In this little town of Tennessee’s Lincoln County, “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’”…
According to recent news, the main character in Chris Stapleton’s hit song, “Tennessee Whiskey” may be giving out ‘Whiskey Fungus.’ You heard that right… Whiskey Fungus.
To get scientific, the fungus is known as Baudoinia Compniacensis, and it’s an ethanol vapor released from barrel houses.
The fungus takes on a black mold-like appearance, either velvety or crust-like, and according to Indiana’s State Department of Health, the substance “can grow up to 1-2 centimeters in thickness.” And the growth is impacting miles of land and residential communities near distilleries in the small town that is home to six Jack Daniels’ barrel houses.
Whiskey Fungus has taken to the surfaces of homes and yards in the local area where it can continue growing on a vast majority of surfaces including common house materials like metal, brick, and concrete. The substance grows well in the conditions because it thrives in partially rainy and humid atmospheres.
Now residents of the Lincoln area, where Jack Daniels has plans for an added fourteen additional barrel houses, are wondering if they’ll be living in a “Whiskey Fever” of their own, and how this substance might affect their health in the long term.
Short term side effects have left the community pressure washing their homes upwards of four times annually just to remove the black growth.
One couple has already filed a lawsuit stating that:
“Jack Daniels barrel houses are creating an uncontrollable mess to homes in their community.”
According to the couple and other residents who have debated with the local county commissioners over the issues, the commission approved the construction of the fourteen new barrel houses without proper environmental studies being completed on the fungi and its presented issues.
