What Is the Hole in a Barrel Called? (Barrel Anatomy Guide)
Okay, let’s settle this once and for all. You’ve seen it—that little round hole on the side of a barrel. Maybe you were on a winery tour and noticed it. Maybe you spotted it on a whiskey barrel-turned-table at your buddy’s house. And you probably thought: “What’s that hole for? And does it even have a proper name?”
It does. And I promise you, once you know the answer, you’ll never forget it.
That hole? It’s called a bung hole. Yep. 100% serious. That’s the real term, and winemakers and distillers use it every single day without cracking a smile (most of the time).
But don’t let the funny name fool you. The bung hole isn’t just some random feature—it’s basically the heartbeat of a barrel. Without it, that beautiful oak vessel wouldn’t be very useful. And once you understand its role, plus how the rest of a barrel is built, you’ll never look at barrel furniture (or your next glass of wine or whiskey) the same way again.
So, grab a drink and let’s go on a little tour of barrel anatomy—told like you’re hanging out in a cellar with a friend who can’t stop geeking out over oak.
The Star of the Show: The Bung Hole
Let’s start with the celebrity.
The bung hole is the round opening drilled into the belly of the barrel. Think of it as the “access port.” It’s not too big—usually about two inches across—but it does all the heavy lifting.
- It’s how you fill the barrel. Wine, whiskey, beer—it all goes in through the bung hole.
- It’s how you check on things. Winemakers use a tool called a “wine thief” to pull samples straight through it. Distillers do the same with whiskey.
- It’s how you top things up. Because barrels breathe (more on that in a second), some liquid evaporates over time. Producers refill through the bung hole to keep everything just right.
- It’s how you empty the barrel. When the aging is done, the liquid flows back out the same way it came in.
And what covers that opening? A plug called the bung. Traditionally made of oak, though modern wineries often use silicone or rubber. Once it’s hammered in, it keeps everything sealed tight.
In short: the bung hole is the barrel’s mouth, and the bung is its cork. Simple. Essential.
Why the Bung Hole Is So Important
Here’s the thing—without that little hole, barrels would just be pretty wooden cylinders. They’d look nice, sure, but they’d be useless.
The bung hole is what makes barrels functional. It allows liquid to move in and out while still keeping the vessel strong, airtight, and secure. It’s like a keyhole—tiny, but without it, the whole system falls apart.
When you think about it, the bung hole is also what allows barrels to become storytellers. Every fill, every sample, every topping up—that’s part of the history carved into the wood. Those wine stains you sometimes see inside reclaimed furniture? They went in and out through the bung hole.
Other Parts of a Barrel (Meet the Family)
Of course, a barrel is more than just its hole. It’s a whole cast of characters, each doing its job. Let’s meet them:
- Staves: These are the long, curved pieces of oak that make up the barrel’s body. Imagine about 30–32 wooden planks, shaped and bent over fire, fitted so tightly together they don’t need nails or glue. That’s what makes a barrel watertight.
- Hoops: Those metal bands you see wrapped around a barrel? They’re hoops. They squeeze the staves together and keep the whole thing from falling apart. Without them, the staves would just be a pile of fancy firewood.
- Heads: The flat circular ends of the barrel. They’re fitted into special grooves and locked tight. No liquid is going in or out through here.
- Bilge: The belly—the roundest, widest part of the barrel. This is usually where the bung hole is drilled, because it’s the easiest spot to access.
- Croze: A groove cut into the inside ends of the staves. That’s where the heads sit, like puzzle pieces snapping into place.
- Chime: The edge where the heads meet the staves. It’s slightly beveled, giving the barrel a finished look and making it easier to roll.
- Quarter and Belly Staves: Just fancy terms coopers use for different sections of staves depending on their placement. Each one is shaped just right to form the curve.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a structure that’s simple, strong, and genius. Barrels are basically one of the original “engineered designs” that humans nailed hundreds of years ago—and they’re still made the same way today.
Fun Fact: Where the Word “Bung” Comes From
If you’re still giggling at the word “bung hole,” here’s a little history.
The word “bung” goes back centuries, from Middle English “bunge” and Old Norse “bunki,” both meaning stopper or plug. So it’s not a modern invention—it’s been around longer than most of our favorite wine regions.
That’s why you’ll hear seasoned winemakers and distillers talk about the bung hole like it’s the most normal word in the world. For them, it is. For the rest of us, it’s just kind of funny.
The Bung Hole in Action
Here’s a scene to picture.
You’re on a winery tour. The cellar is cool and quiet, with rows of barrels stacked neatly. A winemaker walks over, pulls out the bung from one barrel, and slips in a glass tube (that’s the wine thief). As they pull it out, it’s filled with ruby-red liquid. They pour it into a glass, swirl it, sniff it, taste it.
All of that—the magic moment of sampling wine straight from the barrel—happens through the bung hole.
Same thing in whiskey country. Inspectors open bung holes to check flavor, strength, and quality. It might not be glamorous, but it’s tradition. That little hole is how history in a glass gets made.
Bung Holes in Furniture (Yes, We Keep Them)
When barrels retire and make their way to our workshop at Oak Wood Wine Barrels, the bung hole doesn’t just disappear. We often leave it intact—it’s part of the story.
- On a Coffee Table Chest, the bung hole might show on the side, a reminder of the barrel’s first life.
- On a Captain Chair, the bung hole adds rustic character—it’s not just furniture, it’s heritage.
- On a Cabinet or Pub Table, sometimes we make it functional again—like a quirky little pull or peek-through feature.
Customers love this. It’s the detail they notice first, the one they point out to guests: “See this? That’s the actual bung hole from when this was a wine barrel.” And suddenly, your table has a story to tell.
Why Barrel Anatomy Is Worth Knowing
Okay, so why bother learning all this jargon? Because once you know, you see barrels differently.
The bung hole isn’t just a hole—it’s how the wine or whiskey even got inside. The staves aren’t just planks—they were bent over fire, one by one. The hoops aren’t just decoration—they’re the muscles holding everything together.
And when you buy reclaimed barrel furniture, you’re not just buying oak. You’re buying all that craft, all that history, all that detail rolled into one piece.
It’s like knowing the backstory of a family heirloom—it just makes it richer.
Our Links
Other Resources to Check Out!
- Wine Growers Canada – Barrel Aging Practices
- Cooperage Federation of France
- Whisky Advocate – Anatomy of a Barrel
Conclusion
So, what’s the hole in a barrel called? It’s the bung hole—and yes, the name makes people chuckle, but the function couldn’t be more serious.
It’s how barrels are filled, sampled, topped, and emptied. It’s the reason wine ages with finesse and whiskey takes on notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice. It’s tiny but mighty—the unsung hero of barrel life.
At Oak Wood Wine Barrels, we honor details like this. When we transform barrels into dining sets, coffee tables, cabinets, or chairs, we love keeping the bung hole visible. It’s a small reminder of the barrel’s first life, and it turns every piece of furniture into a story.
So the next time you see that little round opening on a barrel, don’t dismiss it. Smile, nod, and know you’re looking at the barrel’s heartbeat. That’s the bung hole—and it’s been quietly shaping history in every sip you take.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only. Barrel anatomy and terms can vary slightly by region or cooperage. The details shared here reflect widely recognized standards, but every barrel is unique. At Oak Wood Wine Barrels, we celebrate those quirks and preserve them in every reclaimed piece we create.