A barrel is a cylindrical container.
The etymological origin of the term barrel is unknown, as recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary. The concept can be linked to barrel , which comes from the Gascon barrique and refers to the barrel used for the production and storage of wine .
A barrel is called, in this framework, a cylindrical container . These receptacles are used to store, treat and/or transport various products , both solid and liquid.
Characteristics of a barrel
Before moving forward, it is important to mention that, beyond the specificities and differences of each notion, barrel is usually used as a synonym for barrel , barrel and vat . In colloquial language , one word or another is used without distinction of meaning.
The barrels are made of wood . They are generally made up of concave-shaped pieces or slats that are joined and supported by metal rings. The closure of the barrels is done with lids or flat bottoms.
Due to its characteristics, the barrel can be used for the conservation and transportation of grains , wine , flour , beer , nails , gunpowder and many other elements. In certain cases, its material can be plastic or metal , although it is not the most common.
Wine aging
According to the RAE , the barrel used to make wine is called barrel . Once the drink is stored in the barrel, it begins to oxygenate little by little, which softens its flavor and modifies its texture.
Generally these barrels have a capacity of 220 liters , although there are smaller and larger models. It is interesting to note that the wood chosen, and the treatment applied to it, affect the qualities of the wine.
Oak is the most used wood. The ribbons are usually subjected to a drying and toasting process that has effects on the subsequent flavor of the wine.
The barrels used to store wine are known as casks.
beer barrel
For a long time, beer barrels were developed from wood. Currently you can also find steel or aluminum barrels.
The espiche is a tradition that is part of different beer festivals. The action of spitting consists of puncturing with a pointed object: in this context, spitting involves the introduction of a tap after shaking the barrel, which causes the beer to be expelled violently.
A unit of volume
It should be noted that a unit of volume that is equivalent to about 159 liters is called a barrel. There are differences, however, between the American barrel and the British barrel .
The barrel is usually considered to be equivalent to 42 US gallons . A barrel of crude oil usually contains exactly 42 gallons of the hydrocarbon .
In international crude oil trade, this barrel is the most important reference. That is why we usually talk about the price of a barrel.
Barrel in colloquial language
In various regions , the individual who is overweight is mentioned as a barrel. For example: "Juan is a barrel, he should go on a diet to lose weight" , "I've been a barrel for a while now" , "When I was young I was a barrel, but then I started training and I lost weight" .
Various expressions, finally, use the concept of a powder keg to refer to a situation of conflict or great tension : "The current poverty rate is a powder keg that threatens to explode social peace," "Discussions between Both presidents are a powder keg that worries analysts .