Morrisons are selling cans of Northern Monk beer made with real Jam Roly Polys, and we are just a little bit obsessed.
The UK supermarket first teamed up with Aunt Bessie’s and local Leeds brewery Northern Monk to sell the iconic brews in 2022, and it is sure to hit the nostalgia meters of roly-poly lovers up and down the country.
The one-of-a-kind Northern Monk beer left some fans skeptical at first, leading the team to put out a statement reassuring drinkers it wasn’t an April Fool last year.
Sharing the news on social media, Aunt Bessie’s wrote at the time: “NEW. This was no April fool, we have once again reunited with our favourite brewery.
“@NMBCo to bring you the UK’s only Jam & Custard Pale Ale, back by popular demand and based on our Aunt Bessie’s fan favourite: Jam Roly Poly
✨NEW✨ This was no April fool, we have once again reunited with our favourite brewery @NMBCo to bring you the UK’s only Jam & Custard Pale Ale, back by popular demand and based on our Aunt Bessie’s fan favourite: Jam Roly Poly 🍓
Priced at just £3 for a 330ml can, it’s also proving quite the steal amongst Northern Roly Poly lovers and comes as part of a pack of four.
Also included in the 4.5% ABV four pack is a Roast Dinner Brown Ale, Apple Crumble and Custard Pale Ale, and a Sticky Toffee Pudding Porter.
Shoppers can also pick up a single 440ml of the Apple Crumble and Custard Pale Ale. The four pack is £5.50 and the single can £2.50 in Morrisons.
Aunt Bessie’s is well known for its freezer tea classics, which span its famous Yorkshire Puddings as well as lesser-known items like chips and fries, meat joints, roasted potatoes, dumplings, and stuffing.
The company has previously collaborated with Northern Monk in the past to deliver a Yorkshire Pudding beer, too, although there is sadly no suggestion of it making a reappearance any time soon.
However, another Yorkshire brewery in Malton does sell a cracking Yorkshire Pudding beer if you find yourself hankering for a taste this weekend.
Made with real Yorkshires, these are soaked in Malton Brewery’s secret selection of Malts in the Mash Tun to imbue the beer with the ultimate Yorkshire flavour.
Once that has happened the team then adds in a blend of special hops to form the second part of the Yorkshire Pudding Beer, with every single bottle containing half a Yorkshire pudding.
Howard Assembly Room to launch new bar with permanent kitchen from Yuzu Street Food.
HAR bar, the intimate Grade II-listed space beneath Leeds City Centre's multi-disciplinary venue, the Howard Assembly Room,will now open five days a week with a brand new permanent food partner.
If you're not familiar York’s Yuzu Street Food, then allow us to fill you in.
First established in York following an enlightening culinary trip to Asia in 2019, Yuzu Street Food is now recognised as one of the north’s finest street food vendors.
Image: Supplied
Serving up contemporary takes on bao buns, fried chicken, ramen, katsu curry and much more; Yuzu are set to be the perfect addition to the Howard Assembly Room and its new bar HAR.
First launched in February, a programme of improvements saw the space previously occupied by the restaurant Kino transformed into the HAR bar.
An intimate venue in the cultural heart of the city, HAR bar guests can now enjoy fresh coffee, quality cocktails and a rotation of beers from breweries including Leeds institution Kirkstall Brewery throughout the week.
Image: Supplied Image: The Hoot Leeds
Yuzu Street Food will open at HAR on Friday 15 May.
Michael Wilkinson, Director of Strategy and Commercial, said: “We are very excited to be welcoming Yuzu to HAR bar, with their Asian-inspired street food providing the perfect accompaniment to our range of drinks and firmly establishing HAR bar as one of Leeds’ leading spots to meet and eat.
"We want everyone in the city to feel that this is their space, where great music, a welcoming atmosphere and exceptional service combine to create a truly special place that embodies the city’s creativity while also supporting Opera North’s outreach work across the north.
Chris Hargroves, Yuzu Founder & CEO, said: “We’re delighted to be back in Leeds city centre! Leeds has always shown us incredible support and energy and returning really feels like coming home. We’re excited to reconnect with the community, welcome familiar faces and introduce our new menu items to the new ones. Working with such a prestigious venue as the Howard Assembly Room is something we’re absolutely buzzing about and we can’t wait to fire up the woks!”
Popular beer festival showcasing over 35 indie breweries is returning to Leeds this month
Clementine Hall
Hop City, the long-running beer festival from award-winning Leeds-based brewery Northern Monk, returns this month for its ninth year.
Beer lovers, this one's for you.
Bringing over 35 of the best independent breweries from the UK, Europe and North America together to The Old Flax Store, Hop City will have approximately 250 different world-class beers for guests to try across one weekend of festivities.
The best part? Every pour across the weekend is included in the price of the ticket alongside a Hop City branded glass to enjoy them in, so don't worry about having to continuously reach for your wallet.
Images: Supplied
Joining Northern Monk this year are UK breweries including Brighton’s Beak, Deya from Cheltenham, Manchester-based Track and Edinburgh’s Newbarns who will be pouring next to the likes of US breweries Trillium, Root + Branch, Finback and everywhere; Canadian’s Messorem and Third Moon, and a selection of Europe’s finest indie brewers.
Seriously, this is a beer lover's paradise.
And it's not just about the booze, as joining Hop City 2026 will be joined by Leeds’ own Bundobust who will be bringing their Indian street food alongside Bonehead Fried Chicken and Hermanos Caliente, courtesy of Niko’s Comfort Kitchen.
Images: Supplied
Not a beer fan? Don't fret as natural wine bar Rinse will be pouring all weekend whilst Below Stairs will be providing the cocktails.
Russell Bisset, Founder of Northern Monk, said: “What started out as an idea to host some of our favourite breweries in Leeds has grown into something bigger than we could have imagined. From the beginning, the ambition was clear - to champion the best hop-forward breweries in the world and to create the first beer festival in Europe dedicated to celebrating hoppy beers and IPAs.
"Today, it’s about bringing some of the greatest breweries from across the globe together under one roof, creating something genuinely special for people who love beer as much as we do. Heading into our ninth year with a line-up of this calibre is something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s not just about the beer, but the community, collaboration, and spirit behind it.”
Hop City 2026 will take place from Friday 15 to Saturday 16 of May, and you can buy your tickets here.
Georgina Pellant -
15th August 2023 
