One of the world’s leading whiskey makers was ordered to halt construction on a warehouse over complaints about “whiskey fungus.”
Residents of Lincoln County, Tennessee, say their homes, cars and trees have become encrusted by a dark fungus in recent months.
The culprit, the New York Times reports, is a series of local barrelhouses operated by iconic distiller Jack Daniel’s.
The fungus — which is not hazardous — feeds on ethanol vapors and has long affected areas surrounding distilleries and bakeries.
Some have demanded that Jack Daniel’s install air filters at its facilities, but one neighbor has forced construction to stop altogether.
Christi Long, who runs a nearby events venue, alleged that a new barrelhouse was not properly approved by county officials.
A judge agreed, and the whiskey maker will need to obtain all necessary permits before the project can resume.
Jack Daniel’s, whose first distillery in the area dates to 1866, has warned that air filters could alter the taste of its whiskey during aging.
