Angels’ share’ causes mold, experts say

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Angels' share' causes mold, experts say

The Kentucky Standard

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 8:13 AM EDT

BOB WHITE

http://www.kystandard.com/articles/2006/10/12/news/local_news/news02.

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To bourbon experts, it's known as the " angels' share " - evaporating

product from barrels stored in warehouses throughout County.

But the heavenly emission feeds something more and more becoming a

nuisance and a worry to some Bardstown residents.

It's a black mold known to bourbon experts as torula fungus and it

annoys many Bardstown-area property owners due to its unending

growth on homes and cars. It is also a worry to some residents with

respiratory concerns.

In a previous interview, Kentucky Division of Air Quality director

Lyons described the mold as a " naturally occurring "

common " filamentous fungi " found throughout Kentucky.

The growth of black mold is exacerbated by the mass production and

aging of bourbon, he said.

Lyons based his comments on five-year-old tests performed by the

University of Kentucky.

Distilleries do not emit mold, but the bourbon aging process does

feed it, according to bourbon experts.

Heaven Hill Master Distiller Beam said, depending on climate

and location in a warehouse, as much as two-thirds of a bourbon

barrel's contents could evaporate during the aging process.

No definite amounts of evaporation can be determined, Beam said.

" The hardest thing about the angels' share is the number of

variables, " he said.

Regardless of the amounts lost to the " angels' share, " the belief is

that evaporating water and sugar becomes food for the torula fungus

after settling, Beam said.

With Bardstown being surrounded by warehouses filled with aging

bourbon from Barton Brands, Jim Beam and Heaven Hill, the amount of

mold growing in the city is of no surprise.

" The more barrels there are in the aging process, the more torula, "

Beam said.

He said mold growth around distilleries was nothing new and

something discussed by insiders for years.

" I can remember my father talking about mold growing, " Beam

said. " It's been around for as long as I can remember. "

The growth of mold on homes and other property has caused " quite a

few complaints " against distilleries in recent years, Lyons said.

Since Kentucky's Division of Air Quality does not regulate mold, the

cabinet limits its response to mold complaints, he said.

While the environmental cabinet does not take action against mold

such as that occurring around distilling operations, it does warn

people to take action against mold when they find it in and around

their living spaces.

According to Kentucky's Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet,

mold can lead to skin rashes and flu-like symptoms for some

individuals. It can also aggravate asthma and other respiratory

problems, according to the EPPC Web site.

" If you can see mold growth… you have a problem, " the Web site

states.

Most symptoms attributed to mold will subside with the elimination

of the mold.

When it comes to eliminating the source of food for mold in

County and other bourbon-producing areas, Beam said that may be

impossible without shutting down the bourbon industry.

" To seal warehouses and filter the air would be cost prohibitive, "

Beam said. " I don't know if anything can easily be done to eliminate

(the mold). "

Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at

bwhite@....