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Display Customization Options with Creative Barrel

Four barrels that show custom barrel options with different stains and band colors available from Creative Barrel
Four barrels that show custom barrel options with different stains and band colors available from Creative Barrel

Creative Barrel is not a cookie cutter, assembly line, mass-producer of barrels. We make custom barrel creations out of locally sourced, premium materials. We work with you to develop the perfect design for your display, from color finishes to engraving. Each feature is an opportunity to make your barrel unique and eye-catching. We offer several customization options to build something just right for your needs. 

Wondering exactly how you can customize your barrel? Check out our customization options below:

Barrel Building Materials 

All of our barrels are manufactured from sustainably sourced pine, oak, or aspen. We also offer a limited selection of premium oak barrels. No matter which material you choose, rest assured it will be of the highest possible quality from the staves to the assembly. Our most popular barrel is the premium pine but contact us so we can help you make the best choice.  

Sizing Options

We offer tons of sizing options for large or small displays. The smallest is one gallon and the largest is 50 gallons. However, we can still build a barrel of any custom size or help you figure out which size you need. The height, head width, and bilge width can all be custom-built to your specifications. Sizing options include:

  • 1 gallon
  • 5 gallon
  • 8 gallon
  • 10 gallon
  • 12 gallon
  • 16 gallon
  • 20 gallon
  • 30 gallon
  • 50 gallon

Color and Finish 

Our main finish options are Natural, Golden Oak, Special Walnut, and Cherry. The standard band colors are silver and black. While these are common picks, we can still customize the colors of any part of your barrel to any color or pattern. 

Dozens of Designs 

Once you have the base of your barrel all set, you can begin designing it even further. We can build shelving, tiers, structures, and more either inside the barrels or with the barrels themselves. Our team can build any setup you need to fit your display. 

Display Usage Options

Many wine, beer, and spirits distributors use barrels to display products. Restaurants, bars, and even weddings often add them to create a rustic feel. A barrel may be used purely for display, or it may be used to hold food, bottles, or even as a beverage dispenser. The purpose of the barrel will impact the way we build it for you.  

Number of Barrels

Your display may require just one barrel, or it could be 50. It may be one custom design applied to several barrels, or multiple barrels may each need their own design. No matter the number, we are fully equipped to produce the amount you need.  

Logos and Custom Printing

To keep things simple, we can add your logo to a barrel. But we also offer screen printing, laser engraving, stenciling, decals, and plastic signs to make your display a full show. Come to us with your idea or we’ll work with you to develop a design for the front, back, top, bottom, or sides of your barrel.  

Accessories and Add-ons

These are the special add-on fixtures that really take your setup to the next level. Whatever your creative vision is, we have all the tools, resources, products, and materials to bring it to life. We have an endless list of accessories you can add to your display, from food-safe liners and false bottoms to spigots and bottle holders.  

Get Your Point of Purchase Display from Creative Barrel

Creative Barrel is not just a team of barrel constructors, we are creatives. We are designers and we are vision makers. Our job is not just to help you design a custom barrel, but to build a custom display that features barrels. Whether it is one tabletop barrel as an accessory piece at a vending table, or a 10 ft by 10 ft store display, Creative Barrel can do the job.  

Start configuring your barrel online or contact us to get started on designing the perfect barrel setup for your needs. 

The Making of Wooden Whiskey Barrels

Close-up image of wooden barrels with a gradient and the Creativebarrel.com logo in the bottom left corner
Close-up image of wooden barrels with a gradient and the Creativebarrel.com logo in the bottom left corner

There are many exciting ways to use wooden whiskey barrels in your storefront. Whiskey Barrels can convey anything from a trendy, contemporary feel to a rustic, country style, depending on your branding or the product you are trying to promote.

Before wooden barrels become a part of your point-of-purchase displays, they go through a complex and intricate creation process. In this article, we will discuss how whiskey barrels are made and the fascinating journey that begins with lumber selection and ends with a beautiful display in your store. 

Step One: Wood Selection

The first step in making whiskey barrels is choosing the perfect type of wood. This is an essential part of the process because the type of wood selected affects the flavors of the finished product. Popular choices for making a wooden barrel include:

  • American Oak
  • Pine
  • Aspen
  • Maple
  • Hickory

American white oak is the most common when making whiskey barrels. It’s a strong wood with low levels of tannins, which are a compound that can give off a bitter flavor. White oak lends more pleasing flavors to whiskey, including hints of vanilla, almond, caramel, and butterscotch. In some cases, the wood is seasoned or aged before it’s used to ensure it will produce an even more complex flavor profile. 

Step Two: Shaping the Wood

Once the wood type has been chosen, barrel creation can begin. First, the wood must be cut into shapes appropriate for making a wooden barrel. Long slats of wood are used to create the rounded exterior and are held together with a metal band.

The flat, round top of the barrel (called the barrel head) is often created with smaller pieces of wood that aren’t big enough to run the length of the barrel. Once the slats are made, the shape and angles of the wood are altered so each slat will fit the dimensions of the barrel. This is sometimes accomplished using a special machine or by hand. 

Step Three: Assembly Begins

After each piece of wood has been shaped, the next step is the assembly process. The wooden slats are put into a set of metal rings that hold the shape of a whiskey barrel and provide reinforcement. This part of the barrel-making journey is referred to as mise en rose, which means “raising the barrel”. 

Step Four: Toasting

At this point in the barrel-making process, it’s time to turn up the heat! Heat is required to make the wood easier to work with. This process (called toasting) occurs by applying a direct flame to the barrel or by using steam. Either way, heat makes the wood malleable so it can be bent and shaped into the iconic look of a whiskey barrel. 

Toasting does more than help shape a barrel. It’s a critical step to get the flavor of the wine, spirit, or brew that you can’t get using metal or other distilling containers. When heat is applied, the natural sugars in the wood are caramelized, creating a unique flavor profile. This step can be delicate and is important to get right. Toasting the barrel for a longer or shorter period of time or at a higher or lower temperature can change the intensity of the flavor.

Step Five: Cooling and Finishing Touches

After the toasting process, the barrel must be cooled. A hole is made in the side of the barrel and cauterized. Finishing touches can now be performed including making sure the bottom of the barrel is sealed, sanding the outside, adding new hoops, rinsing the barrel, and checking it for leaks. 

Once a whiskey barrel is finished, it can be used to enhance your business, whether that means drawing in customers with a custom storefront display or creating a unique craft beverage. You might even choose to configure your barrel with custom elements like shelves, spouts, or handles.  Contact us today to find out more about creating custom displays with Creative Barrel.  

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