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Steve Coomes on Muck Rack

Steve Coomes

Verified
(He/Him)
Louisville
As seen in: Bourbon & Banter, MSN, USA TODAY 10Best, Substack, Flipboard, NewsBreak, emerald insight, Imbibe Magazine, Edible Communities, The Whiskey Wash, The National Provisioner and
Covers:  American whiskey, tequila, agave spirits and culture.
Doesn't Cover: Travel
I write about and present on American whiskey, tequila and how to pair both with food. My work and leisure is a continuous pursuit of flavor.

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Steve Coomes’s Biography

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Steve Coomes, Owner and Presenter, Sip Smart
For 45 years, Steve Coomes has been drawn to the pursuit of great flavors. An 11-year career in restaurants led to him cover that industry for 33 years as an award-winning journalist. When that work introduced him to American whiskies and agave spirits, he began writing and speaking about those spirits as well. The commingling of those subjects made his sidestep to food and spirits pairings all but inevitable, and Sip Smart was born in 2015. In his p…

Articles

Four Roses Mizunara Cask Bourbon Succeeds as 1st 'Experimental' Release

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By Steve Coomes Verified
| Bourbon & Banter Verified
Bottle Details DISTILLER: Four Roses Distillery TYPE: Bourbon Finished in Mizunara Oak Casks MASH BILL: OBSK, 65% Corn | 35% Rye | 5% Malted Barely AGE: 6 years YEAR: 2026 PROOF: 104 (52% ABV) AVAILABILITY: Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Ky. MSRP: $55 for a 375ml BUY ONLINE: Not available online TASTING NOTES NOSE: Aromatics come loaded with chocolate and nuts–think Baby Ruth candy bar–followed by a wave of freshly ground baking spices, hard cherry and orange candies...
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Green River Honey Finished Bourbon Will Enjoy Sweet Success

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By Steve Coomes Verified
| Bourbon & Banter Verified
Bottle Details DISTILLER: Green River Distilling Co. TYPE: Bourbon Finished with Honey MASH BILL: 70% Corn | 21% Rye | 9% Malted Barley AGE: 4 years YEAR: 2026 PROOF: 92 (46% ABV) AVAILABILITY: Distributed nationally MSRP: $24.99 BUY ONLINE: Green River Bottle Shop TASTING NOTES NOSE: As the song says, "Ah sugar, ah honey, honey." This nose is all that. The wood spices make clear that the underlying bourbon is present, but it doesn't stand up to the big dose of good quality bee nectar.
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Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve Bourbon Is Delicious, But Is It a Homerun?

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By Steve Coomes Verified
| Bourbon & Banter Verified
Bottle Details DISTILLER: Ross & Squibb Distillery TYPE: Bourbon MASH BILL:  This blend of four Bourbon mash bills is a nod to the New York Yankee's legendary first baseman Lou Gehrig's number, 4: 14% 2016 Bourbon with a 44% Rye mash bill, 70% 2017 Bourbon with a 49% Rye mash bill 8% 2019 Bourbon with a 99% Corn mash bill 8% 2019 Bourbon with a 36% Rye mash bill.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

As a freelance cooking columnist for a tiny weekly paper. I was paid $37.50 per column! LOL!

Have you ever used a typewriter?

Yes, and horribly so. Thank God for computers and word processing software!

How is social media changing news?

It's making the spread of news much faster. It's putting more people at the scene of news, too, turning citizens into reporters.

Awards

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Society of Professional Journalists Award

1996 - Photography

First Place, mid-market weekly newspaper coverage of animals serving in nursing homes to comfort residents.

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Society of Professional Journalists Award

2014 - Review/Criticism

First Place. Served as restaurant reporter, observer and opinion columnist for Insider Louisville.

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Society of Professional Journalists Award

2016 - First Place, Review/Criticism

First Place: Served as restaurant reporter, observer and opinion columnist for Insider Louisville.

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Society of Professional Journalists Award

2014 - Review/Criticism

First Place: Served as restaurant reporter, observer and opinion columnist for Insider Louisville.

View Award