Reishi Tincture

[Evan]

I've decided to try using some of our ganoderma tsugae in a tincture. This will be my first time, but after some reading it sounds pretty simple. Any advice from you guys who have done this before?

[eat-bolete]

Making one for the first time this year as well. Cut into small cubes while fresh, ground up a bit using coffee grinder, soaking in 100 proof alcohol right now, with enough alcohol to cover the mushrooms by about 1". Shaking the jar every few days. Will do water extract after a few months to end up with 50%/50% tincture. It's a tedious process but they sell those tinctures online for up to $25/oz, so it's definitely worth doing it yourself. And it seems like a very good year to do so, reishi is very abundant. Good luck!

[flipjargendy]

Nice! Be sure to post how things turn out.

[eat-bolete]

Ended up adding more 100 proof vodka as it is easier to shake the jars every so often, will adjust concentration later in the process. Smaller jar is from June, larger from July, you can see the difference in color. Will give them 4-5 months before moving on to the hot water extract.

[angela]

On 7/9/2017 at 1:05 PM, eat-bolete said:

Making one for the first time this year as well. Cut into small cubes while fresh, ground up a bit using coffee grinder, soaking in 100 proof alcohol right now, with enough alcohol to cover the mushrooms by about 1". Shaking the jar every few days. Will do water extract after a few months to end up with 50%/50% tincture. It's a tedious process but they sell those tinctures online for up to $25/oz, so it's definitely worth doing it yourself. And it seems like a very good year to do so, reishi is very abundant. Good luck!

I'm not sure what you mean by 50%/50% tincture.  Isn't 100 proof vodka 50% water, 50% alcohol already?

[eat-bolete]

angela, 

I see where it can be confusing.

50% alcohol (100proof vodka) / 50% heat (water) extract means I will do 2 different extract of same amounts and mix the two together.

Some elements in the mushroom can be extracted with alcohol, and some only with heat. So, after alcohol extract is done, mushrooms will be taken out and simmered in water until the amount of water is the same as of the 100 proof vodka extract. The two equal parts will be mixed and the resulting mixture will contain approximately 25% alcohol (50 proof).

[angela]

Thanks for the explanation.  It makes a lot more sense now.

[Evan]

I have finally strained my tincture after half a year. I am going to do the water extraction next. I got about a quart of alcohol tincture. The two quart jar was packed to the top with reishi once I added the alcohol so it's concentrated!

[The Vault Dweller]

As someone whose found Ganoderma tsugae often and in large amounts I've considered making this both, because hopefully it has medicinal properties and if not at least it's a neat novelty.  Last year I took multiple large shelves and tried preserving them different ways to see what works best just sitting open air (control), cutting into cubes and dehydrating, and cutting into cubes and putting it in water in an airtight container.  By now I should know which preservation method is best, but after that I have to use the best preserved to make some tea and with this years findings I'll preserve and/or make the same way.

[SarahB]

Hello:

i find some nice young Reishi in forest during a walk yesterday.

plan to harvest it to make tincture.

my question is can I put them in alcohol fresh without drying them?

thanks in advance.

 

[Rondayvous]

Personally I prefer to eat this mushroom when it is fresh. Can't imagine foregoing a delicious meal then waiting for it to get hard and going through all this chemistry to make a dubious cocktail that might have some unknowable positive effect on my health.

[Dude12o]

So, I was was wondering if there is a way to separate the alcohol from the tincture, and if so how would you do that?

[Kwilly]

I bought some Reishi tincture before, it was okay. But I still prefer fresh or dried mushrooms.