Wood, Whiskey and Wine (eBook)

Barrels we rarely acknowledge their importance, but without them we would be missing out on some of the world s finest wines and spirits. For over two thousand years they ve been used to store, transport and age an incredibly diverse array of provisions around the globe. In this comprehensive and wide-ranging book, Henry H. Work tells the intriguing story of the significant and ever-evolving role wooden barrels have played during the last two millennia.After first being crafted by the Celtic tribes of Northern Europe, barrels became intrinsically linked to the use of ships and grew into a vital and flexible component of the shipping industry. They were used to transport not only wine and beer, but nails, explosives, whale oil and even Tabasco sauce. Now this cylindrical wooden container and its relations including its smaller cousin, the keg are perhaps best known for their role in the process of ageing different types of alcoholic drinks. Today s fine wines and spirits are still aged in oak barrels made by coopers, but mass-market products are more likely to be stored in containers made of plastic, cardboard or metal.Offering a new way of thinking about one of the most enduring and successful products in history, Wood, Whiskey and Wine will be a must-read for everyone from technology and history buffs to wine and whiskey aficionados.