How to Make Magic Mushroom Tinctures At Home

What are magic mushroom tinctures?

Magic mushroom tinctures, like other mushroom tinctures, are liquid-extracted doses of the active compounds found in the fruiting bodies. Tincture aficionados have different recipes and processes suited to the material and ingredients they have available, as well as the small bits of science we have on how the process might work best. In this article, we’ll consider the different types of tinctures and what you should know to have the best experience with them.

Liquids used for extraction tend to be limited to food-safe ones like alcohol (ethanol) and water, which are sometimes heated or cooled to various temperatures. Different compounds have different solubilities in these liquids, so sometimes, the liquids are combined to “pull” a wider chemical profile from the mushroom material. The various compounds may also have different shelf lives in different solutions, which may also factor into which liquids are chosen. 

READ: Psilocybe weraroa: The Hallucinogenic Pouch Fungus of Aotearoa

Some claim one benefit of tinctures is avoiding too much chitin, the structural polysaccharide that makes up mushroom cell walls, and also incidentally the bodies of insects — tincture of cricket, anyone? Chitin was serendipitously discovered by the father of LSD and identifier of psilocybin, Albert Hoffman, in 1929. For a long time, it was thought that chitin was indigestible by humans. However, we now know enzymes in the human gut can break down chitin, though this process may also trigger abdominal swelling which is probably why some originally reported the molecule’s indigestibility. So, if you get gastric issues eating mushrooms, tinctures might help avoid this.  

Tinctures can take some of the hassle out of dosing — by reducing the amount of mushrooms you’d normally need to consume into a few drops of liquid. 

Psilocybin Tinctures versus Medicinal Tinctures

In the case of magic mushroom tinctures (such as those made with fungi in the genus Psilocybe or Panaeolus), these normally contain psilocybin, psilocin, and possibly other alkaloids. Though psilocybin is one of the most well-studied psychedelics today, with proven efficacy in treatment-resistant depression and other conditions, it currently remains illegal to possess in many states and countries. Those making or consuming psilocybin tinctures do so in an underground, unregulated, and ultimately illegal market.

The contents of other so-called medicinal mushroom tinctures tend to stay on the safe side of the law. The contents of these tinctures ultimately depend on the mushrooms (or sometimes mycelium) used, which can either be from a single species or a mix of a few different ones. With each of these so-called medicinal mushrooms, the amount to which they’ve been studied in rigorous scientific research can vary considerably, so try to look beyond the health claims made on the product website and into published scientific studies before deciding whether to part with your hard-earned cash. This is especially true if you may be more sensitive to the compounds contained within the tinctures (e.g. if you’re pregnant or have allergies), or if you’re using these tinctures to treat a specific condition. In these cases, it’s always best to consult with a qualified physician.    

Though we can’t give out specific medical advice, we’ve done our best to give an up-to-date summary of the health claims around different mushrooms commonly used in these tinctures in the following articles:

ReishiTurkey TailCordyceps

Amanita Muscaria Mushroom Tinctures

Amanita muscaria is also considered to be a magic mushroom to some, and a medicinal mushroom to others—but either way it doesn’t contain psilocybin. Instead it contains a variety of bioactive compounds including the psychoactive muscimol and its neurotoxic relative, ibotenic acid. Amanita muscaria trips are known for their unpredictability, which may be due to differences in relative concentrations of compounds across different batches of mushrooms, giving rise to such markedly different trip reports.

The compounds in A. muscaria primarily interact with the brain’s GABA and NMDA receptors, and may have their effects amplified other substances that affect the same receptors—such as ketamine, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and alcohol. Though proponents of A. muscaria consumption claim the mushroom’s fatal reputation is overstated, at least one death has been linked to its consumption (though the report itself admits severe outcomes from consuming this mushroom are rare).  

Amanita muscaria, and the compounds it contains, is legal to possess in most states (except Louisiana), as well as many countries. As a result, some companies have seen Amanita infused products as a way to capitalize on the shroom boom, while staying clear of the law. In some case however, these legal A. muscaria products have been found to be laced with other illegal drugs like, psilocybin, 4-Aco-DMT and cannabinoids.  

READ: Psilocybe subaeruginosa: Australia’s Most Famous Magic Mushroom

So while A. muscaria tinctures may very well be legal in most places, those buying it in should check for those tested by independent third party labs to ensure they’re getting what they expect. Those making their own tinctures should also be aware of the variations in effects between different batches of mushrooms. When consuming A. muscaria tinctures, avoid any substances listed above which may unexpectedly increase the effect of your dose.

What to Look for When Buying Magic Mushroom Tinctures

If the legal market for A. muscaria products is rife with counterfeits and adulterants, the prognosis for the illegal psilocybin tincture market is likely no better. 

While there are no doubt many legitimate tincture makers risking jail time simply for their love of psychedelic chemistry, there are equally people who either don’t know what they’re doing, or simpy don’t care and want to make a quick buck. Unlike fresh or dried shrooms, which are somewhat able to be inspected—gummies, capsules, and tinctures are harder to pass the vibe check and are at least theoretically more likely to contain chemicals you might not want to consume (more on this later). Though home testing kits can tell you if something contains psilocybin, tests typically look for a single compound, and most can’t tell you if they contain other, more harmful substances. The best way to get around this problem is by making your own from the mushrooms you’ve sourced yourself.  

How to Make a Magic Mushroom Tincture

Dried mushrooms are perfect for magic mushroom tinctures, so whether you buy them or dry your own harvest, these will be your starting point. 

The first step is to powder your mushrooms. Much like coffee, the finer you grind your mushrooms, the more “stuff” you can pull out of it. Unlike coffee however, where fine grinds mean more bitter compounds being extracted, we want to maximize our alkaloid extraction by grinding those dry mushies into a fine dust. If you see a little wisp of shroom powder floating out of your grinder when you’ve opened it, this is a good sign.

Next we want to mix our powdered shroom-dust with an extraction liquid. Though psilocybin testing labs like Oakland Hyphae and Magic Myco typically test samples by extracting with methanol, it should be noted that methanol is highly toxic and isn’t safe for the kind of kitchen-countertop psilocybin tinctures most will be making at home. Strong alcohol is more commonly used at home, as it’s safer to consume in the quantities required in a tincture. By mixing the powdered shrooms with at least twice its weight in alcohol, you can ensure there’s enough liquid for those precious alkaloids to dissolve in.

Once you’ve let your shroom-booze slurry soak, it’s time to filter out the sludge. You might want to pass this through a sieve or muslin first to remove any large chunks, then through a coffee filter to remove the rest. What you collect on the other side of the filter is your psilocybin tincture, which you can bottle ready to use. If you’re looking to be extra precise, you can evaporate this down to a known volume for more precise dosing.

READ: Psilocybe Azurescens: This Magic Mushroom is Stronger than What You’re Used To

Kept in a brown glass dropper bottle in the freezer, the lifespan of this tincture should be weeks to months, though some have reported effects for even longer than this!

A full in depth protocol can be found in either of our books The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible and The Psilocybin Chef Cookbook, or on DoubleBlind’s Cooking With Mushrooms course, taught by the wonderful Ophelia Chong!

What is Psilocybin Extraction

Legality and Other Considerations

For psilocybin tinctures specifically, keep in mind that psilocybin and the mushrooms that contain it are illegal in most states, but possession is decriminalized in California, Colorado, Washington, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon. Globally, psilocybin containing mushrooms are legally restricted in most countries except Brazil and Jamaica. The Netherlands permits possession and consumption of psilocybin containing truffles (which can also be used to make tinctures), but the mushrooms themselves are illegal.

Risks of taking Psilocybin Tincture 

If made properly, without adulterants or toxic chemicals, the risks of psilocybin tincture consumption are broadly the same as the mushrooms they were made from—the main risks being legality and unknown potencies.

It’s worth keeping in mind that potency can vary between mushroom strains, species and even within the same homegrown batch or wild foraged patch. Even if you know how much “dried mushroom equivalent dose” is in each tincture, without a test kit you’ll never know the strength of a fresh batch until you’ve already consumed it. As always, the harm reduction principle of start low and go slow applies to tinctures.

When getting tinctures from other people ask plenty of questions. When was it made? What mushrooms were used to make it? What’s in the extraction liquid? If any of the answers you get feel sketchy, just walk away; and if anyone mentions there’s methanol in there—run!

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