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Hi,
Has anyone out there made their own timber kegs for storing spirits.
I am reasonably handy with timber, and would love to give it a go.
I checked the web for instructions but did not have much luck. Does anyone know of a site where i can grab instructions for different sizes and how they are constructed
Thanks
You are looking for Cooperage info. Cooper, the craft of crafting Barrels and kegs. As for making your own, I prefer to buy them from a Still. I can get a 50 gal barrel fresh from the aging shed for $20 USD
Try looking under cooperage, coopers etc. I used to work at the Swan Brewery WA and I learnt that the Coopers used bullrushes from the Swan River banks to seal the seams.
good luck
As the timber used in the keg imparts a distinctive flavour to the spirits it is important to use oak for the keg.
Here's some stuff...
http://www.schmeider.bizland.com/Tour.htm
http://www.yankeegardener.com/garden...oreya-186.html
http://www.ukcraftfairs.com/coopering.asp
Oak seems to be the favoured timber, anyone any idea why, could they be made from other hardwoods?
HH.
Here's some more links, but doesn't seem to be many step-by-step ones. The last one is for a book that looks OK.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRA...ering-msg.html
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life...s/tradecoo.cfm
http://www.wthines.com/White%20Coopering.htm
http://www.cambiumbooks.com/books/lo...0-941936-16-3/
I've got a small keg (5l) made in Bundaberg by the cooper up there. Unfortunately I drank too much port from it and thereby dried the wood, and now leaks. I've tried to make a coopered beer stein from red cedar, just a tapered shape, not the swollen bellied keg shape, and I had no luck keeping beer in it!! Apart from the stuff that flowed out the rolleyes: , my seams weren't water tight no matter how much tinkering I tried!!:eek: :D
Good luck,
Here's another book.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...283155&s=books
HH.