Northern Monk Brewery & Thought Bubble Festival have announced the third beer to be released in their Patrons Project collaboration. Following special edition releases with Tula Lotay and Jock / 2000 AD, the latest artist to join this long-running project is acclaimed illustrator and comic book artist Sajan Rai.
An artist who enjoys producing colourful, unsettling imagery, Sajan Rai was high on the list of artists Thought Bubble had in mind for this series of releases celebrating some of the most exciting voices in comic art. Sajan’s main ongoing project involves creating an imagined world - documented through illustrated haiku poems where he incorporates sci-fi and fantasy visuals that steer away from the Eurocentrism that still dominates the genres.
For the beer, Northern Monk have further collaborated with London breweries Gravity Well & Pressure Drop on a DDH IPA to compliment Sajan’s stunning artwork. Starting with a classic NE grist of Oats & Wheat, the three brewers veered off the beaten track with the addition of Cara Gold malt, to add a dollop of caramel sweetness and the hue of a shimmering sunset.
A group of people who believe in collaboration, pushing their field forward and diving headfirst into exciting and new opportunities, Thought Bubble, Northern Monk, Sajan Rai, Gravity Well & Pressure Drop have created a limited edition release here that celebrates all that is exciting about art, beer and creative collaboration.
Northern Monk Patrons is an initiative set up by the Leeds brewery to foster collaboration, creativity and community between artists, athletes and creatives across the North. Through the cross-pollination of ideas, each Patrons Project is treated as a curated, immersive experience, with everything from the recipe and ingredients used, to the can design, carefully chosen to reflect each individual Patron.
The third of seven beers in a series of collaborations between Thought Bubble and Northern Monk, the pair will be working with four more artists, publishers and independent creators to promote the medium of comic art and artists. Each beer will feature limited edition packaging artwork, and information about the collaboration on the reverse of the label.
Thought Bubble’s annual convention will take place at Harrogate Convention Centre over 12th - 13th November.
