BARRELS

The traditional product of the Master Cooper produced to a level of quality in materials and manufacture that is beyond comparison – that’s what you get when you specify A.P. John barrels.

Precision manufacture plays a vitally important part in the quality of A.P. John barrels. Under the skilled hand and eye of the Master Cooper, zero material tolerances are the norm. Due to this passion for quality craftsmanship and precision, A.P. John are the only cooperage ever known to have never performed or required water testing of finished barrels. As barrels leave the cooperage dry, all oak flavors remain intact imparting a pristine freshness on the nose and palate of the finished wine.

Long term users of A.P. John barrels know their wine is always safely contained in a barrel that is virtually guaranteed not to leak.

A.P. John barrels are the first choice for many of Australia’s leading wineries and wine groups including Southcorp Wines, Beringer Blass Wine Estates, Orlando Wyndham Group, Hardy Wine Company and CA Henschke. Internationally recognised iconic Australian wine brands such as Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace and Rockford Basket Press are all aged in A.P. John barrels.

In all, more than 600 Australian wineries both large and small place their trust – and their wines – in A.P. John barrels.

FRENCH OAK

Sourced from a varierty of forests in central France and specific forests such as Bercé.

Very fine grain, fine grain and medium fine grain oak is selected, with some very fine timber containing up to 35 growth rings per inch. All merrains are split from the log to retain perfect grain integrity.

All oak is milled to strict specifications with no mineral streak, open knots or raised grain to minimise porosity. No trace of sapwood is present post fabrication. Particular attention is given to preserving ‘on the quarter’ grain during milling.

SEASONING REGIMES FOR FRENCH OAK.

2 Year French Seasoning
- 24 months minimum open air in France.

3 Year Australian Seasoning
- 36 months minimum open air at the cooperage.

2 Year Australian Seasoning
- 24 months minimum open air at the cooperage.

A maximum 10.5% moisture content is maintained throughout manufacture. With the hot and dry Barossa Valley summers, the moisture content must be held below that used by Northern Hemisphere cooperages. This lower moisture content ensures minimal shrinkage and exceptional sealing properties resulting in negligible barrel leakage.

All oak inventories are coded and databased from the mill to the final product with individual data codes maintained through every production process.

AMERICAN OAK

Typically slow grown fine to medium-fine grain oak is sourced mainly from private forests in the cool climate, elevated regions of the western Pennsylvania/West Virginia ‘panhandle’, the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and eastern Ohio. Over 65 years of constant supply from these regions has proven this oak to be of a consistent high quality.

All oak is milled to strict specifications with no mineral streak, open knots or raised grain to minimise porosity. No trace of sapwood is present post fabrication. Particular attention is given to preserving ‘on the quarter’ grain during milling.

SEASONING REGIMES FOR AMERICAN OAK:

2 Year Australian Seasoning
- 24 months minimum open air at the cooperage.

2 Year Australian Seasoning, Irrigated
- 24 months minimum open air at the cooperage, irrigated with rainwater to simulate an extra year’s rainfall.

2 Year USA Seasoning
- After milling, 24 months open air seasoning in the USA, finished at the cooperage in Australia.

3 Year Australian Seasoning
- 36 months minimum open air at the cooperage.

3 Year USA Seasoning
- After milling, 36 months open air seasoning in the USA, finished at the cooperage in Australia.

A maximum 10.5% moisture content is maintained throughout manufacture. With the hot and dry Barossa Valley summers, the moisture content must be held below that used by Northern Hemisphere cooperages. This lower moisture content ensures minimal shrinkage and exceptional sealing properties resulting in negligible barrel leakage.

All oak inventories are coded and databased from the mill to the final product with individual data codes maintained through every production process.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR BARRELS

					BARREL DIMENSIONS*	STAVE THICKNESS
SIZE	CAPACITY	WEIGHT	Head diameter	Bilge diameter	Length	French	American
BARRIQUE	225 litre 50 gallon	56.2kg 124lb	560mm 22”	675mm 27”	965mm 38”	26mm 1 1/64”	28mm 1 3/32”
HOGSHEAD	300 litre 65 gallon	67kg 148lb	610mm 24 1/4”	765mm 30”	1050mm 41 1/2”	26mm 1 1/64”	28mm 1 3/32”
PUNCHEON	475 litre 105 Gallon	89.5kg 197lb	750mm 29 1/2”	915mm 36”	1115mm 44”	26mm 1 1/64”	28mm 1 3/32”
VAT	2250 litre 495 Gallon		1360mm 53 1/2”	1475mm 58”	1800mm 71”	58mm 2 9/32”	48mm 1 29/32”

*Notes:

• All linear dimensions are nominal and are variable within standard material tolerances.
• All metric to imperial conversions are approximate.
• Imperial capacity is expressed in gallons UK. 1 gallon UK = (approx) 1.2 gallon US, liquid.

TOASTING

All toasting formulae are proprietary to A.P.John Coopers, having been perfected over 120 years of experience.

All toasting times are taken after steaming and bending.

A.P.John offer the following toast levels or can customise to your exact requirements.

• Medium light
• Medium
• Medium heavy (A.P.John Coopers ‘house toast’ style)
• Heavy

All toasting is achieved via a very slow, deep heat penetration method where the correct balance of time and temperature achieves elevated temperatures up to 15mm below the interior timber surface.

Close attention to toasting formulae and stringent quality controls ensure standardised results from barrel to barrel.

All barrel sizes are available with or without head toasting.

225 litre Barriques and 300 litre Hogsheads are available with ‘standard bend’ (dry fire and steam) or ‘immersion bend’ (immersed in hot water) manufacture for added flavour complexity.

HOOPS

All barrel sizes are fitted with 6 galvanised hoops. Barrel hoops are made on site by A.P. John from galvanised steel to ensure total quality at every stage of the manufacturing process.

BARREL SIZE	MATERIAL THICKNESS	HOOP WIDTH
		Chime hoop	Quarter hoop	Bilge hoop
BARRIQUE	2mm	60mm	45mm	50mm
HOGSHEAD	2mm	60mm	45mm	50mm
PUNCHEON	2mm	70mm	50mm	50mm

BUNGHOLE

Taper cut or cauterised to 53mm outer diameter to finished inside diameter of 48 to 48.5mm dependant on stave thickness.

DELIVERY

Individual barrels are stretch wrapped in plastic and fitted with top covers prior to shipping so they arrive in the same optimum condition as they leave the cooperage - absolutely ready to fill with wine when they’re delivered to your door.

NOTE

All bending, toasting, head toast or bung cauterising specifications can be customised to suit your needs.