At first glance it would appear so!
World famous Jack Daniel’s recently faced a set back due to the unsightly fungus.
Distilleries round the globe have also experienced court cases focused on fungus – which clearly adds delays & inevitably cost to the industry, ultimately being passed on to the consumer.
So what is black fungus?
In the wonderful world of nature wherever there is a food source there will be an organism to take advantage of it.
The food source here is ethanol vapour.
Black fungus is the organism – or to give it a scientific name – Baudoinia compniacenis.
Originally identified back in the 1870’s inhabiting surfaces around Cognac Distilleries in France – It has now spread globally.
Research on it has been minimal – but will obviously ramp up in gear now financial implications are in play.
Modern papers on the fungus now show there are sub-species that feed on differing spirits. A case of whiskey fungus, cognac fungus, tequila fungus perhaps? And yet another example of the diversity of nature to exploit niche habitats.
Not only that. Species of micro moths which eat fungus have been found clustered around distilleries too!
Solutions to the problem are being sought.
The simplest is a cordon of trees around the facility to capture the black fungus before it escapes into the wider environment – & no, the trees aren’t hurt. This was proposed at the Moyvore Maturation site consultation meeting I attended back in 2017.
Maybe higher tech devices such as vapour recovery or spray suppressants are being investigated for more space restricted sites.
Whatever the outcome – it must be stated the brandy industry suffered a collapse due to a tiny organism – who remembers Phylloxera?
Having an interest in both whiskey and nature, it’s clear the Angel’s Share so venerated by the whiskey industry has a dirty secret!
Science paper on Black Fungus here.
My blog on Moyvore here.
Blog on differing species of black fungus here.
Phylloxera article here.
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 