Rolling out the barrels for apprentice cooper

Jul 29 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

cooper

THEY were rolling out the barrels at Speyside Cooperage in Broxburn recently when Andrew Murray finished his apprenticeship.

The 23-year-old completed his four year apprenticeship and in time honoured tradition Andrew enjoyed a special ‘congratulation’ from the other coopers at the firm.

The Bathgate man was put into one of his own barrels before being tarred and feathered and rolled about the firm’s Broxburn premises at the Glenmorangie site.

However, Andrew got off lightly as the tar was actually caramel and some of the other more nasty items used in the past were kept out the barrel.

Andrew said: “I knew something was going to happen but they didn’t say what they were going to put in the barrel.

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Some of the older lads used to get it a lot worse than me.

“They poured caramel they use to colour the whisky over me then added wood chips, flour, feathers and other stuff into the barrel and rolled me about all over the place.

“I ended up in quite a state but I really enjoyed the day even though all the boys were giving me some stick.”

Andrew started as a labourer six years ago and impressed his bosses at the Broxburn cooperage.

Andrew added: “I had no idea what a cooper was or what they did before I started.

“I had been an apprentice joiner for my first job but it didn’t work out and I ended up getting a job at the cooperage.

“They obviously liked me and put me on an apprenticeship. It is a hard job but it was all worth it in the end.

“Four years sounds like a long time but it seemed to fly by for me.

“I hope to stay with the company and we are quite busy just now.”

Cooperage manager Steven Langlands was happy to see Andrew carry on the ancient trade.

He said: “It is a dying trade and there are not many coopers going about now. We found he was a good worker and took him on as an apprentice and now he is a fully fledged time served cooper which is great to see.

“He wasn’t looking forward to being put in the cask.

“There are lots of health and safety rules now so we couldn’t put in exactly what we would have liked to put in but we still made it difficult and messy for him.”

The company also presented retired cleaner Vic Palmer with a painting to mark his nine years with the firm.