The practice of consuming Amanita muscaria (the fly agaric mushroom) is centuries, if not millennia, old. Known for its red cap and white dots, it is a mushroom often depicted in art and literature.
One important aspect of amanita is that it contains no psilocybin, so it is incorrect to label it a “shroom.” The absence of the famous psychedelic substance means the mushroom is legal in most places, including every American state barring Louisiana.
Amanita muscaria tea is becoming a popular drink, long after being a staple amongst certain ancient cultures. While the fly agaric isn’t exactly psychedelic, it may have some beneficial effects, which is why so many people are keen to try it.
Tea is an enticing option for individuals seeking new ways to use amanita. When prepared properly, amanita tea can be relatively safe and taste delicious. This article shows you how easy it is to make this tasty beverage. It also discusses dosage and when you can expect to feel the onset of effects.
Although making amanita tea isn’t overly complex, not everyone wants to go through the process. Thankfully, you don’t have to because VidaCap’s Amanita muscaria gummies are one of the tastiest ways to enjoy this fabulous mushroom. Detailed lab testing means you know precisely how much muscimol is in a batch. This means you get consistent effects, allowing you to look forward to amanita’s benefits.
A Straightforward Amanita Tea Recipe
If you comb the Internet, you’ll doubtless find various ways to prepare Amanita muscaria tea. Some are highly complicated and potentially confusing. Rather than going down that route, let’s keep things simple!
Ingredients
First of all, you must purchase dried amanita caps or extract powder. Determining the precise amount of tricky, but we will discuss it further a little later on. Apart from the mushroom, you should also gather the following:
- A sieve
- A sharp knife
- Water
- A saucepan
- Herbal tea bags
- A sterilized container
While it is up to you, adding ingredients such as lemon, lavender, mint, and ginger can greatly enhance the taste.
A note on dried amanita
Ideally, you will purchase your dried amanita or extract from a reputable supplier. Otherwise, there’s a danger that the mushrooms you use contain a high degree of ibotenic acid. This particular compound has stimulating effects but is potentially neurotoxic.
You want amanita with a high level of muscimol, a compound with numerous beneficial effects. Although research is ongoing, it is potentially neuroprotective and could help with medical conditions such as seizures and neuropathic pain.
Thus, you must use a reputable seller that dries the mushrooms properly. It is essential to decarboxylate the fly agaric to convert as much of its ibotenic acid content into muscimol as possible.
This process involves drying the mushrooms to the point where they can crack easily. If you gather fresh mushrooms, you MUST decarb them before making the tea. You can use an oven or a dehydrator; ensure the temperature is set to around 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
Another option is to simmer them for up to three hours. Ultimately, your goal is to reduce the pH of the liquid to between 2.5 and 3, although you will need to buy a pH indicator.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Amanita Muscaria Tea
One of the simplest options we’ve seen involves boiling dried amanita in filtered water for 20 minutes on low heat. Pour the tea into a sterilized jar via a sieve and add lemon juice.
Here’s a slightly more complicated method using the ingredients outlined above, though it is still quite simple.
- Cut the dried amanita into small pieces; it is best not to grind it. However, this step isn’t necessary if you buy powdered mushroom extract.
- Consider what additional flavors you want to add. Perhaps you would like some lemon, mint, or ginger. Alternatively, you could choose another tea, such as green tea, to include in the mixture. Whatever you decide, prepare these accompaniments in advance.
- Heat water in the saucepan and decrease the heat to low once the water comes to a boil.
- Add the amanita and any additional ingredients you desire.
- Let the concoction steep for at least 15 minutes; some users leave it alone for 30 minutes. The longer your steep the tea, the stronger the taste. However, if you use a powder extract, it will dissolve quickly in the hot water and won’t need to be steeped for long.
- Place a sieve or another type of filter over the container you intend to use.
- Pour the liquid into the container and add any sweeteners you like at this point.
- Once the tea is cool enough to drink, it’s time to enjoy it!
Please note that using the above process may result in your amanita tea containing more ibotenic acid than you may want. You can lower the ibotenic acid content by adding citric acid or lemon juice to decrease the mixture’s pH. Continue simmering the water for between 30 and 180 minutes to bring down the ibotenic acid level as much as possible.
Amanita Muscaria Tea: How Much to Consume?
It is very tricky to determine how much amanita tea to drink. Even a recommendation on how much dried mushroom to use isn’t a great help. This is because calculating the ibotenic acid and muscimol content isn’t possible without using lab testing.
Furthermore, the amount of each compound found in Amanita muscaria varies depending on different factors. For instance, fly agaric mushrooms grown at higher altitudes tend to have higher muscimol and ibotenic acid levels than those cultivated at lower altitudes.
Remember, you must convert the mushroom’s ibotenic acid into muscimol via decarbing. Thus, a dried amanita mushroom’s muscimol content will vary from one specimen to the next.
Research indicates that between 10mg and 15mg of muscimol could be enough to cause a psychoactive effect. In theory, you could get this amount of the compound in a gram of dried amanita. In practice, you won’t know unless the product has lab testing. Also, the apparent psychoactive dose of muscimol isn’t exactly set in stone since it can vary from person to person.
So, in a nutshell, it is practically impossible to offer advice on what a low dosage, average dosage, and high dosage actually entails!
However, beginning with a small dose is always best to see how it affects you. Calculating the amount of dried mushroom per cup of amanita tea is also helpful.
For instance, if you use 20 grams of dried amanita to make 600ml of tea, you know 1 gram of mushroom is used per 30ml of liquid. Drinking a small amount of your batch initially is a sensible move.
How Long Does It Take to Feel the Tea’s Effects?
The relative lack of research into Amanita muscaria is part of the reason why it’s impossible to provide a definitive answer. Another factor is that its compounds will affect one person differently from another.
We can tell you that amanita tea acts faster than dried mushrooms or gummies. This is because the active compounds hit your system faster when consumed via a liquid than in a solid form. Some users claim they feel the effects within 30 minutes of drinking tea. For others, it could take over two hours.
A general rule of thumb is to wait at least three hours to assess how you feel before considering another dose.
How Do I Store Amanita Muscaria Tea?
This is yet another question that doesn’t have a clearcut answer! Go to online forums, and you’ll see quite a few debates on the longevity of amanita tea.
First and foremost, putting the tea in the fridge after making it is crucial. Some users suggest the drink won’t last longer than a week in cold storage. Conversely, properly storing dried mushrooms ensures they stay relatively fresh for months.
Since the tea remains drinkable for several days when left in the fridge, there’s no need to consume large amounts at once!
Although making amanita tea isn’t overly complex, not everyone wants to go through the process. Thankfully, you don’t have to because VidaCap’s Amanita muscaria gummies are one of the tastiest ways to enjoy this fabulous mushroom. Detailed lab testing means you know precisely how much muscimol is in a batch. This means you get consistent effects, allowing you to look forward to amanita’s benefits.
Final Thoughts on Making and Drinking Amanita Muscaria Tea
As far as sourcing Amanita muscaria goes, conduct thorough research to find the best sellers of dried mushrooms or powdered extract. You have the option to forage for amanita in the wild. However, only people with detailed knowledge of mushrooms should consider it.
There are thousands of mushroom species, and it isn’t always easy to differentiate between them. Choose the wrong one while foraging, and a trip to the emergency room, or worse, could await!
Once you buy amanita, creating a delicious tea is pretty easy. Once you make it, only try a small amount to gauge its effects. Store it in the fridge to keep it fresh for a few days.
