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Product Description
The Story
Read about how we make our rings
Weathered Whiskey Barrel Wood
Ancient as it may be, there is an undeniable refinement about whiskey and its production. Whiskey barrels come from hand-selected oak trees, usually from the white oak family, and are the primary means by which the flavor of the final spirit is achieved. The charred inside of a whiskey barrel acts to remove Sulphur while the wood sugars are caramelized and leech into the whiskey. Our weathered whiskey barrel wood is an ode to those smoky barrels which cure your favorite whiskey to maturity. I have several of the most well-known Tennessee whiskey barrel woods in stock, but if you have a favorite that isn’t listed here and have access to some barrel wood, I can probably make something custom!
Weathering the wood is done via an old process, whereby the wood is dipped in water mixed with ferrous sulfate, the same stuff often used as a mineral supplement. You can read more about that process here. The mixture reacts to the tannins in the wood, turning them silver, gray, or dark gray, creating a permanent color change in the wood that is unique to each piece.
Coffee - Yes, that's right! Coffee...in a ring!
This design was originally conceived for a friend of mine who owns a coffee shop. I used beans from his store in the ring I created for him, but the coffee used in future rings is a bit more unique. I was able to obtain an unopened Hills Bros coffee can from 1952. The coffee inside was still fresh (they really knew how to make stuff back then) and has a great vintage story.
Coffee Rationing
Though we can enjoy coffee in an endless stream today, this has not always been the case. Coffee rationing in WWII began in 1942 - families could only get one pound every five weeks - and the rationing didn't end until 1946. There were a few reasons for this. Firstly, the GI's needed coffee in the field. Secondly, German U-boats were sinking boats with coffee shipments from Brazil making coffee hard to get.
Rationed coffee was packaged in glass containers, which were not only reusable, but also saved precious tin resources for the troops. That this coffee could be purchased in a can was a sign that the war had ended.
For me, the idea of an unopened can of coffee sitting in the back of someone's pantry for so many years is a reminder of the frugality of that great generation which was permanently impressed upon them during the war.
Putting It Together
Sometimes the simplest design is the best. By pairing the weathered whiskey barrel with the natural whiskey barrel inlay you get a contrast that is subtle, yet exactly right.