Barrel

Barrels are blocks used for brewing all manner of drinks ranging from alcoholic beverages to herbal tinctures. Partially full barrels can also be found in many structures, in which case the drink they contain depends on the structure.

Crafting
Barrels can be crafted on a normal crafting table using wood planks of any type on the top and bottom rows, a bucket in the center, and iron ingots in the two remaining slots. Awesome and easy!

Riding
Barrels can be placed in water by right clicking the water with the barrel in hand. The barrel can then be ridden, similar to a boat, but slightly slower. Barrels do not break when they hit the shore, but when broken with your hand or a tool drop a barrel. As barrels do not break when they hit land like vanilla boats do, they make a sturdy and well used alternative and are often regarded as superior to the vanilla boat in that regard. Note that barrel is more difficult to navigate and has a larger turning radius than the boat.

Hint: Riding a barrel in the rivers of Mirkwood Corrupted merits an achievement, "Out of bond".

Special Note
In order to ride in barrels the barrel must be placed in 2 deep water placing it in one deep water will just place the barrel as a block.