Jack Daniel’s is not really “making it count” in Tennessee, United States. In fact, it’s got a problem on its hands. A resident has dragged the Lincoln county in Tennessee that houses the bourbon’s warehouses to court over “whiskey fungus”. And now Jack Daniel’s has been ordered to stop the construction of a new barrelhouse.
A local named Christi Long, who lives close to the barrel house, has complained about “whiskey fungus” caused by escaping alcohol vapours. Her property is reportedly covered in the fungus – a black crust that appears on surfaces. It is a growing issue for people in the area, her lawyer told the BBC.
What is ‘whiskey fungus’?
When bourbon or any other spirit is stored in barrels for ageing, it releases ethanol vapour. This is called “angel’s share”.
This whiskey that evaporates into the air and perfumes the storehouse was dubbed the angel’s share in mediaeval Ireland and Scotland. They believed the whiskey that disappeared into the air was meant as an offering for the angels, The Indian Express reports, quoting the famous whiskey maker Oak & Eden.
While the name suggests that the vapours travel to heaven, research shows that they travel as far as a mile and fall back to earth.
The fungus, Baudoinia compniacensis, consumes these ethanol fumes. It was first discovered around distilleries in the Cognac region of France in 1872 by a scientist named Antonin Baudoin who described it as a “plague of soot”. It was misidentified until 2007, when Canadian mycologist Dr James Scott re-classified the new fungi through DNA analysis and named it Baudonia after the French scientist who discovered the mould, an article in Atlas Obscura says.
The fungus often grows on the surfaces of many distilleries around the world. It is found across North America, Europe and Asia and thrives where fermentation occurs, like in bakeries and distilleries.
A stop sign in a subdivision near a Jim Beam production and bottling facility in Frankfort, Kentucky is covered in the fungus, named Baudoinia Compniacencis, which feeds on the ethanol released by local whiskey distilleries and facilities. File photo/AFP PHOTO
“Baudoinia compniacensis uses the ethanolic vapour to initiate germination and to express proteins in the fungus that allow the fungus to tolerate high temperatures,” the Indiana state department of health said.
Up to two per cent of all alcohol evaporates every year through barrels, releasing ethanol vapour into the air and leading to the growth of “whiskey fungus”.
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The sooty, black gunk resembles toxic black mould, which can be concerning to those who first see it, as well as those forced to live with it, according to a report in Business Insider.
It grows on everything from construction materials to road signs, fences to cars, porch furniture to basketball hoops. It also appears on rocks and vegetation.
“I’d say it’s more than a nuisance… It is really destructive,” James Scott, the mycologist who first classified whiskey fungus, told Business Insider.
It can damage property and kill trees. However, exposure to Baudoinia compniacensis does not pose any risks to human health.
But public health officials have recommended people not inhale spores while washing off the fungus. “Although there are no known health hazards, if you choose to remove the fungus from surfaces, we recommend you use N95 masks, goggles, and gloves,” the Indiana state department of health has advised. If the fungus is found in well water, it should be disinfected and examined by a licensed professional.
Visitors tour the museum at the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. When whiskey or any other spirit is kept inside a barrel for maturing, a small amount evaporates through the wood. This is called ‘angel’s share’ and is responsible for ‘whiskey fungus’. Reuters
How bad is the situation in Lincoln county?
Christi Long, a resident of Lincoln county, Tennessee, is suing the zoning office saying it did not approve the permits for the Jack Daniel’s warehouses properly.
Long, who runs an events venue next to several warehouses of the whiskey giant, including one under construction, has said that the invading fungus has required her to spend thousands on power-washing, reports the BBC. She and her husband Patrick Long have spent $10,000 (Rs 8.17 lakh) annually, power-washing her house four times a year with bleach.
The Longs have demanded an air ventilation system to block ethanol vapour from the whiskey plant and limit the fungus growing in the county.
“I’m extremely concerned. My wife has breathing problems. One of the neighbours got cancer,” Patrick Long told Business Insider. “It’s in the air. And you really, probably don’t want to be breathing that in. But nobody has done a test to determine if it’s actually poisonous.”
Another resident Becky Benson Carroll said she has stage four lung cancer that has reached her brain and her dog has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a report in The Independent.
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What has the court ruled?
A local court has halted the construction of a new barrel warehouse owned by Jack Daniel’s.
Lincoln County Chancellor JB Cox instructed zoning officials to order construction to be halted after he ruled that the permitting process was never fully completed, reports the BBC.
Jason Holleman, a lawyer representing the Longs, said that he anticipates asking the court to order Brown-Forman, the Louisville-based firm which owns Jack Daniel’s, to stop using six recently built warehouses near Long’s property.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey was founded in Moore County, which neighbours Lincoln County, in 1866.
A worker sprays a bleach-based product on the gutters of a house covered in ‘whiskey fungus’ in Frankfort, Kentucky. In 2012, residents of Kentucky filed class-action lawsuits against several Louisville distilleries over ‘whiskey fungus’. AFP
What has Jack Daniel’s said?
A spokesperson for Jack Daniel’s told The Independent that the company “complies with all local, state, and federal regulations regarding the design, construction and permitting of our barrelhouses.”
“We are dedicated to protecting the environment and the safety and health of our employees and neighbours,” the statement added saying that the firm cannot comment on the specifics of the pending litigation.
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Have there been similar lawsuits against alcohol manufacturers?
Jack Daniel’s is not the only alcohol maker in trouble because of the whiskey fungus. Several lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers across the world.
In 2019, a couple from Bonnybridge, Falkirk, in the UK sued the drinks giant Diageo for ?40,000 (Rs 39.3 lakh). They claimed that the vapour has caused damage to outdoor furniture and their house.
Several Kentucky residents filed class-action lawsuits in 2012 against five major companies that operate distilleries in the American state, including Brown-Forman, Heaven Hill, and Diageo. However, the cases were eventually dismissed.
With inputs from agencies
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