When you make the wooden bucket for the beer, do you use a fondant/gumpaste mix for the 'planks' and then 'glue' them on the sides of your cake? and if so, when you serve the cake, do you pull the planks off first, because they will be somewhat hard?

here's something that might help you!

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-633950.html