Oak Barrel Day

Cooperation was in great demand for a long time, and coopers were respected and indispensable craftsmen Oak barrels were used to store food, prepare delicious pickles, and produce and age alcoholic beverages These wooden products are known for their valuable qualities: high strength, unique natural aroma, antiseptic properties and other advantages Nowadays large oak barrels can be found in private wine cellars and at cooperage exhibitions Many housewives and cooks use such wooden containers to prepare delicious pickles, tomatoes, mushrooms and cabbage Small souvenir oak barrels are also produced, which are intended for storing alcoholic beverages and are equipped with convenient taps Designers make decorative interior decorations from various parts of these products, as well as original flowerpots in the form of barrels Every year on August 22, Oak Barrel Day is celebrated There is a version that suggests that the first wooden barrel appeared in Ancient Greece, in the 4th century BC Around this period, the ancient Greeks and Egyptians stored wine in clay vessels One day, the drink accidentally fell into a wooden barrel and thanks to this it acquired a pleasant aroma and exquisite taste After this incident, barrels began to be used in winemaking, and cooperage developed rapidly Mass production of oak barrels continued until the 19th century With the advent of ceramic, glass, metal and plastic dishes, barrels became less in demand Now these wooden products are made in small private workshops and wineries Large cooperage production remains in France, where the largest factory, Seguin Moreau, is located To make real oak barrels for the production of cognac, wine, whiskey and other drinks, old oak trees that are at least 75 years old are used These wooden products were used in warfare, as explosive weapons for conquering fortresses The containers were filled with gunpowder and other traumatic parts; small holes were made in the walls into which a special wick was inserted The last time a powder keg was exploded was during World War II The famous wine cellars contain large oak barrels with exquisite drinks The Republic of Moldova has the largest gallery, which houses millions of bottles of wine and has huge rooms with barrels for storing wine In France, in the Alsace region, there are wine cellars of the Hugel dynasty The oldest barrel is stored there, which is still in use today This product was made in 1715, named after Saint Catherine and included in the Guinness Book of Records In Odessa there is the Shustov Cognac Museum, which is open to visitors The museum has a tasting room The walls of this room are decorated with elements of oak barrels The museum also has a cooperage hall This holiday is considered unofficial, therefore it does not have established traditions and customs On this day you can buy a bottle of good aged wine or cognac as a souvenir or for a festive table You should definitely try the delicious pickles from oak barrels Such dishes can be ordered in a national restaurant You can buy souvenirs in the form of barrels and give them to friends, watch interesting films about winemakers, organize a themed party or implement other original ideas