How To Make Dual-Extracted Lion's Mane Tincture

Lion's Mane tincture in a small amber glass bottle. There is a bottle of vodka in the background and a wooden tablespoon with powdered Lion's Mane mushroom in the teaspoon. A dropper with the tincture is being held in front of everything.

Nico

How To Make Dual-Extracted Lion's Mane Tincture

Lion’s Mane mushroom is known for boosting brain health and providing mental clarity. Making Lion’s Mane tincture is a great way to preserve the benefits of the mushroom and make them easy to consume.

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Prep Time 10

Infusion Time 56

Total Time 56 20

Servings: 1 bottle

Course: Tinctures for Energy

Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients

Whole Lion's Mane

1 cup Dried Lion’s Mane mushroom - look for a local source. If you cannot find any local to you, here's an organic source.
1.5 cups 80-proof or above alcohol - If you want to avoid alcohol, you can simply swap out the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. You may need to top up the alcohol after a day or so.

Powdered Lion's Mane

1/3 cup Powdered Lion’s Mane mushroom - look for a local source. If you cannot find any local to you, here's an organic source.
1 cup 80-proof or above alcohol - If you want to avoid alcohol, you can simply swap out the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. You may need to top up the alcohol after a day or so.

Equipment

An airtight container with a lid - I use these
Small amber glass bottles with dropper tops - I use these ones
Coffee filter, cheesecloth, or a french press - I like this unbleached cheesecloth
A small funnel
A saucepan or crockpot with lid
A coffee grinder or knife - if your mushroom is whole

Method

Step 1: alcohol-extraction

If you’re using foraged Lion’s Mane, make sure it’s dried and in slices. I like to use slices that are about ¼ inch long.
Add your Lion’s Mane powder or slices to a clean glass jar.
Cover the mushroom in alcohol. You want everything to be completely submerged below the alcohol.
Add a piece of parchment paper on top of the jar, between the alcohol and your plastic or metal lid.
Date and label the jar and set it in a cool, dark place like a pantry for 8 weeks. I like to leave it for the full 8 weeks to help make sure that the tincture is full of alcohol-soluble constituents.

Step 2: hot-water extraction

After 8 weeks, use cheesecloth, a mesh strainer, or a coffee filter to strain off the tincture. If you used powdered Lion’s Mane, definitely use a coffee filter to get a clean strain.
Set the alcohol tincture aside and add the same mushroom solids that were in the alcohol tincture into a small saucepan.
Cover the mushrooms with 3 cups of water.
On a stovetop or in a crockpot, gently heat the mushrooms until ½ of the water has evaporated. You want to avoid simmering or boiling the water - the goal is to gently warm it to facilitate the extraction. A crockpot is ideal for this because you can control the temperature more precisely and steep the mushrooms for longer (which will help extract the water-soluble polysaccharides).
Once half of the water has evaporated, strain off the mushroom solids.

Step 3: combine

Combine the alcohol tincture with the hot water extraction. Stir it together with a spoon and use a funnel to add your homemade tincture to a tincture bottle or clean glass jar. You can use a ratio of 1:1, but my preferred ratio is 3:1, three parts alcohol tincture to 1 part water extraction.

Video

Notes

How much to take

I tend to start with 1 dropper and slowly work up to 2 per day. I like to take it in the morning to help with focus throughout the afternoon. Listen to your body and consult a qualified healthcare provider.

How long does it last

This tincture, due to its water content, is best used within 1 year. Store in a cool, dark place and do your best to strain off all of the mushrooms from the tincture to prevent spoilage.

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