ROLL OUT THE BARREL - The Devil's Cut

ROLL OUT THE BARREL

The Devil's Cut

I have an interest in barrels - not just the contents but how they are made. I knew I came from a practical family on the distaff side - my maternal grandfather was an accomplished watercolourist, my mother had nimble fingers - sewing, knitting and even decorating and hanging wallpaper. My older brother started out as fine artist, became a successful potter then turned to boat-building. But it wasn't until much later in my life that I discovered that there was practicality on my father's side. I don't believe he was especially practical but his father, my paternal grandfather, was a cooper in Cork City, Eire.

This title meant that he made barrels, a very skilled occupation. Not for those two wonderful brewers of Irish stout, Murphys or Beamish (which I think equal, or even better, the taste of Dublin brewed Guinness) but for a whiskey* distillery. (* note the different spelling from Scotch whisky).

The names of some of the sizes of barrels are familiar - others, not so.

Beer barrels are called: gallon, firkin, kilderkin, barrel and hogshead, containing from one to 54 imperial gallons.

Wine casks are called: gallon, rundlet, barrel, tierce, hogshead, puncheon/tertian and pipe/butt. These hold from one to 210 imperial gallons.

As well as containing the more usual wine, beer, whisky/whiskey and sherry, barrels are also used for tequila, balsamic vinegar and Tabasco sauce.

An interesting term I came across while doing research was The Devil's Cut. This refers to the portion, or 'cut' of the product that is absorbed into the wood of the barrel. If the barrel is then used to store another product, the devil's cut may in turn leach into the liquid producing interesting new characteristics. 

CORMORANT OR SHAG?

CORMORANT OR SHAG?

While sitting on the beach at Dungeness today I counted a dozen or more Cormorants, flying low above the sea, travelling both east and west. This happened over a short time - maybe only ten minutes and it made me wonder about these reptilian looking birds.

The family name is Phalacrocoracidae and, there is little distinction between Cormorants and Shags. The only subtle difference is that the Shag's bill is more delicate and the forehead is steeper.

They are excellent divers and have been recorded as deep as 45 metres. The have webs between all four toes and use their feet to swim, with some help from their short wings.

They are coastal rather than oceanic birds and all are fish-eaters. They dive from the surface, making a half-jump to give themselves a more streamlined entry into the water. After fishing they go ashore and are often seen holding their wings out to dry.

As a postscript, I couldn't resist adding a photo of the estuary on my 009 layout, Compass Point, where I have a Cormorant, perched on the port marker, drying its wings. (Or is it a Shag?)

THE CROWN CORK - stopping your pop from popping

THE CROWN CORK - 

stopping your pop from popping

The crown cork, also know as the crown cap, crown seal, or just cap, was invented in Baltimore by William Painter in 1892. It was the first highly successful disposable product as it is difficult to re-use it. Not something we'd encouraged in these days of recycling.

An 1892 Dutch patent application

Before the invention of the crown cork, soda bottles had ordinary corks and many bottles had rounded bottoms so they could not be stored upright. This was because the cork tended to dry out and shrink, allowing the pressure in the bottle to make the cork 'pop'. Crown corks eliminated this problem and bottles could then be stored upright.

Because of the huge range of designs, crown corks are collected all over the world. In Mexico they are called corcholatas; in Spain and south America, chapas or chapitas; in the Philippines, tansan.

There are many distinct designs of tools to open bottles. The famous Victorinox Swiss Army knife generally has one in its armoury; pubs often have a wall mounted example and traditional, metal bottle openers, with advertising cast into the handle, can still be found. 

The caps can, of course, be removed without a bottle opener, as I describe in this passage from my novel, BLOOD ON THE SHRINE when the minor felon, Tommy Atkins, turns up in a bad mood.

‘Yes I did. And I was wrong. I was proper shafted by the bastard.’ Atkins shook his head dazedly and kicked the leg of a chair before sagging on to it. ‘Gimme a drink.’ Bates leant over and took a bottle of Courage beer out of the crate on the floor. He rested the cap on the edge of the table and thumped down on it with his fist. The cap flew in the air and he handed the bottle, creamy foam running down its neck, to Atkins who tipped the bottle to his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbing furiously as he guzzled the contents. When he’d drained the last drop he banged the bottle down on the table, belched and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

‘We’ve been ’ad, good and proper. Stitched up like a bleedin’ kipper.’

Bates coughed, softly. ‘’Er, we did warn you Tommy.’

‘Yes, yes, I know,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘But what’s done is done. How’re we gonna get out of this one? I ain’t gonna let this job go; it’s too good to lose.’ He had a wild look in his eyes.

‘C’mon, calm down Tommy. First of all, tell us how you found out,’ Baker said.

And if this has whetted your appetite and you want to know more, you'll just have to read the book!