Something creative is brewing...
Our team might be modest in size, but we are perfectly formed. Why? Because we love what we do with a passion and we believe that shows in what we produce, and in our unparalleled service to both our trade partners and craft beer fans alike. Everyone at Creative Juices shares a common belief in beer and a belief in people.
And besides, if enough of you agree with those sentiments, we might well be looking to grow the team very soon. See below… could you be our newest Juicer?
Yes, you.
When Ben was 9 years old, he got a Commodore C16, and he didn’t look back. He spent his formative years tinkering with computers and, when he had to get a job post-university, built a career around digital media, marketing and strategy. It was actually at university when he really got into beer too and he didn’t look back there either. Seeking out marvellous beers and brewing them, went from being a hobby to being a passion to being a mid-life crisis / profession.
Creative Juices Brewing Company is Ben’s little baby (in addition to his two human babies that is) and he enjoys wearing many hats in the day-to-day running of the business. Chances are, if you have any interaction with the brewery, you will end up talking to him.
Ben says: “I’ve always enjoyed letting my imagination run wild, getting hands-on and creating things. Indeed, I’ve essentially made a career out of doing just that. So building a company and brewing was just a very natural creative process for me.
Another thing I’ve always enjoyed is the art of discovery… hearing that cool new band before they hit the big time; finding the secret bar in town that hides behind an unmarked door; travelling to the emerging holiday destination before anyone has heard of it; ordering the off-menu dish at your favourite restaurant. All these things give me a real kick and, for me, brewing is the same.
When creating beers, I like to add creative nuances and subtle layers that allow the drinker to be able to find new flavours, variations and undertones in their beers with each taste. I love the idea of someone tasting one of our beers, falling in love with everything about it, and affording them the opportunity to take it their friends with that same sense of finding a hidden gem that gives me such a buzz. I’ve always thought of myself as an instigator of sorts.”
Ben fights the constant urge to grow a beer belly, but does sport a comedy beard as per the unwritten law of brewing.
Securing Anne-Cécile as a host for our taproom was quite a coup. Originating from France, living around the world, and then settling in Maple Cross, she’s brings panache and a certain je ne sais quoi to the Juicers team. Her background is in the food and beverage industry, and she is quite the culinary expert. When she’s not busy making faux pas, she’ll often be busy making tuile and other baked goodies for her favourite people! Et voilà; that is our super chic, super geek, Anne-Cécile.
Our resident thesp, Emily, brings a little touch of Hollywood glamour to our humble taproom. When she’s not on her feet here serving delicious beers, you’ll often find her treading the boards instead. She is a founding member of the award-winning all-female musical improv group “Notflix” and has even had a starring role in “Call The Midwife” on the actual television. You’ll be able to spot her a mile away thanks to her beaming smile, her rainbow dungarees, or her joyous personality. Chatting with Emily is guaranteed to make your day, nay life, a better one.
George was a Creative Juices punter long before he became a Creative Juices host. He won us over with his love of fine foods and drink; now we just love him for his kind nature, big soft heart and wit so razor sharp that you might cut yourself listening to it. George was a student of the arts and in his spare time, he is working away on his own screen play. Remember where you heard his name first when you see him on telly collecting his Oscar. So… arts and beer? He’s definitely in the right place. Long live the king!
So many people come into the taproom and comment that our freshly-made pasties and sausage rolls are the best they’ve ever had, that they are now the stuff of legend. These people have Jen to thank. She was trained in Cornwall by a pasty zen master, and was so good at making them that, when her then Cornish boyfriend tried them, he knew he had to marry her. He is now her Cornish husband and they both helpfully now live in Watford. When she’s not busy cooking up a storm for us, you’ll often find her selling her wares at artisan foodie festivals or getting her rave on at dance events that are far too cool for the rest of us.
Mo is the naughty mischievous one on the Creative Juicers team! She loves nothing more than dishing out craft beers, and her cheeky sense of humour, as host in the taproom. When she’s not working at the brewery, you’ll often find her working around the farm regardless; it is where her horse, Harvey, likes to spend his days nibbling his way round the fields. As you may have guessed, Mo is a real animal lover and also holds the important job title of “Chief Doggy Cuddler” for all of our little furry guests. In her spare time, you’ll find her supporting the creative arts by being manager / world’s number one fan to her son’s band Solar Strides.
Growing up in County Durham, Nic brings her Geordie warmth and charm to proceedings here at Creative Juices. Post-uni she moved to London and has worked in hospitality since, managing hectic bars and restaurants. Fast forward a few years and Nic’s love of craft beers led her here, where she now runs the taproom and leads our team of host super-heroes. She is effortlessly cool, a closet geek, and has a keen eye for design; a passion of hers when she was younger. A combination of these things means we love her to bits and means her hair changes colour on a daily basis. Some of her favourite words include “Kawasaki”, “Lamborghini”, “machete knife”, “wholemeal roll”, and “super duper pooper scooper”. Please feel free to try them with her.
Rachel started her career working in corporate comms, but soon realised that she loved craft beer and conversation more than conference calls and computers. When she has something really tasty she say it literally makes her want to weep with joy. Now that is passion! Her other passion is creativity and in her downtime she tinkers with all things fabric, sewing and knitting. Her dressmaking skills even extended as far as creating her own wedding dress for the big day. Soon she will be focussing these skills onto little people, as she is going to become a yummy mummy for the first time later this year. Yay! A baby brewer!
Robyn didn’t want to be on this list because she didn’t feel her role was important enough. But, as the lead for “Team Clean”, we say this is nonsense! Alongside the rest of the team – Leanne, Alex and Kerrie – we feel her function within the brewery is critical. When you turn up at the taproom and instantly feel like you are in a comfortable and welcoming environment, it’s because you are subconsciously loving their work. And we love their work too. Rob’s karaoke not so much, but she’s a generally lovely human being, so we’ll let her off.
One of the original Juicers and honorary lifelong friend of the brewery. She’s done sales, taproom work, brewing, cleaning… even painting and decorating. In fact Sarah helps out at the brewery when and where she can. But whilst juggling her day job, being on the executive team for the local theatre group, being chief choreographer for an Austrian theatre group, being a founder member of a gin club, supporting her husband and two kids (who are all always just as busy as she is), and supporting her extended family in Italy and the US… free time is one thing she doesn’t really have a great deal of. If you see her, send her our love!