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History of Firkins

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A firkin is an old English unit of volume.  The name is derived from the Middle Dutch work vierdekijn, which means fourth, i.e. a quarter of a full-size barre.  For beer and ale a firkin is equal to nine imperial gallons, seventy-two pints, or a quarter of a barrell.  Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for cask ale.  A firkin is equal to a half a kilderkin.

The term firkin is currently used to refer to antique wooden buckets, usually with wood handle and lid, about 10 inches (250 mm) high and 10 inches in diameter (about 10l or 2-3 dry gallons in capacity), formerly used to store sugar and other items.