When did you start barrel making?
As my father was already in the trade, I was fascinated by observing his work and that of his assistants, but it was only after I had finished my studies, at the age of 23, that I really started to make barrels out of passion.
Is barrel making a tradition in your region?
In this region there were many barrels makers, and this was passed down through generations. Today, I am the last of this tradition, the next closest cooper is in the south. I am here as the third generation: my tools and my workshop are more than a hundred years old.
©Carla Freitas
Do most people know how a barrel is made?
When people look at a barrel, they don’t even think about how it is made. They assume that the wood has been previously rounded, but they cannot imagine that the secret is a matter of geometry and that each barrel is rounded by a fireplace that we make inside it.
What do you love most about your profession?
The relationship with the clients. I find great satisfaction in listening to the clients’ ideas, interpreting them and feeling their joy when the product is ready. I also enjoy the sales process.