Thank you! Not sure where you are located, but if you are in Virginia, we'll be taking a tour of these mills on October 14th. See forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/field-tours.html for registration information. More tour details will be available early next week.
Great video. I remember watching This Old House in Napa touring a winery and building a barrel. It used a type of reed as a gasket between the staves. What is the procedure to fix a leak if it fails the pressure test?
Thanks for the question! If a barrel fails testing, it gets sent to the cooper. The actual repair will depend on the type of leak (between the staves versus bunghole). There were two coopers working when I was there. Looked like they were replacing staves as needed.
Very interesting! I especially like the science of how the wood affects the aging and flavor profiles of the wine/whiskey. I found another video on a Japanese cooperage. They use a different species of oak. Is there any other wood in America that has similar characteristics to white oak that would be suitable for spirits aging?
No Brasil existem madeiras exuberantes. Nossa Cachaça vem sendo testada em diversas madeiras que transmitem sabores tão exóticos quanta a própria floresta amazônica. Ficaria muito curioso em testar whiskey em madeira brasileira
Do you sell seasoned boards? If not, can you tell me where I might find some? I'm attempting my first barrel build and at seventy-three I'd rather not wait for the seasoning.
hi, I am a French cooper, this is not possible. But with a cable inside the staves it is possible, it is just for demonstration (we can use this barrel)
Well that is an interesting question. It truly is an art. I suggest contacting the cooperage in the video: Speyside Cooperage: speysidebci.com and see if they have any apprenticeship opportunities.
The oak wood is grown in the forests. When the trees reach a certain size, they are harvested and made into staves that are then fashioned into barrels. If you want to see this process first hand, we are having a tour on October 14th to visit some of the local forests and both mills featured in this video. Tour details and registration information is available here: forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/field-tours.html.
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A very interesting and educational video. I discovered a number of things I was previously unaware of. Thank you.
As a new fan of whiskey, I was trying to find a video on how barrels were made and this video did not disappoint. Excellent work!
Thank you! Not sure where you are located, but if you are in Virginia, we'll be taking a tour of these mills on October 14th. See forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/field-tours.html for registration information. More tour details will be available early next week.
Man that stave mill was a smooth operation! The cooperage was also very impressive!
Fantastic! Especially the ‘techy’ bit near the end by Brian Bond. Nice one Prof. 👍 From 🏴
Beautiful work, super educational. Thank you for creating and sharing.
Outstanding video on this process. I find this craft fascinating.
Did they just compress the end slats so hard that they stuck together?
Great video. I remember watching This Old House in Napa touring a winery and building a barrel. It used a type of reed as a gasket between the staves. What is the procedure to fix a leak if it fails the pressure test?
Thanks for the question! If a barrel fails testing, it gets sent to the cooper. The actual repair will depend on the type of leak (between the staves versus bunghole). There were two coopers working when I was there. Looked like they were replacing staves as needed.
Did you plant back trees to get them 150 years old again ? Or just cutting the hell out of forest?
Amazing information!!
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Great video. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Very interesting! I especially like the science of how the wood affects the aging and flavor profiles of the wine/whiskey. I found another video on a Japanese cooperage. They use a different species of oak. Is there any other wood in America that has similar characteristics to white oak that would be suitable for spirits aging?
No Brasil existem madeiras exuberantes. Nossa Cachaça vem sendo testada em diversas madeiras que transmitem sabores tão exóticos quanta a própria floresta amazônica. Ficaria muito curioso em testar whiskey em madeira brasileira
Very interesting! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
How to make barrels correctly?
Do you sell seasoned boards? If not, can you tell me where I might find some? I'm attempting my first barrel build and at seventy-three I'd rather not wait for the seasoning.
Not sure. I don't think you can buy them from the stave mill directly - but you can reach out to ask them: speysidebci.com
Oooh a real life dalek. 🤣
Can you have a barrel stay sturdy and put together without the rings
hi, I am a French cooper, this is not possible. But with a cable inside the staves it is possible, it is just for demonstration (we can use this barrel)
Where can I learn to make oak barrels?
Well that is an interesting question. It truly is an art. I suggest contacting the cooperage in the video: Speyside Cooperage: speysidebci.com and see if they have any apprenticeship opportunities.
Очень интересно. 👍🇲🇫🇷🇺
Where's the barrel charring process?..
I believe charring is one of their proprietary processes and they ask no photos or filming in that part of the mill.
Is it making the oak wood?
The oak wood is grown in the forests. When the trees reach a certain size, they are harvested and made into staves that are then fashioned into barrels. If you want to see this process first hand, we are having a tour on October 14th to visit some of the local forests and both mills featured in this video. Tour details and registration information is available here: forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/field-tours.html.
I did something like this a month ago with plans from Woodglut.