What do we call the process of making barrels?

The process of making barrels is referred to as cooperage. This term specifically denotes the craft of creating wooden barrels, which involves tasks such as shaping the staves, assembling them, and adding the head and bottom to create a complete barrel. Cooperage is a skilled trade that has been practiced for centuries and is essential for the bourbon industry, as the quality and characteristics of the barrel have a significant impact on the flavor profile of the bourbon during the aging process.

Bourboning is not a recognized term in the context of barrel-making. Aging refers to the process whereby spirit is stored in barrels to develop flavor, aroma, and color, and fermentation is the process of converting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide using yeast. While all these processes are related to the production of bourbon, it is cooperage that specifically pertains to barrel construction.