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Hops and Health - Exploring the links between Beer and Medicine

The Old Flax Store, Marshalls Mill, Marshall Street, Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 9YJ

  • 19 Sep 2026
  • | In person
  • | Pre-booking required
  • | Walk / Tour

Beer and medicine may seem worlds apart, but both have shaped the history of Leeds. Join Northern Monk and Thackray Museum of Medicine for a special Heritage Open Day brewery tour exploring the science, stories and people behind these connections.

Beer and medicine may seem like unlikely companions, but their histories are more intertwined than you might think.While investigating why beer and wine turned sour, Louis Pasteur developed the germ theory that transformed modern medicine. Closer to home, Leeds physician Charles Turner Thackrah drew on the experiences of local workers, including those in the brewing trade, to pioneer new understandings of public health. Today, the humble yeast cell continues to play a role in cutting-edge medical research.

Join Northern Monk and Thackray Museum of Medicine for a Heritage Open Day with a difference, exploring the fascinating connections between brewing, health and the history of Leeds. Through stories from the Thackray collections and insights from Northern Monk's brewing team, discover how beer and medicine have helped shape our city and its people.

The tour will include an opportunity to see inside Northern Monks original brewhouse, located in the historic Old Flax Store, a historic mill building that sits alongside Marshalls Mill, just around the corner from Temple Works.

There will also be a tasting flight of 3 beers, available for purchase on the day, exploring some historic beer styles and recent releases from the brewery. If purchasing the tasting flight, please let our staff know of any allergies.

Timings

Saturday 19 September:
1900

Location & directions

The Old Flax Store, Marshalls Mill, Marshall Street, Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 9YJ

Directions:
We are a short walk from the Leeds train station south entrance and taxis can pull up immediately outside."
Contact on day:
Edd Gallagher
Telephone number:
+447932213835

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:
Pre-booking required
Booking conditions:
Please follow the website link to book. Numbers are very limited, and for strictly 18+ ages only.
Booking website:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heritage-open-days-hops-and-health-tickets-1998949317218

Accessibility details

Due to the nature of the building there is no step-free access to the building or lifts inside.  We have very limited parking onsite, so do not recommend arriving by car if needing to park. We are a short walk from the Leeds train station south entrance and taxis can pull up immediately outside.

Additional information

There will be a specially curated flight of local beers available for purchase at the bar after the tour.

Max number of people:
20
Estimated duration:
1 hour(s)

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