Chaga tastes and smells like tree bark–but, and that in a positive way. Once processed, the fungus has beautiful sweet undertones to it. Let’s discover the many ways to make Chaga tea taste better.
Heating expands the cell walls of the Inonotus obliquus, allowing for more nutrients to become bioavailable and produce a stronger healing potion. This means Chaga should be processed before consuming it. Both flavourful and full of medicinal value, Chaga has claimed its name the “King of Mushrooms”. Taste is often a good indicator of the mushrooms’ source and quality.
Chaga’s taste is ofter determined by its quality and origin. Healthy, fresh Chaga has somewhat of an earthy favour with slight bitterness and hints of a sweeter undertone. The mushroom infusion can be made to taste better by adding different components like spices, herbs, plant milk, and a natural sweetener to your brew.
Chaga taste
The taste of your Chaga is hugely influenced by the source and quality of the product. There are quite a few elements to keep in mind when harvesting Chaga. It is hard to analyze the quality of Chaga once it has been processed, which is why it’s important to be well informed or trust your suppliers’ integrity. Taste is one indicator to explore the nutritional value of your Chaga.
The mushroom is not supposed to taste bad. If you’ve ever had kukicha or twig tea, the Chaga flavor resonates with them.
How to make Chaga tea taste better?
Raw Chaga itself does no harm nor good for your body, but Chaga tea should be brewed with dried Chaga chunks or powder.
The length of brewing is something we recommend you experiment with, to adjust it to your taste. Just bear in mind the longer you let your tea simmer, the richer the color, taste, and potency of the Chaga fusion. Some people like to let their tea simmer over several days.
Our favorite way to prepare the tea is using around 15 grams of Chaga nuggets in 1 litre of water. Letting it simmer between 50-80 degrees Celsius, for 4 to 5 hours for a beautiful colour and taste. It’s best to keep the temperature low, to ensure keeping alive benefits of the fungi.
chagamushroom.co.uk team
If you still can’t seem to get yourself liking the flavor of Chaga tea, find different ways to consume it. Nowadays there are countless Chaga products on the market, so there’s certainly something for every taste from Chai powders to capsules and potent tinctures.
Also test out different at-home recipes, like adding Chaga to your hot chocolate or enjoying it with milk and honey. Add in different spices to your brews like a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, one to two cardamom pods, and some ginger. Take inspiration from the warm beverages you enjoy.
RELATED RECIPE: Chaga tea with honey & ginger
Early eastern Slavic populations in Europe used it to treat a variety of internal and external issues. They used the fungi for stomachaches, kidney issues, lung problems, inflammation of the joints, and treating tumors. The most common way to incorporate Chaga into your diet aside from drinking tea was by mixing the powder into broths and stews.
Things affecting the taste and value of your Chaga
Factor #1: The fungus might have been dead for some time
Chaga will only stay alive and sterile whilst the host tree is living. Meaning that once the birch tree has died, the mushroom has died along with it and will only develop fruiting bodies to start another life cycle.
The optimal time for harvesting the fungus is in spring when the birch sap has started to run. The sap contains dissolved mineral salts and nutrients, which are also absorbed by the fungus and made bioavailable for you upon consumption.
Factor #2: Your stash might be contaminated
Whether you’ve decided to harvest Chaga yourself, bought it locally, or decided to go with a supplier, the most important part of preparing the mushroom is drying it. It’s suggested to cut the harvested Chaga into small chunks, while it’s still moist, often right next to the tree. That’s because once the fungus has been removed from the birch it’ll slowly start to dry out.
The biggest problem with harvested Chaga is mould. There are two most prevalent types, of which the more common is white mould on the Sclerotium – black outer layer and a greenish-blue mould in the inner layer. Both develop with improper processing and storage. Mould and mycotoxins can make Chaga toxic, and taste bitter.
RELATED: How to dry Chaga and stay clear from mold?
To avoid health hazards caused by mould, Chaga needs to be properly dried. The process of drying Chaga isn’t complicated, just make sure not to let the temperature exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Feel free to use a dehydrator or dry them in an oven by keeping the oven door somewhat open for airflow, perhaps you’ll even find a dry, warm, well-ventilated spot to leave the Chaga to dry safely. Experiment with different tools available for you. The drying process generally takes a few days, up to weeks if dried in the sun.
Once your Chaga is dry you want to store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. When stored properly, dried Chaga can last for years.
Factor #3: You haven’t found the right Chaga recipe
Raw Chaga itself does no harm nor good for your body, but Chaga tea should be brewed with dried Chaga chunks or powder.
The length of brewing is something we recommend you experiment with, to adjust it to your taste. Just bear in mind the longer you let your tea simmer, the richer the color, taste, and potency of the Chaga fusion. Some people like to let their tea simmer over several days.
