Barrel Makers Keep Ancient Art Alive

Barrel Makers Keep Ancient Art Alive SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 31-4-11 Cal and Trish Craik of Okanagan Barrel Works in Oliver, B.C. make, sell, repair and recondition oak wine barrels. They also make "slack barrels", which are not water-tight, from birch or aspen for dry goods storage or for decorative use. Theirs is a trade that goes back well over 2,000 or 3,000 years and not a lot has changed over that time, according to the couple. The barrels are made with lengths of tapered stave wood, bent and held together with steel hoops. "Our American oak barrels are made of stave wood mainly from Pennsylvania," Cal says. "The oak is naturally air-dried for a minimum of 24 months, before being shaped into staves and raised into barrels. Then we toast (heat) the inside of the barrels over a fire to bring out the natural components of the wood." The Craiks also import some finished barrels from France, which they sell to commercial winemakers. They produce barrels in the following sizes: 6, 12, 29, 59.4 and 60 gal. A 6-gal. American oak wine barrel, which is ideal for the home wine making market, sells for $195 (Can.) plus S&H. Birch or aspen display barrels (16 to 30-in. dia.) are priced from $40 to $70 (Can.) plus S&H. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Okanagan Barrel Works 2001 Ltd., 8927 - 340th Ave., Oliver, B.C., Canada V0H 1T0 (ph 250 498-3718; fax 250 498-0463; sales@ winebarrels.com; www. winebarrels.com).

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