Jack Daniel’s facility blocked as whiskey vapour blamed for spread of fungus

theguardian.com:

At least it makes the angels happy.

Ethanol vapour released through porous whiskey barrels during the ageing of bourbon might bring a smile in the heavens – the fumes are known as the “angel’s share” – but it can mean misery for local mortals. A strain of black whiskey fungus feeds on the alcoholic gases, coating neighbourhoods around distilleries with a stubborn mouldy crust.

The spread of the fungus has become such a problem in Lincoln county, Tennessee, that a local court has halted construction of a new barrel warehouse for the world’s biggest-selling brand of American whiskey: Jack Daniel’s.

The move came after the owner of an events venue next to six operating warehouses sued the local zoning office, saying the fungus was out of control and damaging her business.

The fungus, Baudoinia compniacensis, is a familiar pest in the vicinity of barrelhouses which rely on wooden casks. Up to 2% of the volume of the alcohol can evaporate through the barrels each year as the drink matures, sending vapour into the air and encouraging the fungus.

Lawsuits have been brought by residents in several countries complaining that the black mould smothers walls, outdoor furniture, cars, trees and road signs and has adversely affected their lives and harmed property values.

In the UK, a couple in Bonnybridge, Falkirk, sued the drinks giant Diageo for £40,000 in 2019.

In Tennessee, the Lincoln county complaint was raised by Christi Long, owner of a wedding and party venue who said the property was covered in hard-to-remove fungus. She demanded an air ventilation system to block ethanal vapour seeping from the Jack Daniel’s plant.

Long told Insider she and her husband, Patrick, had to spend about $10,000 annually, power-washing their house four