BEER BREWER ↔ WOODWORKER
In my previous days as the head brewer for a local brewpub, I used many different types of barrels for aging various beers. I was fascinated by the design, character and strength of the barrels; how they could hold liquid while only being held together by the pressure of the hoops, the craftsmanship that went into building them, the flavors different barrels imparted on the finished beer, and especially the history behind each barrel (more on that later). Once we emptied the barrels, I imagined there had to be a better use than just retiring them as planters, trash cans, or BBQ firewood.
One day I got an idea: A wine barrel chair! I built the first one for myself which was loosely based on measurements from an old Adirondack chair I had sitting on my back deck. I put a pint glass holder in the armrest with a full beer in it and posted a pic on Facebook. The response was overwhelming. Within days I had my first order of eight chairs! After making some improvements to the original design, building several dozen Adirondack-style chairs, rocking chairs, end tables, candle holders, cheese plates, light fixtures and various decorative arts and crafts for friends and family I decided to try to make my new hobby an official business. Now, besides working a full-time job, and being a father and family man, I spend my spare time in my small workshop, turning barrels into beautiful and functional furniture and works of art. That and a whole lot of sawdust!
Each custom piece is personally hand-built and made entirely from retired, locally-sourced wine and whiskey barrels from various central Texas wineries, distilleries and breweries. Each barrel has its own, unique history; from where the finest old-growth American or French oak wood was grown, to where it was milled, aged and coopered into a barrel with great care and time-honored tradition, to where it was shipped off and used to age an elixir by an expert wine maker, distiller and/or brewer (sometimes all three were involved in the barrel’s life) to where it ended up in my hands. Ready to be turned into a custom-made work of art and conversation piece that honors the wood’s beauty and interesting history.
Please let me know if you are interested in any of my products, need more info, have any questions or have an idea you’d like to see made out of any part of a barrel. I’m always glad to share my passion of working with this unique and durable material. Now it’s your turn to be in the next chapter of a barrel’s amazing history!
Cheers!
Kevin
