For River Drive Cooperage, the barrel has never been just a container. It can be a winemaking tool, an opportunity to experiment with new flavor profiles, a piece worth repairing and reusing — and eventually, even a source of material for a tasting room wall, bar or floor.
River Drive began in 2008 as a reclaimed lumber company before its work expanded into the barrel industry. Today, the company works with producers around the world to buy, sell, recondition, repair and recycle oak barrels, while also developing barrel alternatives, custom aging solutions and reclaimed-oak millwork.
More Options for Your Barrel Program
Through River Drive and its Barrels Direct operation, wineries can access a constantly changing inventory of fresh-used oak barrels. Depending on availability, that can include barrels previously used for wine, bourbon, whiskey, rum, tequila, gin, Scotch and more — giving winemakers opportunities to explore aging profiles outside of traditional cooperage.
River Drive also has an in-house cooperage with experience maintaining and repairing barrels, as well as educational cooperage programs designed to help production teams identify problems and better care for their barrel inventory.
For producers interested in experimenting beyond conventional barrel aging, the company has developed its Custom Aging Platform™ and Fiber Infusion Technology™ (F.I.T.™). The system is designed to tailor oak and flavor profiles by seasoning wood with actual spirits and natural ingredients. River Drive also offers alternatives including seasoned chips, cubes and staves.
In other words, whether you're searching for an unusual fresh-used barrel, looking for help maintaining the barrels already in your cellar, or developing a new aging program, River Drive offers several ways to approach the project.
And When the Barrel Leaves the Cellar…
River Drive's work with oak doesn't end when a barrel is no longer needed for aging.
Its millwork operation repurposes used barrels into flooring, wall coverings, fixtures, furniture and décor — creating an especially interesting opportunity for winery tasting rooms and hospitality spaces.
The company's Stillhouse Collection, for example, is made from used American white oak barrels and preserves much of the wood's original character. Depending on the product, that can include charred surfaces, natural patina, marks left by barrel hoops and even occasional distillery markings. River Drive also produces full-length stave walls and barrel-derived materials for backsplashes, borders and other design applications.
For a winery, that creates a unique way to carry the story of barrel aging beyond the production floor and into the customer experience — using authentic reclaimed barrel wood rather than materials simply designed to look the part.
A Resource for the Full Barrel Journey
One of the things that makes River Drive different is the range of ways it works with the same fundamental material.
A barrel can be sourced for an aging program, maintained or repaired to keep it in service, repurposed for another application and ultimately recycled into something entirely new. River Drive says it prefers a consultative approach, working with producers through education, experimentation and continued product development rather than simply selling a product and moving on.
For wineries, that makes River Drive Cooperage a resource worth knowing — whether the next project starts in the cellar or in the tasting room.
Your tasting room is more than a place to pour wine — it’s a space that tells your brand’s story. Reclaimed barrel wood flooring and wall materials bring warmth, texture, and authentic character into the room, creating a look that feels both rustic and refined.
Made from upcycled used barrels, each piece carries its own natural patina, rich color, and sense of history. Whether used for flooring, feature walls, accents, or statement design elements, these materials help create a tasting room experience guests will remember.
BLACK & TANNIN
Long and dark charred pieces, the interior staves of the barrel. These boards can be left completely black, or lightened up via sanding. The reverse side is clean, smooth bare wood. This allows for the option of contrasting light and dark appearance. A Bung board is included with every 25sf.
COOPERAGE SELECT
The exterior staves of the barrel, its rustic patina is like its own history book and iron stains are left from the metal bands used to hold the barrels together. Though not guaranteed, these boards do occasionally have distillery stamps and markings on them. A Bung board is included with every 25sf.
DISTILLERY RESERVE
Crafted from the heads of the barrels, the coveted Distillery Reserve is what you would consider a “Small Batch” flooring. These boards are shorter in length (8”-20”) and contain a mix of charred, patinaed, and distillery marked boards. Occasionally even handwriting from the distillers themselves. In some cases, you can even tell what whiskey your flooring aged, when, and where! Distillery markings guaranteed on at least 20% of Distillery Reserve boards
VINTAGE RESERVE
Long and dark charred pieces, the interior staves of the barrel. These boards can be left completely black, or lightened up via sanding. The reverse side is clean, smooth bare wood. This allows for the option of a contrasting light and dark appearance. A Bung board is included with every 25sf.
BLENDED
40/40/20 mix of Black & Tannin (40%), Cooperage Select (40%), and Distillery Reserve (20%)
CASK COBBLES (COOPERAGE OR CHARRED)
You’ll recognize the gentle curves and contours of these Cask Cobbles, and not just from the flavorful scent. Cut from barrel staves, they resemble a cobblestone street: rustic, yet classy.
Available in Cooperage or Charred
STAVE WALLS (COOPERAGE OR CHARRED)
When you need to make a bigger statement, a wall of staves is there to awe. Full-length staves are milled slightly thinner, then carefully sanded to present a smooth face while preserving their character and patina.
Available in Cooperage or Charred
Every tasting room should tell a story. Bring warmth, texture, and authentic barrel character into your space with reclaimed barrel wood flooring and wall materials — contact us today to learn more or request a quote.
Though Herodotus mentions palm-wood casks used in shipping Armenian wine to Babylon in Mesopotamia, the barrel as we know it today was most likely developed by the Celts. Around 350 BC they were already using watertight, barrel-shaped wooden containers that were able to withstand stress and could be rolled and stacked. For nearly 2,000 years, barrels were the most convenient form of shipping or storage container for those who could afford them. All kinds of bulk goods, from nails to gold coins, were stored in them. Bags and most crates were cheaper, but they were not as sturdy and they were more difficult to manhandle for the same weight.
The use of barrels for the transportation of bulk goods slowly lost its importance in the 20th century with the introduction of pallet-based logistics and containerization. However, they are still of great importance in the aging of wines and spirits.
River Drive’s Role in the Barrel Industry
Starting out as a reclaimed lumber company, we would search the dark depths of lakes and rivers for logs lost in the days of the river drives. Though our salvages were successful, the process of recovering sunken logs is extremely laborious, costly, and heavily restricted by local, state, and federal agencies. It’s certainly not how it’s portrayed on TV, and we knew there had to be a better way.
Working with companies large and small from all around the world, we buy, sell, recondition, and recycle used oak barrels. We’ve revolutionized the world of reclaimed barrels, and engineer new and better ways to produce highly unique and quality products. From something as simple as a bottle opener, all the way to the flooring in a 1,000 sq/ft restaurant in the heart of Dubai, U.A.E. We work directly with cooperages, distilleries, and breweries, and 100% of every barrel we take in is recycled. Any piece of wood that we are unable to use for a product is saved and burned in the furnace to warm us in the winter.
River Drive invites you to join us in preserving and appreciating the historic value that surrounds each of our one of kind and irreplaceable pieces.
We’re in the Business of Making Things Better;
Barrels, Spirits, Beer, and the World.
While we partner with creative professionals to provide great products to millions of consumers around the globe, 663 million people worldwide lack access to a fundamental human need; Water. Through our partnership with water.org, every barrel sold helps provide one person in the developing world with one year of access to safe water.
For More Information, Feel Free to Contact Us.
*Any barrel, of any size, sold or recycled by us.
**The unit of measurement, equivalent to 31 gallons.
Winemakers know that barrels do more than store wine—they shape its flavor, aroma, and character. River Drive’s Natural F.I.T. Barrels are designed for those seeking a unique edge in crafting their wines.
These innovative barrels feature a proprietary process that enhances wood’s natural flavors, creating a distinct impact on your wine's profile. The Natural F.I.T. (Flavor Integration Technology) approach emphasizes precision and consistency, giving winemakers confidence in every batch.
Elevate your winemaking with barrels that combine tradition and innovation. Learn more about the Natural F.I.T. Barrels at River Drive Cooperage.
The shortage of new and freshly emptied bourbon barrels has been all over the news, sending distilleries and breweries scrambling. Luckily we’ve got great news!
Bourbon Cube Barrel Socks
With our Custom Aging Platform™, we’re able to provide new American Oak cubes, toasted to spec and seasoned with custom blends of real bourbon. These products are already being used in all reaches of the globe by industry-leading Winemakers, Brewers, and Distillers. All reaches of the globe because, compared to barrels, they’re also far less expensive to ship!
Partial to certain bourbon brands? Allow us to cater to you, mirroring your favorite blends.
Death, taxes, and wildfires are some of the earth’s events that are difficult to control and generally inevitable. With recent fires along the West Coast, down through South America and Australia, and even throughout Spain and Portugal, many of the globes most prized wine regions have been affected.
Exposing grapes to smoke can result in wines that develop unfavorable sensory profiles. Compounds in the smoke bind with the grapes and usually lead to characteristics that are described as burnt, smokey, bacon-like, medicinal, and ashy. But if this does occur, all may not be lost!
Researchers suggest several options to minimize the effect of smoke taint, including the addition of barrels, wood adjuncts, and tannins. Science has shown that increasing wines’ complexity can reduce and even refine the unexpected profiles brought on by smoke. Brewers and distillers have long been capitalizing on the unrivaled flavors pulled from fresh used barrels sourced from all corners of the globe. Not only do fresh used barrels offer unparalleled profiles with enchanting backstories, many producers have also found these trends to been wildly successful!
Volatile phenols are the culprit behind smoke taint. However, like many other ingredients, when they are introduced at different times they produce different results;
Pre-fermentation: Smoke taint.
Post-fermentation: Wood aging.
So how is exposing the wine to charred/toasted wood (barrels, chips, cubes, etc) different from exposing grapes to smoke? We address that here:
Toasted Barrels vs. Charred Forests
Understanding the effects of charred & toasted wood vs. smoke taint from wildfires
When wines are exposed to these phenols post fermentation, it’s traditionally done by way of barrels, chips, cubes, and other adjuncts. Traditionally, this builds profiles within the wine through the release of guaiacol, furfurals, lactones, and eugenol. However, when fresh used barrels are introduced, we get another level of flavors too. From rich bourbon barrel aged Cabernets to decadent tequila barrel Sauvignons. The spirits emerge from deep within the wood to add an unparalleled level of complexity and body. While rum barrels deliver a mouthwatering sweetness, a Rye barrel will bring its classic spice. And of course an age old single malt scotch cask will vastly enrich the smokiness within its staves.
At a fraction of the price, quality fresh used barrels can also deliver monumental ROI’s when compared to the cost of a virgin barrel, not to mention the authentic stories each and every barrel carries with them.
Just like a virgin barrel, there’s never any excuse for leaky, infected, or pour quality cooperage. Learn more about our 5 Point Barrel Inspection that ensures each and every barrel arrives with an industry-leading Barrel Quality Guarantee.
Aging options now sore miles beyond just a handful of wood species, while creating inarguable reputations amongst passionate liquid artisans around the world.
See all 11 techniques for dealing with smoke taint, as suggested by the AWRI, here.
Let's face it - there's a lot more appeal in the history and character of a beautiful barrel than there is in a barrel rack or fermentation bung. But a well run barrel program means a well prepared barrel program - and we have the supplies to keep you ready! Various barrel rack sizes, wood and silicone bungs, tasting nails, sulphur strips, and soaking bags are all available to be included with your next oak order.
7" Double Bar Rack
One of our most popular 2 barrel racks, the 7" double bar fits 53 gallon whiskey or bordeaux-style wine barrels.
Fermentation Bung
Silicone ventilating bungs allow CO2 pressure to escape while keeping O2 and other contaminants out.
Soaking Bags
These nylon mesh bags are great for soaking or dunking our Barrel Chips or Oak Cubes and will not mildew, rot, or retain odors.
We thought you might find this handy ...
While we love hunting down the juiciest, freshest, hard to find barrels and getting them into the hands of the people making great beverages, that's only a part of what we do. Among our other services, we provide training and resources for barrel maintenance and repair - keeping your barrel program humming along when the inevitable issue arises.
We've put together a few guides to help with this, and our first to share is our Barrel Anatomy guide. View the webpage below and download the print-sized posters for your shop! And if you need tools for your own maintenance and repair, check out our River Drive Deluxe Coopering Tool Kit.
Barrel Anatomy
Learn the parts of a barrel and how they fit together for easier maintenance and repair of your barrels.