Transcript: Advanced Tincture Making – Double Extracted Lion’s Mane Mushroom

About this Transcript

This is the original transcript from the video "Advanced Tincture Making: Double Extracted Lion's Mane Mushroom".

Watch the full video on Youtube.

Read our adapted Step-by-Step Guide.

Introduction

Colleen:
Hey folks, Colleen Bingham Solis here. Welcome to my YouTube channel, Herb Nerd! Useful herbal and product development information is being uploaded here all the time, so if you are new, please consider subscribing. This channel is affiliated with our online platform, HerbNerd.com—an online school for herbalism and natural product development where we are bridging the traditions, intuition, and science of herbal studies for the modern healer and apothecary. Check it out!

Today's project is making a lion's mane tincture. The reason I chose to do this is because making mushroom medicine is a little bit more complex than making a general plant-based herbal extract. Mushrooms contain both alcohol-soluble and hot-water-soluble constituents.

What Makes Lion's Mane Tincture Unique?

Lion's mane is a really wonderful plant. This is the fruiting body of lion's mane. Lion's mane's scientific binomial name is Hericium erinaceus. One of the main reasons herbal practitioners love making mushroom medicine is because of this wonderful complex polysaccharide content. Polysaccharides are extracted with hot water, which means that there is a two-step process to making this extract. There are also some really incredible neuroprotective and neurotropic constituents in lion's mane that are alcohol- or lipid-soluble, so we'll be extracting those first.

Neurotropic herbs often have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and what's so specific about lion's mane is that—well, look at it—it already looks like brains, and it's really supportive to the brain. The actions we talk about for brain health with lion's mane are that they are neuroprotective, helping to protect potentially degrading cells in the brain, and neurotropic, which is great for helping with focus and cognition.

There are many great modern studies being conducted on lion's mane, specifically with people diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and even schizophrenia. These studies show that by eating or taking an extract of lion's mane daily as a tonic, some of this cognitive degradation is actually slowing down. For those who have suffered from cognitive impairment due to these diagnoses, lion's mane has been shown to help restore some lost brain functions.

Then there's the immunomodulating piece. Like I mentioned before, the polysaccharides in this plant are wonderful for nourishing the immune system. An immunomodulator, unlike an immune stimulant, is something tonic that you can take daily. It helps to feed and strengthen your immune system, giving it the tools it needs so that when your immune system is compromised, you'll have a stronger response to invading pathogens.

Other actions include its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, although we won’t get into those as much. Another cool side note is that it’s a great vulnerary, specifically for mucous membranes and the eyes.

Why Use a Double Extraction Process?

As a medicine maker, I love a challenge, and mushroom extracts are more challenging than everyday tinctures because of the need to isolate both alcohol-soluble and hot-water-soluble constituents. We'll be doing this as a two-step process filmed over two weeks. Today, we’ll start by breaking down our plant material, adding it to alcohol, and extracting the alcohol-soluble constituents. This will take about two weeks. Then we’ll strain the plant material and simmer it in water to extract the polysaccharides. Let’s get started with part one!

Part 1: Alcohol Extraction

So here we have fresh lion's mane. I grew this from a kit that I got from this really cool mushroom company called Nearby Naturals. This was just my first growth! I got the kit, sprayed it with water every day, cut some holes, and the mycelium blossomed into these beautiful fruiting bodies.

The mycelium is what grows underground—it’s basically the root system of the plant. This is the fruiting body, the reproductive organ that releases the spores of the mushroom so it can reproduce. This is what we generally eat. Lion's mane has been traditionally eaten for centuries. It's a super nutritive mushroom that tastes great. If you can get your hands on fresh lion's mane, I highly recommend trying it out in cuisine as well as for making extracts.

Preparing the Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Because we’re using fresh material, we’re working with a ratio of 1:2. First, we’ll weigh our plant material to determine the 1-part ratio. Then, we’ll multiply that by 2 to calculate the amount of alcohol needed for extraction. High-proof alcohol is essential when working with fresh mushrooms because of their high water content, which dilutes the menstruum (the solvent). When we revisit this extract in two weeks to make the decoction, we’ll add the hot water back into the extract. So, starting with a strong alcohol content is key.

Weighing the Ingredients and Calculating Ratios

Let’s weigh our mushrooms.
My total weight is 580 grams—580 grams of mushrooms. Multiplying by two gives us 1,160 milliliters of alcohol. I’ve already measured that out and filled it to the top. Now comes the fun part: processing the mushrooms.

Grinding and Processing the Mushrooms

I like to break things down as much as possible. I’ll start by chopping the mushrooms and then grinding them in my Vitamix with the alcohol solvent. The more we break down the cell walls of the plant, the better the alcohol solvent can penetrate and extract the constituents.
Alright, it’s smelling pretty shroomy in here—it’s kind of awesome! I know my Vitamix pretty well, and it can’t handle all the material at once, so I’ll be doing this in stages.

I’ve got my solvent here with the mushrooms, and I’ll grind it down even further.

Round one done! Check out this amazing slush I’ve created—this tells me I’m making good medicine.

Beautiful—super slushy.

Labeling and Recordkeeping

Okay, it just fits! Now I’ll create a label. Recordkeeping is so important when making medicine. This extract is part of a tincture formula I use for a client who is trying to prevent the onset of dementia. Good notes and a mathematical system ensure you can replicate your outcomes consistently.

This is phase one. You’ll need to shake this every day for two weeks.

We’re wrapping up phase one of making this mushroom extract. When we come back, we’ll strain it, use a hydrometer to check the final alcohol percentage (adjusted for the water content in the mushroom), and add the decocted mushroom tea to incorporate the polysaccharides. Stay with me—we’ll be right back!

Part 2: Water Extraction

Colleen:
Alright, we’re back! It’s actually been over a month since I first extracted this mushroom tincture—mostly because I’ve been busy growing something else in the meantime. I’m seven months pregnant now! My mushroom tincture has been shaken daily, but it was shelved for a while. Now we’re back, and I’ve pressed the tincture. Let’s talk about what’s next.

Here it is! When we started, this jar was filled with the mushroom material. It’s amazing how much volume I retained after pressing. Mushrooms are so water-rich—like humans—they’re mostly made of water. That’s part of the magic of mushrooms.

Pressing and Decocting the Mushrooms

Let’s revisit the numbers. I started with 1,160 milliliters of menstruum (95% alcohol) and 580 grams of fresh mushrooms. After pressing, the mushroom material reduced to 162 grams. All that extra weight ended up in the tincture as water volume. Using fresh plant material significantly dilutes the alcohol content, which we’ll measure next. This is crucial because it informs how much decoction we’ll add back into the tincture.

I pressed the remaining mushroom mass into flat pancakes, and it’s now simmering in a pot of water to extract those polysaccharides. It’s been simmering for over an hour, releasing a brothy, aromatic smell. I’m keeping an eye on it, maintaining a gentle simmer to avoid overheating. I also used an immersion blender to break down the pressed mushroom pancakes further, creating a thick, soupy mushroom paste. This ensures the water is saturated with the mushroom material, extracting all the polysaccharides.

While that’s decocting, let’s discuss the math. The final alcohol percentage is critical to keep polysaccharides in solution. Using a hydrometer, we’ll measure the current alcohol content and adjust accordingly.

Part 3: Calculations and Combining the Extracts

Using a Hydrometer to Measure Alcohol Content

Colleen:
We’re using a hydrometer¹ to figure out the final alcohol percentage of the tincture after it has been diluted by the water content in the mushroom. To do this, I’ll fill a 100-milliliter graduated cylinder with the tincture.
I’ll fill it to the 100-milliliter mark and then gently drop in the hydrometer. The hydrometer floats, indicating the alcohol strength.

Looking closely, the hydrometer shows 65%. That’s where it’s resting. The mushroom water has diluted the menstruum to 65%. This is a super important number because everything we do from here, including adding the decoction, depends on this percentage.

Calculating the Amount of Decoction to Add

Now that we have that crucial measurement—65% alcohol strength in the tincture—we need to determine the final alcohol content we want. If the alcohol content is too high, the polysaccharides will precipitate out of the solution, meaning they’ll settle at the bottom. While this isn’t a problem—you can just shake the tincture before use—it’s better to maintain a lower alcohol content so the polysaccharides stay in solution.

Our target is 30–35% alcohol. This range ensures enough water for the polysaccharides to remain dissolved. To figure out how much decoction to add to the tincture, we’ll use a simple dilution equation.

Here’s the equation:
(Current Alcohol Percentage ÷ Target Alcohol Percentage) × Current Volume – Current Volume = Volume of Decoction Needed

We know the following:

• Current alcohol percentage = 65%

• Target alcohol percentage = 30%

• Current tincture volume = 750 milliliters (I’m using half of the tincture we pressed for this calculation).

Plugging these numbers into the equation:
(65 ÷ 30) × 750 – 750 = Volume of Decoction Needed

First, divide: 65 ÷ 30 = 2.16666.
Next, multiply: 2.16666 × 750 = 1,624.99.
Then subtract: 1,624.99 – 750 = 875 milliliters of decoction needed.

We now know we’ll need 875 milliliters of decoction to achieve a final alcohol content of around 30%.

Combining the Alcohol Extract and Decoction

As we just calculated, I’ll need to strain the decoction to measure out 875 milliliters. Straining polysaccharides can be tricky because they’re thick and mucilaginous. This makes it harder to separate the liquid compared to the tincture.
As expected, it’s going very slowly. Polysaccharides retain moisture, so this is a much slower process than pressing the tincture. To speed things up, I’m switching to my big hydraulic press.
The hydraulic press makes a huge difference! I’m able to extract the liquid much more efficiently without risking breaking the press bag.

Now that we have the decoction ready, it’s time to combine it with the tincture. I’ll measure out 875 milliliters of decoction and mix it with the 750 milliliters of tincture.
As I combine them, you’ll notice the tincture becomes cloudy and slightly thick, which is a good sign. The polysaccharides are suspended in the liquid. If the solution were too high in alcohol, the tincture would clear up, meaning the polysaccharides are precipitating.

Using the hydrometer, I double-check the final alcohol content—it’s right at 30%! It worked perfectly because we used the proper calculations. This is why I love the science behind herbal medicine-making.

Conclusion and Final Notes

The Final Tincture: Labeling and Storing

Now I’ll transfer the tincture to a storage container. After doing the math, the total volume of our final tincture is 1,625 milliliters, or about 54 ounces. I’ll store it in a 62-ounce container to give it some extra room.

As I pour the tincture, I notice it’s thickening as it cools, creating a slightly gelatinous texture. It’s such a cool transformation!

I’ll label this batch carefully, noting the alcohol percentage, the plant-to-solvent ratio, and the date. Good recordkeeping ensures that I can replicate this process consistently in the future.

Tips for Using Lion’s Mane Tincture

One last note: because of its thickness, this tincture might clog a dropper or spray bottle if you’re using it in a formula. Be mindful of this when combining it with other tinctures. If the polysaccharides precipitate out, just shake well before each use.

I’m considering bottling this tincture in half-ounce or one-ounce bottles and making it available on my website, HerbNerd.com. If you’re curious about trying it, head over to the website and check out the herb shop! Taking mushrooms daily as a tonic can be incredibly healing. Mushroom medicine has been used for centuries, and it’s a powerful testament to how we’ve co-evolved with these amazing organisms.

Power to mushrooms!

Where to Learn More: Herb Nerd Courses and Shop

Thank you so much for joining me for this how-to video on double-extracting lion’s mane mushrooms. If you have questions, leave them in the comments, and I’ll happily support you in your process. Please check out HerbNerd.com for more videos and courses, and don’t forget to subscribe to this channel.

Alright, see you next time!

End Notes:

¹Hydrometers are helpful for estimating tincture alcohol content but aren’t fully accurate. They’re designed for pure liquid solutions, but dissolved plant compounds, like polysaccharides, can increase the liquid's density, causing slightly lower readings.

To improve accuracy, use a clean, calibrated hydrometer, allow the tincture to settle, and note that the reading is an approximation. For precise results, advanced tools like gas chromatography are needed, but hydrometers work well for most herbal purposes.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using herbal products, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition. The information shared here is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

References:

Li, I. C., Lee, L. Y., Tzeng, T. T., Chen, W. P., Chen, Y. P., Shiao, Y. J., & Chen, C. C. (2018). Neurohealth Properties of Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Enriched with Erinacines. Behavioural neurology, 2018, 5802634. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5802634

Sabaratnam, V., Kah-Hui, W., Naidu, M., & David, P. R. (2013). Neuronal health – Can culinary and medicinal mushrooms help? Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 3(1), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.4103/2225-4110.106549

Wong, K.-H., & Cheung, P. C.-K. (2009). Functional ingredients from mushrooms for foods and nutraceuticals. International Journal on Medicinal Mushrooms, 11(3), 255–268. Retrieved from https://eprints.um.edu.my/8185/1/47-1-8.pdf