Why Choose a Traditional Wooden Shive?
For breweries and pubs serving real cask ale, traditional wooden shives remain the most trusted and reliable option. Their natural properties help maintain a secure seal and support proper conditioning throughout the life of the cask.
Secure Natural Seal
Wood naturally expands when exposed to moisture, creating a tight and reliable fit within the cask bush. This helps prevent leaks and ensures the cask remains properly sealed during conditioning and storage.
Ideal for Soft & Hard Spiles
Wooden shives hold soft and hard spiles securely, making venting and resealing the cask simple and predictable. This makes them perfectly suited to traditional cask ale handling in brewery and cellar environments.
Reliable in Cold Cellars
Unlike plastic closures, which can contract in colder temperatures, wood adapts naturally to its environment. This helps maintain a consistent seal in typical pub cellar conditions.
Stable in Warmer Conditions
In warmer environments plastic shives can sometimes loosen or “pop” due to expansion and pressure changes. Wooden shives remain stable and seated in the cask, reducing the risk of closures lifting or failing during storage or transport.
Environmentally Responsible
Our wooden shives are produced from responsibly sourced timber (FSC certified). They are fully biodegradable and require no specialist disposal.
Neutral to Beer Flavour
Quality hardwood is naturally neutral and will not affect the flavour or character of the beer, ensuring your product reaches the customer exactly as intended.
Sizes Available
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2 1/32″ (51.56 mm)
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2 1/16″ – Industry standard size (52.39 mm)
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2 3/32″ (53.18 mm)
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2 1/8″ (53.97 mm)
Available with red or blue tuts.
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We also offer Wooden Water Butt Bungs
High-quality wooden bungs designed to seal the shive hole (the larger filling hole on the side of a wooden barrel). Ideal for repurposing old barrels such as whisky barrels for rainwater collection, storage, or garden use.
Made from locally sourced FSC-certified beech, each bung is slightly tapered to create a secure, tight seal when fitted.
Sizes available (measurement taken across the centre of the bung):
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2″ – 49–52 mm taper
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2¼” – 54–58.5 mm taper
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2½” – 60.5–65 mm taper