Three Small Casks

Writers: Noola, Paula
Date Posted: 17th February 2010

Characters: Ariavin, Keayd
Description: Ariavin helps Keayd find what he needs for his project.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 5 of Turn 5

"Journeyman Ariavin?" Keayd asked and looked in to the cooper's workshop.

Ariavin looked up from his work, adze still in hand, "Yes?"

"Can have a minute of your time?" the young journeyman asked.

Setting his tool down onto the bench beside the nearly finished
barrel, Ariavin turned to face the journeyman. He wiped the wood dust
off his hands and nodded an invitation for Keayd to approach.
"Certainly."

"I'm looking for small barrels suitable for brandies and liqours. Do
you any available? The store seems to have run out," Keayd asked.

"I might. What exactly were you looking for? I've got a few different
things that are nearly done and a few smaller items already made." He
waited to hear what sort of woods the journeyman needed, as some were
quite picky about such things. Which made sense, being that different
woods influenced their liquors in different ways and after a while,
he'd noticed, Vintners became accustomed to using certain ones.
Others, of course, were more flexible.

"I don't know, what do you got?" Keayd asked. "It's an experimental
patch, so maybe different types of wood be perfect to test what gives
the best taste," he continued in speculation.

"I have a few good oak casks, if you're wanting oak. Some birch as
well. I've got a few redfruit wood barrels that are nearly finished as
well." He gestured to mid-sized barrel he was working on. Or, if
you're working on a grain liquor and feel like experimenting, I've got
a new charring technique I'm working on." He'd worked out how to keep
the wood, thinned from burning, from seeping, but now he needed to
test how it would affect the flavor of the alcohol it stored.

"No, they are fruit- and berry liqours," Keayd replied. He went to
examine the barrels. "These ar bit too big for my use. Got any smaller
ones?"

"Might have," Ariavin gestured for the Vintner to follow him to the
back of the workshop. "I'm not sure how many I have left, but there
should be a few oak casks back here that ought to work well enough."

Key nodded. "That sounds promising."

Once at the back of the workshop, Ariavin began sifting through stacks
of containers, some large and some small. "What size are you looking
for? I've got a few that'll hold a couple of gallons and some as small
as a couple of pints. Those little ones are mostly for transport or
storage after the aging process has been complete, of course."

"The smaller ones, pint-size. I'm doing experiments with small
patches," Keayd replied.

Ariavin nodded and separated out three of the smallest casks. Two of
them were made of oak and one was made from redfruit tree. All three
were the same shape, like a stubby barrel. None of them would hold
more than a couple of pints of liquid. He set each one on a nearby
workbench, "These are the ones that fit what you're describing best."
The cooper stepped back so the vintner could examine the options and
decide if they were what he wanted.

"Those look perfect for my use," the young journeyman smiled.

"You'll take all three then?"

"Yes, thank you, journeyman Ariavin. You should come over and sample
what I've done someday," the Vintner replied and invited out of
politeness.

Perhaps it was the invitation, but the cooper was suddenly struck by
the fact that Keayd was a rather handsome young man. He quickly
quashed the feelings before they'd had a chance to really get started
and turned back to the three casks, stacking them. He'd had turns of
practice in hiding the fact that he found men as attractive as women,
so his voice was unchanged when he replied, "Perhaps I shall. Tell me,
is this an official Hall project or independent?"

Ariavin was contracted to the Vintner Hall, so anything that the
vintners needed for the Hall was in effect already paid for. It was
included in his stipend. However, when vintners needed his products
for their own personal projects, vintages and so on, he was free to
negotiate prices directly with them.

"Official, it's my senior journeyman-project. If I manage to produce
something new that's worth selling, I'll get new knots," Key replied.

"Well, here you are then," Ariavin handed the stack of small casks to
the vintner with a small smile. "And good luck to you," he offered
sincerely. He enjoyed it when he got to play a small part in someone
else's success. It was one of the reasons he enjoyed working directly
for the Vintner Hall. He had either produced or maintained almost all
the barrels, kegs and casks in use by the Hall and so almost every
drop the Hall produced was influenced by him - even if only a little.
The small burst of pride was almost enough to distract him from the
old and familiar sense of shame.

"Thank you," Keayd said again and left the workshop with his small casks.

Last updated on the February 28th 2010

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Three Small Casks