Keg Factory: Lisa visits the Barossa Valley region of South Australia

Ever felt like you're up to your neck in work? It's been a common complaint for keg makers from medieval times to the present.

And while some of the tools may have changed, the techniques employed by workers in the keg factories of Europe hundreds of years ago are much the same as those used by the blokes in a sprawling noisy shed in Tanunda South.

We're at the Keg Factory at Tanunda South. Strictly speaking it's called a Cooperage and it's run by Glen Shulz, a Master Cooper who has been making kegs for 43 years.

Glen and his team are making smaller Port, Sherry, Brandy and Whisky kegs from recycled American and French barrels. But Glen Schulz, a fifth generation descendant of German settlers to the Barossa, has no regrets about dismantling these grand old wine kegs for something smaller. At the end of the day they're still being used for their original purpose - the storage of a top drop.

"It's sad for me to see somebody cut that barrel in half and fill it with dirt," said Glen "So after a ten year life I'll put another hundred years on it by making a keg out of it. If I don't purchase it and make a keg out of it somebody will cut it in half and use it as a planter."

First the planks from the larger barrels are cut down to size with each piece wider in the middle and narrower at the ends. The smaller pieces are then set in place and left in the steamer. After 30 minutes they are more malleable and bent into shape.

In an age old process the stays are drawn tight - so tight there's no need for any adhesives.

"We use fire to structurally set the stays in a relaxed, bent position so it doesn't spring back straight again. The winemakers actually ask for different toast levels - different toast levels on oak will give different characters to the wine."

A bit of hammering of the outer hoops and barrel ends and it's done. A new batch of kegs for use in wineries or as personalised momentous for committed port drinkers. But at the Keg Factory diversity is paramount so you can select from a range of handmade cheeseboards, storage cupboards, wine-racks or even chairs.

In another section, Joy Day is hard at work putting some very personalised finishing touches to some pieces. "This is called poker work in Australia but in America they call it wood burning," she explained. Joy says she's self-taught and has been doing it for 30 years - no wonder the designs she creates are so exquisite.

For your piece of handcrafted Barossa Valley history head to the Keg Factory on St Hallets Road at Tanunda South. There's also a comprehensive selection on offer at its main road shop in the town of Tanunda. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

The Keg Factory
St Halletts Road
Tanunda South
Open daily 8am to 5pm

Published 30th July 2006