Dual-Extraction: How Alcohol Unlocks the Full Benefits of Mushroom Extracts

Medicinal mushrooms have become a staple in the world of holistic health — praised for their ability to support the immune system, brain, and overall vitality. But not all mushroom extracts are created equal.

If you’ve ever wondered why we use alcohol in our extracts, what “dual-extracted” means, or why it matters, this guide explains everything — from the science behind the process to how Forager’s Kingdom ensures every bottle delivers the full power of nature’s fungi.

1. What Is Dual-Extraction in Mushroom Tinctures?

Dual-extraction is the process of using both hot water and alcohol to draw out the full spectrum of beneficial compounds found in medicinal mushrooms. Research confirms that extraction solvent plays a key role in potency — for example, ethanol and hot water each extract different bioactive molecules (1)

Mushrooms have tough cell walls made of chitin, a fibrous substance that our digestive systems can’t easily break down. Inside those walls are hundreds of active compounds — but they’re not all soluble in the same way.

• Hot water extraction unlocks beta-glucans and other polysaccharides, known for their powerful immune-modulating properties.
  
  
• Alcohol extraction (typically ethanol) pulls out compounds such as triterpenoids, erinaceines, hericenones, and other alcohol-soluble compounds that support the brain, nervous system, and antioxidant activity.
  
  

By combining both methods, dual extraction ensures you capture everything the mushroom has to offer — not just part of it. The result is a full-spectrum extract with maximum bioavailability.

Inspired by Professor Kawagishi’s Discoveries

In the early 1990s, Japanese researcher Professor Hirokazu Kawagishi of Shizuoka University discovered a group of compounds called erinacines and hericenones in Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane mushroom) and used a dual extraction method with water and alcohol to unlock their cognitive potential. They were found to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) in the brain — supporting cognitive health, focus, and regeneration of neurons. (2)

At Forager’s Kingdom, our dual-extraction process replicates this same principle: using both water and alcohol to ensure these brain boosting compounds are made bioavailable. It’s how we honor science while staying rooted in traditional herbalism.

 

2. Alcohol vs. Glycerin (and Why It Matters for Mushroom Extracts)

The choice of solvent — the liquid used to pull compounds from the mushroom — makes all the difference in potency.

Alcohol: The Gold Standard

Ethanol is one of the most effective natural solvents for herbal extraction. It dissolves alcohol-soluble compounds like:

• Erinacines and hericenones (Lion’s Mane’s brain-supportive compounds)
  
  
• Triterpenoids (Reishi’s calming and liver-protective compounds)
  
  
• Sterols and phenols (Chaga’s antioxidants and cell-protective compounds)

These compounds are not water-soluble, meaning they would be left behind without alcohol extraction.

Glycerin: A Weaker Alternative

Some companies use vegetable glycerin to make “alcohol-free” tinctures. While these solvents are gentler and taste sweeter, they simply can’t extract the same range of compounds. Glycerin mainly pulls out tannins, sugars, and resins, leaving behind the most medicinal components (3).

That’s why a glycerin-based tincture might taste pleasant — but deliver only a fraction of the true mushroom benefits.

At Forager’s Kingdom, we use USDA-certified organic cane alcohol and wild spring water sourced to ensure every bottle contains the full therapeutic profile of the mushroom — nothing diluted, nothing wasted.

Does cane alcohol contain sugar? This is a question we get asked a lot! Cane alcohol is ethanol made from sugar cane. The sugar cane is fermented, a process where yeasts eat sugar and excretes ethanol. The ethanol is then distilled to separate it from the water, sugar cane and any other impurities. Keeping our extracts 100% sugar-free! 

 

3. Step-by-Step: How Forager’s Kingdom Makes Dual-Extract Mushroom Tinctures

Our process is guided by both tradition and science, crafted in small batches for consistency and potency.

Step 1: Wildcrafting or Organic Cultivation

We harvest mushrooms through sustainable wild foraging on our private land and select state forests in northeastern Pennsylvania. A few of the mushrooms used for our extracts are not in abundance to forage sustainably—Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, and Shiitake. For these extracts, we partner with local organic cultivators to reduce pressure on wild ecosystems.

Step 2: Drying

Each mushroom is gently dried at low temperatures to preserve delicate compounds. This prevents oxidation and ensures we’re working with clean, stable biomass for extraction.

Step 3: Hot Water Extraction

The dried mushrooms are boiled in spring water to draw out immune-supportive beta-glucans and polysaccharides. This step mirrors the traditional decoction method used for centuries in herbalism.

Step 4: Alcohol Extraction

After the hot-water extraction, the remaining mushroom solids are steeped in usda organic cane alcohol for several hours. This releases the alcohol-soluble compounds such as triterpenoids, hericenones, and erinacines, that water alone can’t access.

Step 5: Combining & Bottling

The two extractions are then combined, filtered, and bottled in UV-protective Miron glass to preserve potency. The result: a balanced, full-spectrum extract that reflects the complete chemistry of the mushroom. Every step is intentional — preserving the wild intelligence of the mushroom while ensuring modern-day consistency and purity.

4. Is Alcohol in Mushroom Extracts Safe?

This is one of our most common customer questions, and we’re always glad to clarify.

How Much Alcohol Is in Each Serving?

A single serving — one full squeeze of the dropper, which fills it halfway (equal to 1 mL) — of Forager’s Kingdom extract contains approximately 0.3 mL of alcohol, roughly equivalent to what’s naturally found in a ripe banana or a bottle of kombucha.

 An entire bottle contains about 15 mL of alcohol total — less than half of a standard shot — spread across 50 servings.

This nominal amount is far below what the body would recognize as an intoxicating or harmful dose and is considered completely safe for daily use. (4) The alcohol serves as a natural preservative and essential solvent, ensuring the extract stays potent and shelf-stable.

Can People Who Are Sober Use Our Extracts?

Yes. Many customers who avoid alcohol for personal or recovery reasons still use our extracts safely.

The alcohol isn’t there for taste — it’s a functional solvent that allows us to extract compounds that water alone can’t reach. We always remind our customers that you can add the extracts to your favorite beverage–hot or cold–without impacting potency if desired. 

With that being said, everyone’s relationship to sobriety is unique. If you’re in recovery or sensitive to alcohol in any form, we recommend proceeding with awareness and using your best judgment to decide what feels right for you.

 5. The Benefits of Full-Spectrum Mushroom Extracts

When both hot water and alcohol extractions are combined, the result is a complete representation of the mushroom’s therapeutic profile — often referred to as full-spectrum (5).

Adaptogenic Support for Mind and Body

• Immune modulation: Beta-glucans help regulate immune response, enhancing resilience.
  
  
• Cognitive health: Erinacines and hericenones in Lion’s Mane promote nerve growth factor (NGF), supporting focus, memory, and repair.
  
  
• Stress balance: Reishi’s triterpenoids support calm, relaxation, and adrenal health.
  
  
• Antioxidant protection: Chaga’s betulinic acid and melanin defend cells from oxidative stress.
  
  
• Energy and endurance: Cordyceps’ cordycepin supports oxygen efficiency and stamina.
  

The Forager’s Kingdom Standard

Dual-extraction isn’t just a method — it’s the key to unlocking the full potential of functional mushrooms. It honors both ancient herbal wisdom and modern scientific discovery, ensuring that every compound from immune-supportive polysaccharides to brain-nourishing erinacines makes it into your bottle.

At Forager’s Kingdom, this is more than a process — it’s a promise: pure, potent, and full-spectrum mushroom medicine, sustainably made and deeply connected to the land it comes from.

Works Cited

1. Comparison of Different Extraction Solvents for Characterization of Antioxidant Potential and Polyphenolic Composition in Boletus edulis and Cantharellus cibarius Mushrooms from Romania
2. Hericenones and erinacines: stimulators of nerve growth factor (NGF) biosynthesis in Hericium erinaceus
3. Evaluation of the efficiency of three different solvent systems to extract triterpene saponins from roots of Panax quinquefolius using high-performance liquid chromatography
4. The Genetics of Alcohol Metabolism: Role of Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Variants
5. Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials