Where did Wooden Barrels come from?

Before people began using wooden barrels, the used clay containers. As transportation grew, and trade developed, shippers began looking for a shipping method that was better at storing things than their current clay option. Sealed wooden barrels was the answer they soon found (Roughly 800-900 BC). These wooden barrels were not nearly as fragile as a clay pot, having found a much more robust solutions this shipping industry swelled. At that time the Cooperage was also introduced, these were the makers of wooden barrels. Clay pots were basically completely replaced in all regards by wooden barrels by the year 2 BC.

Some people only think of winemaking when they think of wooden barrels, but they serve so many other purposes! In the past there have been many foods stored within them. Vegetables were often salted and dried in them. Meats and fishes stored and transported. Fermentation of Sauerkraut. Any item that was stored for long periods of time would be inside of barrels (mainly to keep out various types of rodents). It was also quickly found out that by using straw they could pack fragile items in the wooden barrels. Fragile items such as eggs would be packed among layers of straw. Not only did they not break, but often times it was a much cooler storage than previous methods.

With the invention of the barrel, came meaning to the word "convenient". Part of this lays in the manueverability, such being able to glide down a gangplank, and often containing handles and wheels. Smaller barrels could be strapped onto an animal. Occasionally people would float them down the river, sometimes being hauled behind a boat or a raft. There was a time when they were used as refrigeration units, being buried underground or put into streams. Cut in half to display products in a store, to feed animals out of, to make a cradle for a baby, and at times they were even used for food preparation (such as a large bowl for mixing).

They have been created from any tree that can be formed into an arch. Oak has been the most common wood for whiskey, wine and various other liquids. Mainly because of the much easier waterproofing ability this wood carried due to the fine grain. Aspen was often used for various foods. As people began modifying the wooden barrels, we were soon seeing things like washtubs, churns for butter, and buckets. The turpentine industry (mainly in Northwest Florida) heavily used wooden barrels for the shipping and storage of tar, turpentine, and pitch during the 1800's.

The first patent for a cooper machine was given in England during the early nineteenth century. Since that time, wooden barrels have slowly gone out of use. Now-a-days barrels are often made from anything but wood. Most common is in a fiberglass mode, steel, aluminum, and plastic. Finding a place that still makes or uses wooden barrels is becoming few and far between. Only the winemaker knows that the only true option for their success are wooden barrels. And to those few who still recognize how special Wooden Barrels are – we can fulfill their every need.