The Whiskey Trip - Season 4, Episode 29 - Greg Standard, Owner & Founder - Standard Cooperage

The Whiskey Trip - Season 4, Episode 29 - Greg Standard, Owner & Founder - Standard Cooperage

From The Bourbon Life by The Bourbon Life

July 21, 2026 · 1h 3m · Season 4 · Episode 29

About this episode

Big Chief interviews Greg Standard about the craft of cooperage and its significance in the whiskey industry.

This week, Big Chief heads to the Texas Hill Country to visit Greg Standard, founder and owner of Standard Cooperage, the first full-scale cooperage in Texas. From towering white oak logs to finished barrels, Greg pulls back the curtain on one of the oldest and most important crafts in the whiskey industry. Before the conversation begins, Big Chief takes listeners on a brief journey through the history of the barrel, from its origins with the ancient Celts and Romans to its evolution into the 53-gallon American Standard Barrel that has become the cornerstone of bourbon and American whiskey. It's the perfect setup for an episode dedicated to the people who still build barrels by hand. Greg shares his journey from engineer to cooper, what inspired him to establish Standard Cooperage, and why having a Texas cooperage is a game changer for the state's rapidly growing whiskey and wine industries. Together, they discuss wood selection, natural seasoning, raising a barrel, toasting, charring, and why every detail matters when crafting a barrel capable of producing exceptional whiskey. During the first half of the episode, Greg and Big Chief sip on a Maverick Distillery Bourbon, while…

People in this episode

Host: Big Chief

Guest: Greg Standard

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Standard Cooperage

Products: Maverick Distillery Bourbon, Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon

Places: Texas Hill Country, Texas

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