British beer of the real variety is normally sold in casks which are bellied or barrel shaped, a tradition which dates back to the days of the wooden casks. The shape is ideal for settling out the sediments within, and for assisting in rolling the container along the floor.
Typical sizes are:
(click the items for an image)
Types of material used:
Wood
The traditional cooper made container, still in occasional use.
Aluminium
These casks have the advantage of being lightweight, but are prone to degradation of the protective inner lining, leaving the beer to come into contact with bare aluminium, causing possible contamination of the beer. They are also the target of theft due to the ease of melting down. They are also expensive. Generally aluminium is being superseded by stainless casks, especially in the 9 gallon cask size.
Stainless Steel
This material has come to dominance in the manufacture of modern casks and kegs due to:
Inert properties in contact with the beer (no lining needed)
- Ease of repair
- Reduced risk of theft for scrap
- Reduced cost but prices may vary due to the fluctuation in the stainless steel market.
Types of Stainless Steel 9 Gallon Casks:
Deep Drawn
In which the container is made in two halves, with a single weld around the middle. The chimbs are welded on afterwards. This production method has been adapted from keg manufacturing, and generally produces a work hardened metal structure which improves the strength of the cask.
Unfortunately with such a construction it is not always possible to install a shive plate inside. So the method often used is to flatten part of the rolling ring and centre band to become the shive plate, then welding a new plate on the outside, profiled to make the rolling ring. Purely to enable interchangeability with the aluminium casks. This type is generally taller and thinner than the fabricated type.
The advantages are:
- Harder structure
- Cheaper to make
- Stack with aluminium casks.
Difficult to repair
- Won't stack easily with fabricated type
- Noisier in use
- Not available from Hereford Casks Ltd
Fabricated
In which the container body is made from three parts (a skirt and two pressings). The shive-plate is welded on the inside to form a smooth draining surface, before the second pressing is welded on. The chimbs are welded on last. The height is generally 462mm and overall diameter of 425mm, making them squatter than the aluminium or deep drawn types.
The advantages are:
- Almost uniform thickness throughout.
- More easily repaired
- Stack easily with older or refurbished casks
- Cheaper machinery costs, make them cheaper to produce.
The disadvantages are:
- Not as hard (more susceptible to damage if badly abused)
- Different dimensions to aluminium