Mushroom Tinctures: Should You Make Your Own?

⬇️ Prefer to listen instead? ⬇️

---

• Dual-extraction captures both alcohol-soluble triterpenes and water-soluble beta-glucans for maximum potency.
• Lion’s Mane shows potential in improving memory and reducing depression and anxiety with consistent dosing.
• Homemade mushroom tinctures can be up to 70% cheaper than commercial versions while offering customizable blends.
• Proper alcohol strength (at least 25%) is vital for long shelf life and preventing microbial contamination.
• Studies confirm beta-glucans in mushrooms enhance immune response and may reduce inflammation.

---

What Are Mushroom Tinctures?

Mushroom tinctures are concentrated liquid extracts containing the bioactive compounds of medicinal mushrooms. By using solvents like alcohol and hot water, these tinctures capture various compounds more effectively than consuming raw or cooked mushrooms alone. Each type of compound plays a different role in wellness:

• Beta-glucans: These complex polysaccharides are among the most studied mushroom components and are known for regulating the immune system. They work by changing how macrophages act, boosting natural killer cells, and starting up dendritic cells. These are important for your body's immune defense.

• Triterpenoids and Terpenes: These compounds demonstrate anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective properties. Found in abundance in mushrooms like Reishi, they can offer calming effects and support liver health.

• Phenolic compounds and Ergothioneine: These are potent antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress, contributing to anti-aging, cellular repair, and improved overall health.

Mushroom tinctures are good because they get compounds that dissolve in water and compounds that dissolve in alcohol. Regular teas or powders often don't get both.

The Rising Appeal of Making Tinctures at Home

Commercial mushroom extracts can be pricey, often ranging from $30–$60 for a 2 oz bottle. But if you make mushroom tinctures yourself, you can cut costs a lot. You also know exactly what is in them.

Why Go the DIY Route?

• Ingredient Transparency: You control the sourcing of your mushrooms—whether it’s cultivated indoors, wildcrafted, or grown from kits like Zombie Mushrooms. This ensures you're not consuming products with fillers, preservatives, or unnecessary binders.

• Financial Efficiency: A single pound of dried mushrooms bought in bulk or home-grown can yield multiple bottles of tincture, saving you hundreds of dollars over time.

• Customized Remedies: Want a nootropic blend with Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps? Or something calming with Reishi and Chaga? And when you make your own, you can mix mushrooms together in ways that work well for what you want to do for your health.

• Sustainability: DIY tincturing reduces plastic usage and encourages zero-waste herbalism, especially if you use reusable glassware and compost our mushroom remnants.

And homemade tinctures give you more control over your health. You also learn more about natural remedies.

What You'll Need for DIY Mushroom Tincture Preparation

Starting out doesn’t require a chemistry lab. Here is a list of what you will need:

Basic Supplies

• Mason jars (16 oz, wide-mouth preferred): These are your primary vessels for alcohol steeping and decoctions.
• High-proof alcohol: Use 80–100 proof vodka for standard tinctures. For longer preservation and slower evaporation, 150–190 proof Everclear is ideal.
• Food-grade scale: Using the right amount of mushrooms and liquid helps make sure your tincture is strong and always turns out the same.
• Slow cooker (or non-reactive pot): Used for your hot water extraction (decoction).
• Cheesecloth or nut milk bag: For clean filtration of your final liquid.
• Amber dropper bottles: These protect from light degradation and make daily dosing easy.
• Labels and marker: Always date your tincture and list the mushroom types used.

Optional Tools

• Alcohol hydrometer: This advanced tool helps measure the final alcohol content in your tincture mix.
• Blender/Grinder: For breaking dried mushrooms into smaller, more extractable pieces.

Be sure to sanitize all materials before use to avoid contamination or spoilage.

Choosing the Best Mushrooms for Tincturing

Not all mushrooms work the same way for making tinctures at home. Here are some of the best mushrooms to use and what they do:

1. Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

• Known for its brain-boosting effects
• Contains hericenones and erinacines, compounds that may stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF)
• May help thinking and reduce signs of anxiety and depression (Nagano et al., 2010)

2. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

• Called the “Mushroom of Immortality”
• Supports immune balance, reduces stress, and promotes better sleep
• Rich in triterpenes, which are only accessible via alcohol extraction

3. Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

• Lots of studies have looked at how it helps the immune system
• Contains polysaccharopeptides (PSP) and polysaccharide K (PSK)
• Often used in adjunct cancer therapies due to strong β-glucan content

4. Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris or Cordyceps sinensis)

• Increases ATP production, which means more cellular energy
• Great for stamina, athletic enhancement, and lung support

5. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

• Though technically a sclerotium and not a true mushroom, Chaga is loaded with antioxidants
• Extremely high in melanin, betulinic acid, and polysaccharides
• You need to use a lot of water and boil it for a long time to break down its tough outer layer

Always ensure mushrooms are dried before use to prevent bacterial or mold growth during extraction.

Alcohol-Based Tincture Method (Single Extract)

This method is fast, shelf-stable, and great for pulling out triterpenes and other alcohol-soluble compounds. Here is how to make a good alcohol tincture.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Grind or chop dried mushrooms into small pieces to increase surface area.
2. Weigh the mushrooms using a 1:5 ratio (e.g., 100g of mushrooms to 500ml of alcohol).
3. Place in a sterilized jar and pour alcohol over them, covering completely.
4. Seal tightly and shake thoroughly.
5. Store in a dark, cool space (like a cupboard or pantry) for at least 2–6 weeks.
6. Shake the jar daily or every few days to ensure even saturation.
7. Once complete, strain through cheesecloth into a clean jar.
8. Bottle into amber glass dropper jars and label.

Note: This tincture only gets the parts that dissolve in alcohol. To get all the good things from the mushroom, you need to also use hot water.

Making a Hot-Water Decoction (Water Extract)

To get beta-glucans and key polysaccharides, you need to use hot water. This is very important for Reishi, Chaga, and Turkey Tail.

Instructions:

1. Re-use the alcohol-steeped mushrooms (they still hold plenty of good stuff) or start with new dried material.
2. Combine with water at a 1:10 ratio (100g mushrooms to 1L water).
3. Simmer (don’t boil) for 2–3 hours. Aim for ≤ 170°F to retain potency.
4. You may top off with additional water to prevent burning as it reduces.
5. Once the liquid is reduced by about half, strain and let cool.
6. Add to your alcohol tincture if performing dual extraction.

You now have a strong water extract. You can use it by itself or mix it with your alcohol tincture.

How to Make Dual-Extract Mushroom Tinctures

The best way to get the most from your mushrooms is to use both ways of getting the compounds out.

Dual-Extraction Process:

1. Begin with alcohol steeping: Steep dried mushroom pieces in alcohol for 4–6 weeks.
2. Strain and reserve the alcohol: Separate the alcohol tincture from the mushroom mass.
3. Do the water extraction: Use the mushrooms you just strained to make a hot water liquid.
4. Once both liquids are strained and cooled, combine in a ratio — typically 1:1 works well, but you can adjust to preference.
5. And make sure the final mix has at least 25% alcohol. This helps it last longer.
6. Bottle in sterilized amber glass dropper bottles, cap, label, and store in a cool, dark location.

Storing and Labeling Mushroom Tinctures

Proper storage not only preserves your work but also prevents microbial contamination:

• Use amber-glass containers to reduce UV degradation.
• Keep your tincture cool and dry: Pantry, medicine cabinet, or fridge work great.
• Label each tincture with:
  • Mushroom(s) used
  • Extraction method (alcohol, water, both)
  • Date of preparation
  • Final volume and strength (optional but helpful)

Your tincture should last 12 to 24 months. This depends on how much alcohol is in it and how you store it.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Even people who have made herbal remedies for a while can make mistakes. Look out for these red flags:

• Using fresh mushrooms without thorough drying = moldy, unsafe tinctures
• Too little alcohol in your blend = rapid spoilage
• Boiling your decoction = destroyed bioactive compounds
• Inaccurate labeling = confusion or misuse
• Rushing the process = less potent results

And patience and carefulness helps make strong, good tinctures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should DIY mushroom tinctures taste like?
They often have a strong, earthy, and slightly bitter flavor. Mixing them into coffee, tea, or a morning smoothie can improve palatability without sacrificing potency.

Can I use mushrooms from my indoor grow kit, like Zombie Mushrooms?
Yes! As long as they are fully dried, mushrooms from grow kits are excellent for tincture crafting.

How much tincture should I take daily?
A typical starting dose is 1–2 ml/day (1–2 dropperfuls). Monitor your body's response and consult your healthcare provider for specific conditions.

How do I determine the right ratio of mushroom to liquid?
Start with the 1:5 ratio — 1g dried mushroom per 5ml liquid. And this gives you a good amount of tincture. You can also use this ratio for bigger batches.

The Added Value for Mushroom Growers

So, if you already grow your own mushrooms, making tinctures is a great extra step:

• Converts your fresh harvest into shelf-stable wellness products
• Reduces spoilage during abundant flushes
• Expands your medicinal toolkit
• Creates gift or sellable options in cottage industries

And with grow-your-own options like Zombie Mushrooms, it makes sense to start making tinctures. It's a simple step to turn your mushrooms into things that help people feel better.

---

Making your own mushroom tincture brings back old ways of using herbs. It mixes that with what we know today. And the process is a bit like science and a bit like art. You need to be exact in how you get the compounds out, but you also use your feel for plants. So whether you want to help your immune system, think more clearly, or just learn about mushrooms, making your own tincture is a step into caring for your health in a more simple way.