The order came after a resident named Christi Long, who lives close to the company’s barrelhouses, filed a suit against the county claiming that a black, sooty fungus — known as whiskey fungus, which is commonly found near bakeries and distilleries around the world — has spread uncontrollably and covered cars, homes and trees.
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against alcohol producers over the years by citizens of various nations who contend that the whisky fungus not only coats homes, trees, and outdoor furniture with the black crust but also devalues real estate and has a negative impact on people’s lives.
A small amount of whisky or any other spirit that is kept inside a cask for maturing evaporates into the air through the wood. Every year, up to 2% of the alcohol leaves the cask in this manner. Famous whisky producers Oak & Eden claim that in mediaeval Ireland and Scotland, this whisky was known as the angel’s share because it vaporises into the air and scents the warehouse. Nearby surfaces frequently become infected as the fungus spreads.
It is widespread in North America, Europe, and Asia, and thrives in places where fermentation takes place, such as bakeries and distilleries, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. Baudoinia compniacensis uses ethanolic vapour to start germination and express proteins in the fungus that enable it to withstand high temperatures. According to the NYT, it was first identified in the 1870s when Antonin Baudoin, the director of the French Distillers’ Association, noticed a “plague of soot” surrounding the distilleries in the French Cognac region.
The whisky fungus hasn’t yet been linked to any instances of health risks however It can harm properties and destroy trees. The task of getting the fungus off the afflicted surfaces could be difficult. According to the person who filed the lawsuit, she spends $10,000 every year power-washing their home, which is covered in Baudoinia compniacensis, four times with bleach. The health department advised homeowners to remove the whisky fungus using N95 masks, goggles, and gloves. Additionally, it stated that a private water well must be disinfected if the fungus is discovered there.Jack Daniel’s in trouble over ‘whiskEy fungus’ in the US