A Look Inside East Bernstadt Cooperage (EBC)

Barrel Builders is proud to offer EBC American Oak Barrels. The barrels are hand crafted in a zero-waste facility and the wood is sustainabily harvested using selective harvesting techniques.

[@georgepaul5843]

Amazing amount of work, even with the mechanized process of making a barrel. It is beautiful and practical, as it has been for centuries.

[@bassmonsteradsit7160]

I was pretty much going to say the same thing. Going into watching this, I was thinking to myself this looks primarily automated and not much of any craftsmanship goes into it. I was quickly correctly just by watching further and fully realizing the mechanized processes only increased output but it still took an artisan to complete the work. Very cool. Very cool indeed.

[@Joe1935429]

Excellent product because they take pride in their craft. They have demonstrated responsibility to the land which is the source of their raw material, and they share their success with their community. Great vid!

[@robertgoss4842]

Good, honest work. No wasted motion. The last scene, with the young man finishing the head and carefully tacking on the plaque, to me epitomized the bone-deep care you guys have for your work. Superb.

[@markbird1965]

Things of great beauty by any measuring stick !

[@gstove9999]

These guys are true craftsman, just think how hard it must have been before power tools and all work was done by hand.

[@johnaneufeld5442]

More to the barrel than I thought awesome presentation

[@edcantwell9784]

That was a fascinating video! Thanks for giving us insight into your Company and products.

[@notasbignow1]

Wow what Beautiful process I really enjoyed this video amazing how the Barrels being made 😃😃

[@pizzacrusher4632]

Dang, those are like show-quality barrels!!!

[@edgarbleikur1929]

The way the world should harvest and mass produce, sustainably and zero waste!

[@liammoran9363]

Iv lived in Kentucky all my life never knew of this place

[@desmondcantwell480]

I saw the name and had to watch, my family is from this area, some still live and work in East Bernstadt and London. The ones that have passed are all up on Pilgrims Rest so seeing the area having jobs and doing well makes me happy. Dammit now I am homesick.

[@raincoast2396]

These beautiful barrels have a second life beyond their bourbon aging time, because they can be used only once for aging bourbon. Scottish whiskey distillers buy the used barrels to age Scotch whiskey. You may find many barrels in their warehouses over one hundred years old!

[@MrEst1953]

Beautiful work , I look forward to drinking its contents. Thanks for video.

[@mandylavida]

And now I know why they cost so much. Wonderful work, beautiful product.

[@hotrodhog2170]

$525.00

[@Kimeltuwe2023]

Wonderful and nice looking pieces. I did notice that the workers are not wearing noise protection when working on the power tools, which are extremely noisy, well over 120 decibels. They are not wearing respiratory protection either when sanding....is this a regular industry practice?

[@larrybriggi9898]

What an outstanding process. Beautiful results.

[@austrorus]

NOSA for sure would be interested in the working conditions there? safety,earplugs, headgear? nothing of that sort needed? all legal? until the first accident. and i did not even ask about safety footwear.

[@CGT80]

I caught that also. OSHA would be concerned. The guy sanding barrels with an air sander is breathing in a lot of dust. Either a vacuum system on the sander or next to it, or a dust mask would greatly reduce his exposure. I'm assuming he does this job every day. It is quite noisy in that factory and I didn't see anyone using ear pro...........I can vouch, as a trades person, that it adds up (even the exposure of saws, hammers, impact drivers, and nailguns). While I'm not a safety sally ( I hate hard hats and they are very painful with my neck issues, but I have been on jobs lately that require them. They were not required and wouldn't have served much purpose on the first 23 years of my construction career), there are easy ways to reduce risk, especially in a factory setting where the risk is there everyday.

[@Olm9]

austrorus Absolutely agree!!!

[@Olm9]

CGT80 It's actaully horrendous.. (I'm a bricky from Denmark. That's dirty, dusty and noise work.. but this is bad)

[@pamtnman1515]

best video yet on stave production and barrel making, though in most locations a "select cut" is a high grade, which is totally unsustainable forestry and the worst thing you can do. In the American East most private forests have been "select cut" to death, leaving red maple and black birch as the dominant species. This is because the loggers keep telling the landowner each time "See, we are leaving lots of trees, so the forest is still there," while they are in fact removing the highest grade of timber and leaving behind the junk. Worst-first is the correct way to harvest timber. If you can get a stand of mixed age trees, then you can manage it on a mixed age basis, removing the older trees and leaving the younger trees to grow. It is not true that smaller trees are young. Lots of small trees are the same exact age as the larger trees, and doing a diameter-limit cut (another "select cut") is the worst thing you can do to a forest. Good forest management removes the oldest and least desirable trees first. Loggers want the best trees first because they make the most money with the biggest trees, and they spend the most money cutting and handling small diameter trees. Anyhow, a select cut is hardly the best or sustainable forestry. Very few private forests are well managed or carefully managed for successive stages of valuable timber production. In the American East, so many private forests have been high graded so badly for so long that only a clearcut can re-set the forest back to zero to start over. Or set it on fire, like Nature used to do. That will weed out the junk trees and leave the good ones with thick bark.

[@vroom843]

You think thats bad forest management come on up to British Columbia, Canada its a real gong show we sell most of our logs to China . They have the logs cut to 20 ft. lengths packed into shipping containers , whatever is left of the log is left to rot regardless of what ever value they might be worth.

[@lancer2204]

yep, keep ripping the good genetics out and pretty soon you've got nothing left but garbage.

[@RobertFay]

Teamwork, Craftsmanship, Pride, and Honor. Little wasted talking. Makes good sense to me.

[@Johnbro8]

Looks like a nice environment to work in, artisan craftsmanship and job satisfaction at the end of the day. Loved the video and thanks for sharing. Just hope there are youngsters, who come along as an apprentice, for the next generation of coopers and it’s not a dying art.

[@AdvancedUSA]

The craftsmanship and attention to detail are amazing. So glad to see them made in the USA!

[@jackreeves3001]

Very enjoyable, thanks for having a company like yours.

[@brianlaakso1117]

i learned a lot watching this video. new appreciation for drinking my whiskey

[@gordbaker896]

Amazing. No one talking on their phone or a water bottle up their sleeve. Tough work. A lost art.

[@Frankowillo]

Obviously NOT a lost art... they're still making barrels.

[@liammoran9363]

@Mr. DK DIY Today my New DIY KZbin... Link 👇👇👇 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iILQfqaOhrOKd6s Like SHARE and Subscribe Mr.DK DIY Thanks for 241K subscribers...

[@mannyfernandez7028]

i want to be a cooperage worker in my next life.Seriously theres something about these oak barrels that beats sitting in front of a monitor the whole day...regards from the orient.

[@michelbrutus876]

Good

[@vsetkoumiera7683]

Hope your ready for slave labor, these people work their employees to death and pay them chicken shit !!!

[@TBPollock]

@@vsetkoumiera7683 Counter culture azzhole.

[@vsetkoumiera7683]

@@TBPollock Azzhole LMAZZO !!! How many hours have you worked in a coop

[@Olm9]

Bornapatriot BythegraceofGod No doubt about that! The laid back music in this video and the fascinating, traditional product they are making can't hide the fact, that the working conditions in this plant is just terrible. The dust, smoke and noise in this place is a joke. No masks or hearing protection 😣 Just hard work and old, crappy machines all day long. I wonder what they get paid and how long they last before moving on to something else..

[@bigears4426]

Very hands on still , hopefully it can stay that way for the employees. Amazing to think all liquid was carted in wooden barrels years ago. That is a piece of furniture not a barrel

[@CuriousEarthMan]

most things were...from flour to salted fish and meats, to pottery ....definitely amazing, I agree!

[@clockguy2]

Fun fact: the extinction of the passenger pigeon caused a shift in American forests from white oak to red oak. The two oaks put out acorns at different times and the pigeons fed off of red oak acorns in their migratory patterns leaving more white oak acorns to germinate. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGmlgXSEj9-mr7c

[@skipscudder3186]

I worked in a cooperage in Peoria,Il for six years. Never got to see the logs turned into staves and heading boards. Fascinating.

[@terrybrockhoff8168]

I am not into barrels but found it interesting enough to watch from start to finished , true workmanship from each individual

[@williamgibb5557]

An American company, using American workers and American supplies, the white oak, to produce a product that can be used worldwide. I love it! This is what we need more of. Yes the barrels for adult beverages and American growth!

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

A very good informative & entertainng video. Cheers !

[@carlrockaway1696]

I wonder if they make and sell smaller barrels

[@slit4659]

I Bought a Barrel like this From the Gallo Winery in Sonoma California for $20 Bucks...It even Smelled like Wine.

[@MrPossumeyes]

Any of you watched the origins of cooperage? It's a bit different to this.... kinda - last century. Or so. Tugs at the heart strings.... But it's still alive today!

[@rosewhite---]

It's amazing that such a slow manual factory can survive in USA as all similar factories in UK have been put out of business by cheap imports.

[@ever4437]

can’t grow American oak in China!

[@schmidt60410]

Well over 1 million barrels of bourbon were produced in Kentucky last year. Only white oak barrels are used. EBC makes barrels for the distilleries.

[@stackmanstack]

How do these guys get so barreled them selves with all the fiscal hard labor they do. Straight to the bar after work?

[@darrinlarger]

I️ work at KYCooperage and they way we do it is similar but It’s not an easy job and we haul ass

[@hotrodhog2170]

@@shanek6582 new barrel at EBC is $525 for one.

[@shanek6582]

Hotrod Hog, I didn’t know they were that expensive, I’m going into the cooper business! I bought a used barrel with Dickel stamped on it I’m going to use in my blacksmith shop. If they’re that expensive, I wonder why they don’t use them for more than one time for liquor other than bourbon. I’d think if they were always filled with fluid, they’d have an indefinite lifespan.

[@markrainford1219]

@Hotrod Hog Yes but they donate $3 to forest management lol.

[@shanek6582]

mark rainford, IKR, they act like cutting only the biggest best trees is good for the forest.

[@CGT80]

@@shanek6582 They do get reused, at least in some cases. Some beers are aged in barrels to add flavor from the previous product that was in the barrel. I would think that wine could be made again in the barrels, but I don't know much about the process. It would seem like a waste to use a barrel once. I do use jack daniels chips in my smoker, made from the barrels their liquor is aged in. That is my favorite flavor for smoking.

[@woodiethompson526]

One cant help but being simply amazed at the ingenuity involved in the machinery and their use ! Great to see !

[@TBPollock]

I was impressed with the obvious pride in the finished product, well deserved pride, I might add.

[@stevenwendellnelson8861]

Consistently Pray for forgiveness, guidance in a good (positive) direction, and for help against evil. Pray to be saved from hell (whatever that may be). Pray for your friends and your family too, it only takes a minute or so/less at a time to pray. Do it and your life will slowly get better, or maybe quickly. It probably just depends on you and the kind of person you are/have been. Don't wait until its too late and you have to suffer the consequences of built up bad karma from immoral acts/unrepented sins. Maybe together we can help make the world a better place by changing ourselves for the better, and changing things around us for the better. And addressing/thanking the CREATOR, LORD GOD at the beginning and end of your prayers would be a good idea 😊 Or just be my friend if you don't want to say the prayer 😄 I'm trying to help you get right with the LORD🙏 Amen. You should prostrate yourself if you don't want to do spoken prayer, or do both☺ Please worship the LORD GOD and not any idol.

[@Fromard]

Really a wonderful video. Thank you.

[@wakimbrell]

Love the process, love the art of cooping...but I hate being lied to about the eco-friendly aspect. I know they added that for the tree hugging minority, but damn. Sometimes eggs have to get broken to make a recipe. Own it. Besides, tree huggers get no credence as long as they're living in wooden houses, writing their grievances with pencils, printing their grievances on paper, wiping their snowflake tears with tissue, driving cars that require gas (or fuel), driving electric cars (that are charged with a fossil fuel power plant), etc... I could go on and on. But you get the point...it's all hypocritical. And the people responsible for this video aren't doing anyone any favors. Thumbs up for the actual cooping process tough...

[@andrewfotopoulos7766]

The way they say it in the video is the way they actually do it. I know, I used to work there.

[@spudpud-T67]

If they don't replant their tree stocks they don't get any more barrels in 100 yrs. These are their managed forests, not unseen, out of mind from over seas. If you can grow vegetables and harvest them you can grow trees and harvest them. Its farming.

[@jamesroberts2115]

All young guys doing these different tasks. Must be a high workforce turnover. Probably a low paying and mind numbing job , but a job nonetheless.

[@stephenrice4554]

A very good video , impressive ethos and the staff appear engaged . If you would indulge an old fella , is there a full time cooper plying his trade on site ? Not criticizing , just enquiring . Great video 👍🇬🇧

[@BradLobregt]

Sure wish I had smellavision...... great video. Thank you.

[@mikethompson6713]

I like mine filled with bourbon

[@FridgeMagnetFred]

Fantastic informative video, great skills and product, Grandad was a cooper, Slàinte mhath from Scotland

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

I watched all the way to the end. I assume these casks are going to mature wine as, had they been destined for a whiskey or Bourbon distillery, they would have been charred and not just toasted. Correct?

[@crackerjack3359]

I guess OSHA hasn't visited the site. All that wood dust and not a single respirator in sight. Respect for the forest is fine but where's the respect for the workers lungs

[@trueminimalist3962]

So I'm not the only person who noticed this.

[@williamellis8993]

Very interesting video. Thanks. It looks like you have a good staff of skilled workers.

[@НиколайПавленко-г6д]

Please explain what the letters on the brand mean? 3 YR - three years? MT + TH?

[@goldslinger]

I don’t need a whiskey barrel, but I feel compelled to buy one now.

[@ronnewton606]

Love it, great vid

[@spawn9765]

a barrel sender sucks almost ate half the ring when sanding, in my work that is returned to be changed😂😂💔😂

[@WootTootZoot]

I don't know how I ended up with this video suggestion, but I'm glad I watched it.

[@oldschoolmachinist1938]

Fascinating video, I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing it.

[@notatechie]

Couldn't watch it. Music too annoying. I know, but as soon as I turned the music off he would start talking. This music thing on youtube is something new. It is driving me away.

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

Hi. At 5:30, how are the parts of the heads stuck together? You don't explain. With some kind of glue? Some other method?

[@spudpud-T67]

No glue, we missed the boards being drilled. You do see him joining the boards with dowels (go into the drilled holes). Glue would dissolve over time and taint the liquid. Its also unnecessary, as the wood swells to become water tight.

[@cletusvanndam1058]

I gave er an ole thumbs up tha rest speaks for itself

[@joselnegrongonzalez3344]

AWESOME JOB

[@Looksurprised]

The dude toasting the barrels looks like he toasts a few marshmallows over them flames as well. Great work by all staff. Loved the whole video, music combo and cold almost smell the wood. Fantastic looking product.

[@StonesAndSand]

Wonderful! But once again, another barrel-making video that leaves out the stave making process....that's the part I want to see most!

[@supertrampkid]

Embarrassing to the trade. It should never have come to this

[@johnaneufeld5442]

Give no donations to Mitch McConnells efforts please

[@frannie7885]

This place looks laid back. I worked at Kentucky Cooperage Inc. in Lebanon KY. I will tell ya. You will work your butt off. Its hot and stinks of smoke. It is very hard work. when I was there it was 12 hr shifts 13 days 1 day off and back at it for 13 more and so forth. not fun at all.

[@alexcamacho4880]

I will have a new found appreciation every time I crack open a bottle of whiskey. Thank you EBC.

[@tompipps3383]

TOM PIPPS FOAM- BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA USA HI HELLO &

[@genedameier8746]

EBC, How many barrels do you get out of one tree? Of course I know it depends on the size of the tree, but approximately. Thank You.

[@LV-oo7jd]

yes, i'd like to know as well!

[@kennethdrovdal1082]

A most enjoyable watch. Highly mechanized and very productive operation. You guys rock.

[@earlbailey227]

No dust protection or any other factory safety devices for employees. These people will die young..

[@DC-uo5hy]

With the vacuumed system, I suspect little dust. Noise levels must be acceptable or OSHA would close the factory. All these kinds of factories are inspected frequently by OSHA.

[@spudpud-T67]

You would think so but not to my knowledge.

[@jrdeckard3317]

Love to see skilled fit and finishing at work. USA!

[@DC-uo5hy]

Good barrels, made better than the best furniture. I have sold hundreds of the old ones. Smells great and looks great. Thanks so much. We need more Americal factory videos.

[@scottc977]

Kudos boys, well done. You don't see anything like this coming from China. We do good work here.

[@4n2earth22]

Nicely done and informative. Thank you.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Pretty slick operation ! I’m a retired Woodworker i found watching some of your idustry Speifi Woodworking tools. Very interesting Also thought it was cool that the logos were still hand nailed in place as many modern Woodworking people are forgetting. How to use hammers with everything so automated now days

[@D-Vinko]

No modern woodworker is forgetting how to use a hammer. Nearly every woodworker has had to correct a joint with a blow from a mallet or hammer, no matter the age. Nothing has changed, infact most tools used by modern woodworkers are still from the 40s. Do you mean Carpenters? Homebuilding is a much different craft and the automation is a necessary sacrifice for the best possible result in the shortest amount of time. It was the natural progression from the only way to do something; to having options that are faster and cheaper.

[@elliotmallon9538]

Great video. What happens if it rains during the air drying? Wouldnt that set things back to square one?

[@enthalpiaentropia7804]

elliot mallon Good question , rains & snow....we need an answer..!

[@rosewhite---]

@@enthalpiaentropia7804 air drying is to let the inner wood dry out. rain or snow only wets the outside and that quickly dries off with a few sunny days.

[@enthalpiaentropia7804]

@@rosewhite--- May be...!

[@rosewhite---]

@@enthalpiaentropia7804 Even over here in rainy UK the wood stacks are outside for a year or more. Then each piece has to go through the machines again to cut off the dirty outside wood. Wood processing is wasteful but but the waste has alwasy been used for firewood or animal bedding.

[@enthalpiaentropia7804]

@@rosewhite--- Thanks for your kind explanation.. Greetings from Paris-France..

[@perceive8159]

Wish they would do that with the fish stocks of the sea, be selective, but no they harvest till there is no comeback for some species the blue fun tuna is one such example.

[@charliehouchens8481]

Great job East Bernstadt Cooperage from NLHS!!!!

[@MrRogsmart]

Rubber mats at work stations are a must. Working on concrete floors all day with no mat turns a young man into an old man much quicker than necessary.

[@Olm9]

Concrete floors sucks.. And watch the video again and pay attention to the dust and smoke and noise at this plant.. 😣 It's really bad.

[@mark-wn5ek]

Wimps

[@larrykeenan598]

@@mark-wn5ek Evidently you spend your workday sitting on your ass.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

Not a pair of safety glasses in sight At 3$ apiece, bought in bulk how hard could that be. There's very little flying around in that shop softer than an eyeball

[@CuriousEarthMan]

no respirators either that I noticed.

[@paulaustin2941]

. M. . The site yyyyyyyyyyy

[@jackrodgersjr]

Nothing worse than clear cutting. I’ve seen the end results where a mountain had every tree cut down and then the solid flowed into the rivers... It does look like someone clear cut that field... :)

[@tommypetraglia4688]

Use an ordinary black nylon hair comb to hold tacks by placing between the teeth

[@svenweihusen57]

Great craftsmanship but not one worker with ear protection. Everyone there must be deaf at 30.

[@charles888]

Or dust or smoke protection.

[@DC-uo5hy]

With the vacuumed system, I suspect little dust. Noise levels must be acceptable or OSHA would close the factory. All these kinds of factories are inspected frequently. Non compliance is not acceptable to the government inspectors. It is good to have American jobs.

[@Olm9]

David Culpepper How would you like to be the guy on the right at 9:30 all day long..?

[@joestewart7487]

great video. vintage machinery & still hand-made. but no hard hats?

[@jg2072]

Unfortunately the timber harvesting described is not a best practice or sustainable method. I won't go into detail but FSC certified wood is a good way to start. There are other sustainable certified systems out there too. Try that instead.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

thanks for the great video! exactly what I was looking for!

[@brucebonkowski3037]

that's beautiful question are the bands and plaque stainless steel.or just metals

[@Toklineman]

Barrels are beautiful, all pure shaping and tension. Good onyer!

[@kolbiebaker7471]

Hate to tell ya but that's not a planner that cuts them down. It's a band saw

[@evanpenny348]

Very nice. Must be good to work there.

[@Olm9]

Evan Penny Not really.. Watch the video again and pay attention to the noise and dust and smoke. It's really bad.. No headgear or masks to be seen 😑

[@brucebonkowski3037]

I love you not waste anything but why are not the branches chipped up.to decompose using a tractor or a 3 pto attached to grind them

[@spudpud-T67]

They just rot on the forest floor like nature intended.

[@jimmytiler5522]

They must be hurting. Cant watch because of ads every minute

[@bowhunter7485]

This is not a barrel. This is piece of beautiful furniture.

[@cornflakeeater]

good

[@chevy1986]

Whats one of those barrels worth?

[@marktrusty8976]

Iv lived in Kentucky all my life never knew of this place

[@RickOshay...]

How much do the barrels cost if you don't mind?

[@misterbracks]

Anybody know how much one of these barrells cost ??