Whisky fungus

When: Autumn and winter

Scientific name: Baudoinia compniacensis

Also known as: Angel's share fungus, distillery fungus, distilleries' shadow

Size: Individual fungal cells can combine to create large patches, covering entire walls or tree trunks

Where: Distillery buildings, woodlands

The blight of many distilleries around the world, Baudoinia compniacensis, or Whisky fungus is often seen as a common problem of urban and industrial landscapes. From an ecological perspective, there has only been one formal mycology record for this species in Scotland; that is until autumn 2017, when one of IFLI's very own Volunteer Nature Recorders identified a specimen at SWT Cambus Pools!

Whisky fungus sets itself aside from most other fungi, thanks to its penchant for alcohol. The reason this fungus is so frequently observed on distilleries, a phenomenon commonly referred to as Warehouse Staining, is because it thrives on ethanol. The carbon in ethanol is thought to be the fungi's main source of nutrition, and thanks to airborne vapours that are emitted from distilleries, this fungus is able to colonise large sections of buildings, with the ethanol also aiding the fungi's spore release. Although it is closely associated and named for its association with ethanol, this species is not completely dependent on the alcohol to survive. It has been known to use other sources of carbon as to grow from, making it a successful species. All of these factors mean that the fungus is very prolific, and cause quite an issue for properties located close to distilleries and warehouses, which also become affected by the 'distillery's shadow'.

It is thought that whisky fungus was first observed near brandy maturation sites in Cognac, France in the 1870s. The fungus is now a common sighting around industrial alcohol distilling and maturation buildings across mainland Europe, Scotland, Ireland and the USA. Some of the fungus' other common names refer to the process involved in distilling, whereby a small percentage of the liquid is lost to evaporation from the barrels. Hence Angel's Share fungus; an ode to the romantic notion of loss from these barrels being taken by some otherworldly beings.

You can discover more about Whisky fungus by visiting https://bygl.osu.edu/node/599