Brewing independently in a country where 70% of people don’t drink is hugely challenging. But Malaysian brewery Paperkite are making it work. In this story, I speak to founder Alvin Lim about the massive cultural & economic obstacles they’re overcoming open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

Spotify’s meagre artist royalties have caused controversy for a while, but recent AI military investments have caused the boycott of the streaming giant to grow For @mixmag.net I spoke to artists, fans & groups like @umaw.bsky.social about why this movement matters mixmag.net/feature/spot...

So pleased to be included on this list after another year of brilliant Pellicle stories. Thanks @katiematherkm.bsky.social for the incredibly lovely words!

Forget the semiconductors & geopolitical tensions for a sec; Taiwan should be making headlines for its ridiculously good veggie food scene My latest free-to-read Substack explores the many factors that created this thriving plant-based culture 🥦 open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

Really enjoyed this dispatch from Taiwan from @fred-gs.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

This is a brilliant piece of storytelling from @davidjesudason.bsky.social & you can tell an enormous amount of work has gone into it 👏

The Fat Cat, Norwich, is a special pub. I’ve pulled many pints and made many memories there, so it was a pleasure telling its story for @pelliclemag.com Thanks to the Pellicle team & @seanislegend.com for the beautiful photos (as per). I hope you enjoy reading 🍺 www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/11...

Congrats @beerinthecity.bsky.social! Very deserved winner. Delighted to have got silver in this really strong category🥈well done to all last night’s winners 👏

Always a treat working with Sean but I particularly enjoyed dragging him around the greatest pub of them all for this one

One of the greats. Norwich's Fat Cat gets the @pelliclemag.com treatment courtesy @fred-gs.bsky.social www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/11...

For the last in our November-long series of pieces on pubs and pub culture, @fred-gs.bsky.social visits The Fat Cat in Norwich, a pub that's close to his heart for many reasons. We hope you enjoy this beautiful salutation of an all-time great. www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/11...

The Fat Cat, Norwich, is a special pub. I’ve pulled many pints and made many memories there, so it was a pleasure telling its story for @pelliclemag.com Thanks to the Pellicle team & @seanislegend.com for the beautiful photos (as per). I hope you enjoy reading 🍺 www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/11...

Beautiful, vivid piece of work from Sean on the 2025 hop harvest. It’s made me very thirsty indeed

I’m currently travelling around beautiful Japan and recently visited the country’s original Onsen (hot spring) town, Beppu 🇯🇵 It’s a magic place built on steam, and a prime example of the human drive to exploit places of natural beauty for profit… open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

Really honoured to have been shortlisted for this year’s @britbeerwriters.bsky.social Best Communication about Beer and Travel award for my @pelliclemag.com long read on the pubs of Rye & the rich history that shaped them 🍻 You can read it here! www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/3/...

It's been great contributing regularly to Ferment (one of the world's leading beer magazines) throughout 2025. I've covered craft beer and non-league football, honey ale, the politics of tapas, and cask beer in Italy. Plus a series of travel pieces on the way that I'm really excited about... 🍻

London's cabmen's shelters are an iconic but often overlooked landmark. Now, they're facing more challenges than ever - from the rise of Uber & decline of the black cab, to a strangely controlling & hostile fund chairman... I reported for @huckmag.com www.huckmag.com/article/lond...

Great story about a pub that has evolved enormously even in the 8-ish years I've been drinking there - from a quiet backstreet boozer where I'd read English Lit texts with a solo pint, to a spot that is literally always heaving. Real success story

Earlier this year @fred-gs.bsky.social went to find out why faith is being lost in Great Yarmouth, and speak to the people trying to turn it around national.thelead.uk/p/a-suspende...

The Ballon d'Or is more valuable than ever, and plenty of PR work goes on behind the scenes in the run-up to the event For @gqmagazine.bsky.social I spoke to @jonlegossip.bsky.social & others about the fight for football's most prestigious individual award www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/the-...

Give this little interview a watch if you can ⬇️⬇️⬇️ @fred-gs.bsky.social is awesome.

Was great chatting to Kimberley about beer, pubs, and freelance writing for this Guild members interview 🍺 @britbeerwriters.bsky.social

"This is a place where the players know your name" I've loved following @whitehawkfc.bsky.social in the last few years. My latest Substack is a deep dive into the club & its unique vision of Football For All Please read! #nonleague #nonleaguefootball #brighton open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

"We keep getting drawn to Rome because it keeps changing in front of us," says historian & broadcaster @gregjenner.bsky.social For US Observer, I spoke to Greg & museum curator Jill Birrel about a new exhibition that offers fresh interpretations of Roman Britain 🏛️ observer.com/2025/09/hist...

"This is a place where the players know your name" I've loved following @whitehawkfc.bsky.social in the last few years. My latest Substack is a deep dive into the club & its unique vision of Football For All Please read! #nonleague #nonleaguefootball #brighton open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

With venue closures soaring and purse strings tightening, UK nightlife is in crisis. For @theleaduk.bsky.social I sampled the scenes in two cities — Brighton and Leicester — at opposite ends of the spectrum, asking: what is the future of UK nightlife? national.thelead.uk/p/from-brigh...

Beer people, if you love/have strong opinions about honey ale, I'd love to hear from you for a piece I'm writing. Message me if you're interested!

In recent years, important strides have been taken to make British football refereeing more diverse. But to level the playing field, there's still serious work to do. As the Premier League returns, I report on the state of play for @theleaduk.bsky.social✍️ national.thelead.uk/p/level-the-...

Despite the impact of the late Uriah Rennie - the first person of colour to referee a top-flight English football match - there are still very few non-white referees in football. But things are changing. ✍️ @fred-gs.bsky.social reports national.thelead.uk/p/level-the-...

The Premier League returns today, and with it, Fantasy Football. But the proliferation of FPL gurus & stats nerds means it’s harder for casual players to compete than ever. For @gqmagazine.bsky.social I asked: is it worth the hassle? www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/how-...

Still looking to speak to people for this article - if you've got strong opinions on FPL, I'd love to hear from you! (whatever those opinions may be)

Are you a casual #FPL player who struggles to compete with friends who follow FPL pros/stats gurus? If so I’d love to speak to you for a piece I’m working on, please message me if you’re interested #FPLCommunity #journorequest

With coastal villages like Happisburgh crumbling into the sea, Norfolk is on the frontline of the UK’s battle to cope with climate change. I reported on the key issues facing the county for @theleaduk.bsky.social substack.com/@edwalkerlea...

If you’ve ditched Spotify recently due to Daniel Ek funding genocide, please drop me a message! It’s for a story I’m working on #journorequest

With coastal villages like Happisburgh crumbling into the sea, Norfolk is on the frontline of the UK’s battle to cope with climate change. I reported on the key issues facing the county for @theleaduk.bsky.social substack.com/@edwalkerlea...

Epping is a warning ⚠️ My latest Substack focuses on the recent anti-asylum seeker protests in Essex. I spoke to locals & considered whether a repeat of last summer’s racist riots could be around the corner. Please read & subscribe 👊 open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

Epping is a warning ⚠️ My latest Substack focuses on the recent anti-asylum seeker protests in Essex. I spoke to locals & considered whether a repeat of last summer’s racist riots could be around the corner. Please read & subscribe 👊 open.substack.com/pub/fredgarr...

The Hope is brilliant — easily one of my favourite London pubs — but I had no idea of the extent of its Bohemian identity, and all the great community action going on behind the scenes here. Great storytelling from @davidjesudason.bsky.social

From [email protected], this is an excellent breakdown of the situation in Epping, where things are threatening to spiral into a repeat of last summer's racist riots. Meanwhile, our Labour government continues to only fuel hatred towards migrants & asylum seekers inews.co.uk/opinion/star...

Great piece from @anahlcq.bsky.social on the brand that have somehow made me feel okay about spending £3.75 on a bag of crisps

Jimi Hendrix's drummer Mitch Mitchell is one of the most underrated drummers of all time. He's a legend & also a distant relative of mine (which I'm gonna write about). Today would've been his 79th bday & I've examined his legacy for @musicradar.com.web.brid.gy www.musicradar.com/artists/he-w...

The Salt Path is a good book, but reading it, it always felt like there was something dodgy beneath the surface. Great reporting from @chloehadj.bsky.social to reveal the truth

This record is out today, give it a spin 🎧

Kae Tempest's new album is a vital & inspiring reflection on identity and self-discovery at a time when trans people are more under attack than ever. I wrote about it for @nme.com www.nme.com/reviews/albu...

When the world is in chaos, pubs like The Garnet in Norwich can offer a unique sense of shelter. My latest Substack newsletter explores how pub-going customs and habits can drag you away from external matters like humanity’s impending doom substack.com/home/post/p-...

Here’s a story for Bluesky and thanks to @hazelsouthwell.bsky.social please attend her pride in solidarity tonight! Or RT

Aitch’s new album is a reminder that despite the chart success, ed Sheeran features & cheeky chappy persona, he’s still a serious MC. I caught up with Manchester’s biggest rapper for @rollingstoneuk.bsky.social www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/featur...

Very sad news that Uriah Rennie, the Premier League's first Black referee, has died. In tribute to Rennie, @theleaduk.bsky.social republished this 2023 story, where I spoke to author Ashley Hickson-Lovence about bringing Rennie to life in his novel 'Your Show' national.thelead.uk/p/uriah-renn...

In recent years, the kind of escapist instrumental mood music pioneered by acts like Khruangbin has surged in popularity. Writing for @consequence.bsky.social, I asked what that says about modern society & our relationship with art & technology consequence.net/2025/06/mood...

What does a second city say about a nation? My latest Substack post explores how the issues currently facing Birmingham tell us a lot about the country we live in. Come for the bin chat, stay for the brags about the importance of medieval Norwich substack.com/home/post/p-...