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Content archived on 2024-04-30

The use of electroheat technology (radio frequency and infrared energy) for the manufacture of casks in Europe

Objective



European cooperages are mainly S.M.E.'s located in rural areas and with relatively high production costs. This proposal aims to apply Electr technology to the production of the wooden casks which they make; the potential turnover could reach 76M ECU per annum. In cask manufacture an essential step is the heating of the internal surface(toasting); in Europe this relies upon open fires and has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years. The procedure gives variable results and is expensive in terms of the time taken (> 45 minutes per unit). The Electroheat technique is highly consistent and can reduce this time by 90%. It is particularly suited to SME scale operations and also creates a clean working environment. European oak barrels are approximately double the cost of their Arnerican counterparts and presently over 80% of the 1.35 million barrels made each year are produced in the USA As economies of scale continue to increase and technological advances are implemented more American oak is likely to be used and the European share will become difficult to sustain. The largest stock of barrels in the World is in Scotland (ca 18 million) and are used for Scotch whisky maturation. Whilst this industry has a need for ex-sherry casks from Spain some 97% of their casks presently come from the USA. Imports from Spain have fallen by 400% in just over a decade. Electroheat technology with essential innovations in barrel processing could enable the production of wine and brandy casks which give oaky flavours (New World style), traditional European style casks i.e. producing well-developed value-added wines and Sherry casks used by Whisky distillers. The last mentioned would be at significantly reduced cost and would be produced in days rather than the present process which takes 3 to 4 years.

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Coordinator

Speyside Cooperage Co. Ltd.
EU contribution
No data
Address
Dufftown Road
AB38 9SX Craigellachie
United Kingdom

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Total cost

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Participants (1)

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