"Alumni" and "Auburn" both pack some serious alcohol content, as well. The amazing characteristic of both liqueurs is that they mix well with just about any spirit or mixer one can imagine, while still possessing a unique flavor so that it could be sipped as a stand-alone pour. The recipes were tweaked a bit and renamed "Auburn" ("Elixir of Lucifer") and "Alumni" ("Chocoocoo") with a eye toward targeting younger, twenty-something drinkers as an alternative to flavored cocktails. After the jump we'll fill you in on these two unique concoctions.įor the initial launch of BOS Distilling Schiller chose two of his grandfather's favortie concoctions with regulars: "Elixir of Lucifer" and "Chocoocoo". This is the legacy of the Bucket O' Suds. You may have seen these giant cologne-shaped bottles called "Alumni" and "Auburn" on back bars and store shelves. Shortly after graduating from the University of Illinois he founded the BOS Distilling Company, which looks to honor the creativity and work of his family while introducing Joe Danno's mixing genius to a new generation of drinker. Scott Schiller is the grandson of Joe Danno and has the recipes for all of his grandfather's creations. However, one man has taken it upon himself to ensure that the legacy of the Bucket O' Suds is honored. It seems to have become one of those places or events that more people claim to have attended than actuallly did, like Disco Demolition or Super Bowl XX. In the years since the Bucket has grown in legend. When Danno's health began to decline he closed the Bucket O' Suds in 1998 (he passed away in 2002). Regular patrons of the Bucket gave themselves the prized designation of "bucketeers." From the neighborhood residents to Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra everybody knew about Joe Danno and the Bucket O' Suds. They were always mixed, distilled and bottled on premise, and were treasured by people of all walks of life. In his years at the Bucket Danno had created more than one hundred cocktail recipes, stand-alone aperitifs, and sauces. To call Danno a mixologist would be fitting in this day where flavored cocktails are common, but he could just as easily have been called an alchemist. The proprietor of Bucket O' Suds was Joe Danno, a larger-than-life second-generation bartender who advocated learning "a new word a day (to keep) ignorance at bay". might have gotten us in, but it wasn't worth a boot in our ass that awaited us when we got home. As a young kid growing up in nearby Hermosa Park the Bucket was a mystery that had to wait until he turned 21 to solve, since so many of his uncles were regulars there our prized fake i.d. One of the classic bars in this city's long history was the Bucket O'Suds at the corner of Cicero and Belmont, near the Cragin neighborhood. All these dives had nasty bathrooms, sweet jukeboxes, cheap drinks, enough second-hand smoke floating around to kill a rhino, and laid-back character in common. Estelle's was seemingly raided by the cops every other weekend, and Tuman's Alcohol Abuse Center served $3 Guinness pints to bikers and yuppies alike both are shadows of their former selves. Nick's on Milwaukee used to house Club Dreamerz. The Artful Dodger closed its doors nearly two months ago. Years ago when this writer lived in "Liquor Park" there was a nice selection of dives that offered the opportunity to treat the liver like a one-night stand for under ten dollars. There's been some lamenting lately both in print and on-line about the steady decline of taverns in city. The Legacy Of The Bucket O'Suds By Chuck Sudo in Food on 2:32PM