Barrels

A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of wood staves and bound with iron hoops. Someone who makes such barrels is known as a cooper. Contemporary barrels are also made in aluminium and plastic. more...

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Barrels often have a convex shape, bulging at the middle. This constant bulge makes it relatively easy to roll a well built wooden barrel on its side, changing directions with little friction. It also helps to distribute stress evenly in the material by making the container more spherical.

Casks used for ale or beer are equipped with shives, spiles and keystones in their openings.

The "chime hoop" is the iron hoop nearest the end of a wooden barrel. The "bilge hoops" are the hoops nearest the bulge, or centre.

The stopper used to seal the hole in a barrel is called the bung.

History

In ancient times, in Europe, liquids like oil and wine were carried in vessels, for instance amphora, sealed with pine resin. The Romans began to use barrels in the 3rd century AD, as a result of their commercial and military contacts with the Gauls, who had been making barrels for several centuries.

For nearly 2,000 years barrels were the most convenient form of shipping or storage container, for those who could afford the superior price. All kinds of bulk goods, from nails to gold coins, were stored in them. Bags and most crates were cheaper, but they were not as sturdy and they were more difficult to manhandle, for the same weight. Barrels slowly lost their importance in the 20th century, with the introduction of pallet-based logistics and containerization.

In the mid 20th century, large 55 gallon steel drums began to be used for the storage and transportation of many fluids, such as water, oils and hazardous waste. Empty drums occasionally became musical instruments in a Steel pan Band.

Aging in barrels

The term "Barrel" typically refers to wooden vessels that are small enough to be moved by hand. This would include up to Puncheon size (see below.) Barrels are used for the storage of liquids, to ferment wine, to age wine (notably brandy, sherry, port) and whiskey. Some wine is said to be fermented "in barrel," as opposed to a neutral container such as a steel or concrete tank. Wine can also be fermented in large wooden tanks, often called "open-tops", because they are open to the atmosphere. Other wooden cooperage for storing wine or spirits are called "casks", and they are large (up to thousands of gallons) with either elliptical or round heads.

Beer "Barrels"

Although it is common to refer to draught beer containers of any size as barrels, in the UK this is strictly correct only if the container actually holds 36 imperial gallons. The terms "keg" and "cask" refer to containers of any size, the distinction being that kegs are used for beers intended to be served using external gas cylinders. Cask ales undergo part of their fermentation process in their containers, which are called casks.

Read more at Wikipedia.org