Editing Barrel (section)


{{short description|Hollow cylindrical container}}
{{about|the container|use as a unit of measurement|Barrel (unit)|the gun part|Gun barrel|other uses}}
{{Redirect|Cask}}
[[File:Oak-wine-barrel-at-toneleria-nacional-chile.jpg|thumb|Traditional oak barrels made by Chilean cooperage Tonelería Nacional]]
[[File:Mackmyra_Whisky_-_Warehouse_Whisky_barrels_at_Hackeberga_Castle.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|[[Mackmyra Whisky|Mackmyra]] barrels at [[Häckeberga Castle]]]]
[[File:Castle Rock Brewery - Nottingham - England - 2004-11-04.jpg|thumb|Modern stainless steel casks and kegs outside the [[Tynemill|Castle Rock]] [[microbrewery]] in [[Nottingham]], [[England]]]]
[[File:MESAP 2015. - bačva.jpg|thumb|Wooden wine barrel at an exhibition in [[Croatia]]]]

A '''barrel''' or '''cask''' is a hollow [[cylindrical]] container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide.<ref>{{OED|barrel|id=15730}}</ref><ref>{{OED|cask|id=28447}}</ref> They are traditionally made of wooden [[stave (wood)|staves]] and bound by wooden or [[metal]] hoops. The word '''vat''' is often used for large containers for liquids, usually alcoholic beverages;<ref>{{OED|vat|id=221698}}</ref> a small barrel or cask is known as a [[keg]].<ref>{{OED|keg|id=102804}}</ref>

Barrels have a variety of uses, including storage of liquids such as water, oil, and alcohol. They are also employed to hold maturing beverages such as [[wine]], [[Cognac (brandy)|cognac]], [[Armagnac (drink)|armagnac]], [[sherry]], [[port wine|port]], [[whiskey]], [[beer]], [[arrack]], and [[sake]]. Other commodities once stored in wooden casks include [[gunpowder]], [[Salt-cured meat|meat]], fish, paint, honey, nails, and [[tallow]]. 

Modern wooden barrels for wine-making are made of English oak (''[[Quercus robur]]''), white [[Oak (wine)|oak]] (''[[Quercus petraea]]''), American white oak (''[[Quercus alba]]''), more exotic is mizunara oak (''[[Quercus crispula]]''),<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Terebelo |first=Binyomin |date=2022-01-01 |title=Oak Used To Create Casks For Aging Spirits Such As Made At Terebelo Distillery |url=https://www.academia.edu/68574912 |journal=Terebelo}}</ref> and recently Oregon oak (''[[Quercus garryana]]'') has been used.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vierra |first=George |title=Barrel Flavors from Oak |url=https://www.academia.edu/19820065}}</ref>
<!--- commenting out because uncited, not in body, and may not be worldwide---All typically have standard sizes: 
*"[[Bordeaux wine|Bordeaux]] type" {{convert|225|L|USgal impgal}},
*"[[Burgundy wine|Burgundy]] type" {{convert|228|L|USgal impgal}} and
*"[[Cognac]] type" {{convert|300|L|USgal impgal}}.---> 
Someone who makes traditional wooden barrels is called a [[Cooper (profession)|cooper]]. Today, barrels and casks can also be made of [[aluminum]], [[stainless steel]], and different [[types of plastic]], such as [[High-density polyethylene|HDPE]].

Early casks were bound with wooden hoops and in the 19th century these were gradually replaced by metal hoops that were stronger, more durable and took up less space.

''Barrel'' has also been used as a [[Barrel (unit)|standard size of measure]], referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. For example, in the UK and Ireland, a barrel of beer refers to a quantity of {{convert|36|impgal|L USgal}}, and is distinguished from other unit measurements, such as [[English brewery cask units#Firkin|firkins]], [[hogshead]]s, and [[kilderkin]]s.<ref name=guinness>{{cite web | title=Guinness Collectors Club | website=The Guinness Coopers | url=https://www.guinntiques.com/coopers.aspx | access-date=13 January 2024}}</ref> Wine was shipped in barrels of {{convert|119|L|USgal impgal}}. A barrel of oil, defined as {{convert|42|USgal|impgal L}}, is still used as a measure of volume for oil, although oil is no longer shipped in barrels. The barrel has also come into use as a [[generic term]] for a wooden cask of any size.