?
Yes. Beersbee, Bottle Bash, polish horseshoes, frisknock, and frisbee horseshoes all describe the same core game: throw a flying disc to knock a bottle off a pole while the other team tries to catch the disc and the falling target. The scoring details can change by house.
How far apart should the poles be in Bottle Bash?
Bottle Bash uses 20-, 30- or 40-foot pole spacing for different skill levels. Choose the distance before play and keep the poles fixed. A shorter family setup is an agreed adjustment.
How do you score in polish horseshoes?
Using Bottle Bash scoring, a dropped catchable disc earns 1, a dropped bottle earns 2, and both dropped earn 3. The throwing side scores, and catching each item prevents its points. Play to 11, 15 or 21, win by two. A winning disc-drop point requires the bottle to have been knocked off on that throw.
Do you have to catch the bottle and the frisbee?
Defenders try to catch the live disc and a bottle knocked off the pole. Catching each prevents its points. An uncatchable or low disc has no disc-drop point, but the bottle remains live if knocked off. Do not guard in front of the pole.
Why is it called polish horseshoes?
The name is old backyard slang and the origin is murky, but the 'horseshoes' part comes from the fact that you pitch toward a pole like in horseshoes, just with a frisbee and a bottle instead of a metal shoe and a stake. The game itself has no official governing body, which is part of why it has so many names.
Is Bottle Bash a drinking game?
It is most often played by adults at tailgates and cookouts, and the bottle on the pole is sometimes a drink, which is where names like beersbee come from. But the game stands entirely on its own as a skill game of throwing and catching. You can absolutely play it sober with empty bottles or cans, and it is just as fun.
Ready to play?
Grab a set and start your league this weekend. See the bottle bash sets we picked and what comes in each box.