Cooperage?- The Art of Barrel Making!

Its an old craft this one,straight out of the Middle Ages but still used today all over the world!

And what an art it is,making kegs or barrels or buckets and tubs,the craftsman is known as a Cooper,the work they produce is collectively known as "Cooperage",from old Dutch or German from the middle ages "kupe-cask" or the Latin "cupa-barrel"

I tried my hand at it once,just mucking around when i did a days work at the Fourex Brewery in Milton Qld in the mid 70's,i was welding stainless steel beer lines and i was watching one of two coopers making wooden kegs,they only went to one pub in Brisbane,The Breakfast Creek Pub,it still to this day uses a wooden keg every Friday night and if you want to taste a real beer from a real pub then to my knowledge that is the pub!

I will copy and paste a bit of info as i just do not know enough offhand,in a technical sense,so read this:-

The Coopers Craft...

With only a handful of master coopers left in England, the art of barrel making is a tradition being preserved in Burton. Marston's cooper Mark Newton talks about his unique craft,



"I know of only five or six coopers left now in the whole of England, there were hundreds before," says father of two Mark, who started his coopering apprenticeship back in 1977 aged just 17.

Mark started out his five-year apprenticeship at H&J Buckley's in Manchester, working for a friend's dad as a trainee cooper.

"I'd always wanted to work with my hands and use wood, it seemed perfect for me. There was never a dull moment, always something different to make. The time absolutely flew by, because it was something totally different, a proper craft."

When Mark first started out there were hundreds of coopers plying their trade across England. With aluminium casks offering a cheaper and speedier alternative to make and mass produce, coupled with the rising cost and dwindling availability of timber, a once thriving profession, dating back to Roman times, is in decline.

Nearly all of Mark's time is now spent repairing the 260 oak 'Union' barrels at Marston's in Burton-on-Trent. Each one holds 140 gallons of Pedigree, as well as an assortment of Marston's ales.

Lock, stock and barrel

Nowadays, this means the complete picture, something in its entirety. With its origins in the 15th Century, the 'lock and stock' relate specifically to parts of a musket. The cylindrical part of the gun was routinely referred to as a barrel, deriving possible inspiration from the familiar sight of squat coopered tubs used for storage.

Over a barrel

First appearing in America in the middle of the Twentieth Century, the phrase alludes to being draped over a barrel, either to empty the lungs of someone who has been close to drowning, or to give a flogging. Either way, it suggests a position of helplessness and being under someone else's control.

Scrape the bottom of the barrel

This phrase refers to the sediment left by wine in a barrel, and was first used by the philosopher Cicero to describe the lowest elements of Roman society.

Barrel Sizes

Hogshead - 54 gallons
Barrel - 36 gallons
Kilderkin - 18 gallons
Firkin - 9 gallons

3 comments

A picture for you,dont know where or when.

  

French Cooperage making Wine Barrels

The only interest that I've ever had in barrel making is to cut one in half and make a very attractive garden pot out of it.

And dont they look nice too Abby,but have you ever wondered how they were made,it truly is an artform,they are true Artisans and Craftsmen,its a dying art now,the stainless steel kegs did that!

 

Billy

There's a factory not far from where I live ( Port Adelaide) that makes beautiful barrels.

 

Port Kegs

Handcrafted from seasoned timber our Port Kegs are genuine miniature wine barrels they are not glued or waxed & will perform exactly the same role as their commercial sized brothers, that is mature & enhance fortified wines or spirits.

In convenient sizes from 4 to 90 litres they are the perfect addition to any bar for the enthusiast that wants to create their own blend.

Available in a natural (colonial) finish that is the same as a working wine cask or a presentation (standard) style that is clear lacquered for a higher level of finish. Our kegs are also available in round, oval or upright shapes.

All kegs are supplied with a brass tap, bung & stand & are unconditionally guaranteed against faulty materials or workmanship.

                                                                                               Colonial Finish

 

              

             Standard Finish

Barrel Reconditioning

Used barrels are knocked apart & re-machined to expose fresh oak to the wine, extending the useful life considerably. Barrels are accurately machined through a purpose built machine that maintains structural integrity leaving the surface smooth & eliminating bacterial traps.

Barrels can be reconditioned on-site (within limits) saving the expense of transport & eliminating the risk of volatility-winemakers can empty casks have them reconditioned & refill in a matter of hours.

Reconditioned casks can be re-fired if requested however re-firing cannot reproduce original toast levels due to excessive shrinkage. It is better used for sterility purposes.

 

Used Barrels

We can usually supply a good range of quality used casks. Typically 2-4 year old casks French & American Oak, however supply is dependant on availability of quality barrels.

Barrel Repair

Replacing broken or porous staves/heads, fixing leaks, riveting hoops.

Barrel Remanufacture

Remaking existing casks to smaller capacities eg Hogsheads (300 litre) can be cut down to Barriques (225 litre) for timber supplied by the client or from our own timber stocks.

The advantage being that the timber can be re-seasoned & the resultant cask fired to higher toast levels than a reconditioned barrel.

Feature Barrels

Water features, Arm Chairs, Cask ends, Bar tables & seats from barrels, wooden buckets, wine racks, use your imagination.

They are beautifull,just cant mass produce a wooden barrel,thats why they make Alloy and Stainless kegs.

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