Cider Chat

Cider Barrel Maintenance The craft of making an oak barrel is called “cooperage” and the person who applies this craft is called a “cooper”. The skills of this trade have been passed down through the centuries. The tree and the wood chosen to become a barrel has to meet specific criteria, such as having a tight grain and flavor profiles that lend the tannin qualities often sought in a cider barrel. From the classic wide belly barrels to oval shaped vessels, the shape of wooden barrels have changed very little over time. Quality control over the wood used and the intricacies of heat, stave bending, and maintenance of cider barrels continues to evolve. This episode 131 was recorded in Saint Catharine, Ontario during a dinner chat with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Thierry Lemaire of Nuance Winery Supplies and Louis of Radoux, a cooperage based in Santa Rosa California and France. All three men have extensive knowledge on barrel use with wine. As the cider market continues to grow and both the consumer’s and