“You have the coolest name ever.” – Guy Fieri
Outside of being able to say the brand Utz sponsored a photoshoop for his debut cocktail book Are You Afraid of the Dark Rum? and Other Cocktails for 90’s Kids and an insistence on having his biography in the third person, Sam has spent the last 14 years as a person who gets money for words (some to most of the time). He’s written copy for a variety of clients over the years, but his food & drink writing has appeared in Maxim, Bloomberg, The Bitter Southerner, Thirsty, Thrillist, VinePair, Eater Carolinas, and more. He also formerly held the position of Food & Drink Editor for The Manual. In addition to two collections of short stories, and his fiction and creative nonfiction and book reviews have been published widely, including Midwestern Gothic, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Atticus Review, Heavy Feather Review, and many more.
Outside of writing, Sam often hosts cocktail and spirits education clashes. He has worked with a variety of brands including: Rémy Cointreau, Mount Gay Rum, Westland Whiskey, Old Dominick, and more. He has worked for a number of prominent companies, including T-Mobile, LabCorp, and more. He has his WSET-2 certification in Spirits (with honors), and his certification from the Consejo Regulador del Tequila.
He received his BA from Elon University and his MA from Stetson University. He currently lives in Greenville, SC with his adorable dog, Tina. (See below.)
