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🍹Bespoke cocktail events by @jasonbasanemec
📍Lead Bartender at @dramaclubbar / Chicago
📚Actual Ph.D in English, Honorary Ph.D in Hospitality

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This is 47! Given that I still feel like I’m 27 (most days :), I’m forever in awe of time doing what it does and marching on regardless of where we put ourselves.

Year 46 alone was quite a journey. It was beautiful at so many points: watching my daughters dancing in art installations and saving dandelions from the lawnmower; continuing to share in all the delicious moments with my partner; running (& getting humbled by the humidity in) the Chicago 13.1; competing in the Suntory Dojo cocktail competition and feeling immensely proud of what I learned and created there—and yet so confusing and hard at other points: getting rocked by pneumonia in the heart of the summer and building an excellent cocktail menu only to (re)discover that the people behind a bar are everything and setting boundaries in friendships and making mistakes and re-starting therapy and weeping and feeling hurt in literal and emotional areas where I don’t want to feel hurt—it was a lot.

But here we are. Sending so much love to everyone who picked me up and raised a glass (or a child 🤣) with me along the way. Onward!

🫶🏻 - J.

📸: @travisinmotion / @crystallotusstudios (slides 1 + 6)

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@dramaclubbar is the cutest new kid on the block serving up $12 cocktails (!!!) and the absolute coolest vibes. their drinks are fab (which isn’t surprising considering it’s from the same team behind @scofflaw), AND they even have a photobooth. the perfect new bar opening in the city if i say so myself 🪩

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Hi, new (& not-new) people: thanks for being here! I’m always grateful when my writing brings new communities together, IRL or on these little swipey screen things 😂

Here are a few windows into the start of my summer:

1. Full bar, full heart at a pop-up for my cocktail biz @inbarcocktails🍹
2. OMG our kids are animals / hope rekindled at the @obamafoundation
3. Designing signature wedding cocktails 🥂
4. Cheesin’ w the @tokyoconfidentialbar Malört legend herself @wakawakawaka__ @ + @jaytoy_
5. I got into the @suntoryglobalspirits Kaizen challenge! / cheers to @thedaveyjones for the epic whisky tasting
6. Custom 🍍-infused Mezcal Negroni at the @lostlanguagesauna pool party 😎
7. What’s in a glass? / working on a new bar project soon to be announced…
8. …new otherworldly cocktail bar continued 🪩🌴✨
9. Father’s Day treats from @loaf_lounge
10. More Father’s Day treats at @bambi_chicago
11. I ran the @chicago13.1! (after many setbacks 😅)
12. The beautiful Chi / El On Earth
13. Pretty double helix pour captured by @jaytoy_
14. Delicious fermentación cocktails at @ositostap with @crooked_darling
15. A drink I can’t remember at a bar I’ll never forget aka @fancycocktailbar
16. … said goodbye in a getaway car ✌🏻

Not pictured: self-doubt, tater tots, laundry, lots of mistakes made in communication, wanderlust itches, the NBA Finals, losing my temper with my kids and regretting it, apologies, Mezcal, many levels of love

#chicago #writer #running #cocktails #bartender

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Emma + Benji on ze blog!! Ttolbphotog.com <3 you gotta turn ur head sideways for some bc Instagram still won’t let you post vertical and horizontal on one post🙃

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We had the pleasure of curating a wellness centered afternoon for the @chicagobulls corporate women— bringing together intentional rituals and a space to unwind ✨

👂Ear seeding treatments
🧖‍♀️Facial gua sha wellness workshop
🥂Herbal spirit-free @inbarcocktails

If you’re interested in bringing a wellness experience like this to your team or community, we would love to connect! 🌿

#chicagobulls #moonrabbitacupuncture #chicagoevents #chicagowellness #wellnessworkshop

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A Good Year to Say the Least. ✌🏿💕

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HAPPY NEW YEAR YALL🌀Cheers to all the memories we’ve captured and the ones we’ll get to create! :-) link in bio to submit your inquiry💌

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Outtakes from my favorite time of year, Merry Christmas yall!! 🎄

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Join us this Saturday for a cozy night of music, delicious @tentoonerum cocktails, and great company 🤍✨
This “Christmas With You” celebration will be at @wellseytavern and features a special holiday performance from me & my band.
$10 Tickets available at the door. DM me if you’d like to grab yours in advance — see you there 🎄🥳

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Introducing Cocktail Storytime Vol. 1! For anyone looking for a gift for the bartender or cocktail enthusiast in their life, in this inaugural episode I share a few of my favorite cocktail books. The books can be purchased at the @bookshop_org link in my bio or of course from your favorite local bookstore.

I hope this is helpful to people! If you’d like me to do more episodes of Cocktail Storytime in the future (perhaps even with some special guests 🤔), please follow @inbarcocktails and drop me a comment & tell me what you’re curious about when it comes to cocktails and I’ll see if I can cover it!

Thanks for being here and cheers!

J.

———🥂

Books mentioned:

Cocktail Codex by @dkproprietors + @apday / @deathandcompany

The Japanese Art of the Cocktail by @masanyc + @michaelanstendig / @katanakitten_nyc

Drink Lightly by @natashadavidxo

The Bartender’s Pantry by @mixography, @emmajanzen, & @bartsasso

#cocktailstorytime #inbarcocktails #cocktails #cocktailreels #cocktailbook #gift #holiday #holidaygiftideas #christmas #christmasgiftideas #giftideas #bartender #homebar #homebartender #mobilebar #mobilebartender #chicago #happysunday #smallbusiness #shoplocal #books #localbookstore #independentbookstore

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Cocktails that honor stories? We’re in. 🥂✨

Sample a special literary-themed cocktail with us this ✨Wednesday, December 3✨ at our End-of-Year Celebration at @chicagoathletichotel, made by @jasonbasanemec of @inbarcocktails.

In Bar is a mobile craft cocktail business that brings the cocktail bar to you. Because while there’s nothing quite like going out to a fantastic bar, sometimes you just want to stay in! So whether you’re hosting a dinner party or a private event or even a cocktail class for a workplace team builder, you tell In Bar the vision for your event and Jason will work to create a drink menu that you’ll love.

As someone with a Ph.D. in English with a focus in Postcolonial Fiction, Jason sometimes jokes that he’s a recovering academic. Honestly though, he does leverage the work behind this degree to tell intentional stories through cocktails that attempt to honor the people and places responsible for their core ingredients.

Jason is also a runner who loves to read and therefore is excited to create a drink for Read & Run Chicago!

➡️ Follow @inbarcocktails to stay in the loop about all things In Bar, and tap the link in bio to RSVP to the celebration. 🥳

#inbarcocktails #readandrunchicago #routesbuiltbystories

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🎄Read & Run Chicago’s End-of-Year Celebration is one week away!

We can’t wait to see you next ✨Wednesday, December 3✨ at @chicagoathletichotel!

We’re inviting everyone who made 2025 a year to remember — authors, runners, volunteers, sponsors, guides, venues, partners, and more.

Celebrate with:
🍸 A special literary-themed cocktail made by Jason Nemec of @inbarcocktails at the cash bar
📚 Free books and other giveaways
🎄 Holiday-best attire and festive fun

Let’s toast to our incredible literary community that kept Chicago moving this year. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🥂

#readandrunchicago

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