Master Cooper Crafting a Wooden Barrel by Hand

The tremendous work of master cooper Stareuala Maricel has been highly appreciated. All over the world people have been in awe of his traditional barrel making skills and have taken the time to express their appreciation for the master cooper’s expertise in crafting a wooden barrel entirely by hand.

„To be accurate while working fast – this is the sign of the highest skill and experience. Tremendous work.”

„Watching him build a wooden barrel entirely by hand, using only simple tools, offers a rare look into a skill that’s becoming increasingly rare. He works with remarkable speed, yet every cut and fitting is flawless—a true sign of mastery.”

Following the cheese barrel, he set to work on another project: a wooden jug for storing and transporting wine and water. In the middle of the workshop stood a new barrel bathtub. 

A bunch of barrels were stacked on top of each other in a corner as a sign of true mastery and commitment to the craft. In no time at all, he dressed the staves, made the bottom and a flip-top hinged closure, and raised the barrel, with two iron hoops that perfectly fitted around it. 

The jug looked neat, but it wasn’t yet complete. He took some firewood and a couple of vintage wood-burning stamps and made his way to the kitchen. There, he lit a fire in the stove and placed the old stamps to heat up in the fire until red hot.

Then he began decorating the jug, switching forms as the work progressed. Meanwhile, his wife, Lambreta, was kneading and stretching dough to make some tasty doughnuts filled with jam, creating a friendly and warm atmosphere. Watching him burn the wood was very relaxing. When the work was done, the jug looked amazing, beautifully decorated and ready to be put to use. We headed outside to the well and filled the jug to the top. It didn’t leak a single drop. I enjoyed visiting this great-looking part of the world and meeting with this great master cooper and his wife, and you’ll see what I mean after watching the video.