The Wooden Barrel in Global Trade: A History from the 1400s to the Present

Wooden barrels have facilitated the past 2000 years of commerce. During the height of their demand from the 1400s to the late 1900s, wine, whiskey, and beer led a long list of commodities that were made, aged, transported, and stored in barrels. Once barrels were introduced, other food and liquid producers quickly saw their advantages for salted fish and meats, shellfish, grains and flours, sauerkrauts, and fermented fruits. The manufacturers of cement, gunpowder and shot, naval stores, coi...