One of my resolutions is to write more.  So hopefully this blog will be filled more and more often with information that is useful for anybody interested in what CMAS offers.

By the way if one of your resolutions to to learn to play a new instrument, we have you covered.  Check out our - MUSIC INSTRUCTION - page for some information about group and individual classes.

May your New Year be filled with successful resolutions, and let us know what they are in the comment section down below.

The old bottle:

Every once in a while you get a truly unique tasting opportunity.  I had one such recently.

A friend of mine was visiting family and they wound up going through an old attic and found this unique bottle.

She knew that I’d be interested in it and brought it back for me to look over.  The bottle itself had some staining on the outside, but seemed to be sound and still sealed.

The original label was torn however.  

The bottle was of a limited run in 1985 called "Old Fitzgerald - Aged 10 years".  The number on the seal is:  007600824.  Old Fitzgerald has since been acquired, and currently Heaven Hill owns the brand.

When pulling the stopper out, it seemed stuck for a moment.  Then with a little added force, the cork on the stopper broke, leaving cork sediment in the whiskey.

In order to remove the largest pieces of sediment I ran the bottle through cheese-cloth.

On first taste, my reaction was “This tastes like gas”.  

Not exactly what I was expecting from this classy looking old-school bottle.  Turns out, the whiskey needed time to breath.  Something I had never taken seriously with the way things are produced now.  Every bottle of Jack Daniels tastes the same upon opening as the last drop!


For a bottle like this to be (nearly) vacuum sealed for this long, the chemical interactions  within would have produced some near-toxic fumes which could have easily effected the whiskey.  

With time, about half hour or so, I gave it another taste.  Much more pleasurable to the pallet.

A deep taste, similar to a Booker’s I had tasted recently on a visit to a BBQ joint named Porkchop in Chicago.  I would highly suggest the flight.  You can see it on my Instagram here:  www.ig.com/joshlaw312.

Deep taste, like the over-proof Booker’s is.  Smooth, with a lengthy finish.  

Would I recommend this bottle?  Yeah.

Do I know anywhere you can find it?  Nope.


In my research I found out that a bottle like this would go for about 100 to 400 dollars on Ebay.  However, to anybody looking to purchase or sell booze, liquor, beer, etc. on Ebay, be very careful and know your laws.  Alcohol cannot be sold to minors, and there are a lot of rules about how it should be shipped and/or sold.  

I think that many who are selling collectable alcohols do so under the guise of the bottle being the collectable, while the liquor would be an unintended but necessary(to keep the bottle in mint condition!) part of the sale.

My advice:  Don’t buy or sell alcohol online.  Not worth the trouble.  Go to a licensed retailer or specialty shop to find high-end additions to your liquor cabinet.

Have you ever run across a unique find like this?  What did you find out about it?  Please comment down below!

Also:  

T: @CMASJosh
IG: JoshLaw312
FB: www.facebook.com/chicagomoversandshakers

We sent a bartender out to a house party last night, and had a blast!  The drink of the night was a dirrty martini.  

Yup.  2 "R"s.

:-)

I had a fun time building this one up over the weekend.  A nice springtime drink with some elements of the beach, and a unique coconut flavor.  Perfect for the upcoming summer season!

The Coconut Milk-Aholic:

2 parts Smirnoff Coconut Vodka
1 part Smirnoff Whipped Vodka
1 part Cointreau 
Fill with LaCroix Sparkling water (coconut flavored)
Float whipping cream or half-and-half 

First, you'll need the right mixing tools:

Use the jigger to measure out the 'parts'.  I used the larger size (1.5oz) for two parts, and the smaller size (.75oz) for one part. 
First fill the mixing tin with ice, then combine the three spirits in the mixing tin.

Make sure to keep the parts measured out evenly.  One of the important parts of mixology is being able to re-create the same drink.

Then shake the ingredients.  I suggest shaking until the tin is frosted over on the outside.  Hold the shaker firmly to make sure that there is no spillage.

Fill the glass with ice, then add the soda - filling the remainder of the glass.  Make sure to leave enough room to add the cream at the top.

To float the cream, use a bar-spoon - or a regular spoon or flat surface to slowly add the cream so that it floats on top of the mixture.  It may take some practice to get this right.

When you get it right, the cream will float on top of the drink, even though it should sink to the bottom because it is heavier than the rest of the liquid.

The consumer should be presented the Coconut Milk-Aholic with the cream still on top, and should mix it in prior to imbibing.  The amount of cream to use for the float can be changed according to you or your guest's tastes.  I tried this twice, and added more cream the second time.  Delicious!


Thanks for reading, let me know how yours turns out!

~Josh~

You may not have read it right the first time, try it one more time, lol.

Mama Juana is traditional fair in the Dominican Republic, a unique libation indeed.

In a nutshell we're talking about rum(generally dark -spiced- rum), red wine, honey, tree bark, and herbs aged in a large squat bottle with a short and narrow neck.  The term "Mama Juana" refers to the bottle.

Now, as the native Dominicans would tell you(and believe me, they told a great story!), the drink has many medicinal benefits.

*Flu Remedy
*Digestive Aid
*Arthritis
*Toothaches
*Blood Cleanser
*Circulation Aid
*Headaches
*Kidney and Liver Tonic
*Aphrodisiac

That last one may have thrown you for a loop, me too!  But more than one Dominican exclaimed to me as I was handed a cup of the juice - 

"From the waist down, you are 18 again!"

I'll not be divulging any personal information here, but that was a pretty bold statement, and I couldn't help but purchase a bottle.  If not just for the conversation piece!

One unique thing about purchasing the bottle, is that the maceration(the softening or breaking up of solid food using a liquid) is renewable.  Once the liquid is drank from the bottle, you refill the same bottle(which still contains the herbs and bark) with new rum, wine, and honey.  You let it sit and age for a time again, and you have another bottle of the unique beverage!

The recommended aging a refill for a week, although I also heard the concoction is ready to drink overnight.

Details on serving Mama Juana:

Store and serve at room temperature
Present in a shot glass
Enjoy!

Should you find yourself in a Dominican restaurant or bar(hey, it could happen - this is Chicago!),  see if they don't have a bottle of this stuff in the rail.  You'll be glad you tried it!

Thanks for reading - Cheers,

~Josh~

p.s. - Chicago Movers and Shakers is undergoing some growth as we speak, stay tuned for more info: bargains on wedding DJs, first-class bartenders, and public events that we're a part of!

And if you haven't already, please go 'like' us on Facebook.

I put an announcement out on Facebook regarding this as well.  I'm filling up my schedule, and you can help me out!

Here's the Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-Movers-and-Shakers/188227101203162

I'm offering 50% off of any booking that takes place on a weekday if you book before May 31st.  

Just mention MARCH MADNESS!!!

I traveled to the Dominican Republic over the past week, and I'll have a few things to post that came from that trip.  Mama Juana is a big one.  I had never heard of it:  coming soon.

Right after that trip I went to see my family in North Dakota.  There is no snow on the ground.  This is so crazy.  Never have I seen a winter like this.  ND is usually the place that is covered with 2-3 feet continuously throughout the season.  New snow falling constantly.  Nobody has even broken out a snowmobile this year.

The reason for my visit:  To meet the newest addition to my family.  My nephew, Elijah.

So of course I have to get him a musical gift.  And I'll be sending some classical music suggestions their way as well, for bedtime listening.

If you have any suggestions, pass them my way!

I hope all of you are reading this tomorrow, as of writing this I'm celebrating with around 200 of my closest friends at Haymarket Pub and Brewery.  We are on their front page too.

The drink package is great and goes until 1am and I think it includes some of their awesome micro-brews.

Thanks for having us out guys!  Maybe we'll do it again next year?

~Josh~

From us here at CMAS.

Enjoy all the season has to offer, and live life to the fullest!

~Josh~

Time to throw down some egg-nog and let loose.  

The weather is cold cold cold here in Chicago, and we need some help getting over it.  I would suggest a mug of Irish Coffee:

1 Coffee Mug
Coffee
Bailey's(to taste)

For the Bailey's feel free to try the different flavor of Bailey's.  You can also add your own cream and sugar as your taste-buds prefer.

This isn't really a potent drink, its more to take the edge off.  It will keep you warm too!

CMAS is offering a deal on our office parties during this season, so take advantage of that by using the phrase "HOLIDAY PARTY" while booking with us.  Could be NYE event, end of the year corporate party, or even a white wedding.

Happy Holidays!

∆Josh∆