How to make a mushroom or usnea tincture (Part 2 - decoction / hot water extraction)

Hey it’s your foraging bff and this is part 2 of how to tincture mushrooms. We want to do a double extraction on turkey tail mushrooms, yesterday I showed you part 1 which was an alcohol extraction. After 4 weeks in a dark place you are ready for the hot water extraction also called decoction. Since my turkey tail has several weeks to go, I will show you the process with this unsea tincture that I started.

Step 1 is to filter and collect the alcohol. Then determine it’s approximate volume. Put the unsea or whatever you are tincturing into a pot with appromizately the same amount of water as you had of alcohol.

You are going to boil this mixture for at least 20 min, but the longer the better. You are basically making a tea. As you boil the water will evaporate so you will need to add more water to maintain the same level.

After you are done and it’s cooled, filter off the plant or fungi and keep the liquid. Then and the alcohol and water liquid together in a jar. Add a label with the date and there you go! Your own medicinal tincture.