How to Make Reishi Tea: Method, Taste & Formats

Reishi tea is the oldest way humans have taken the reishi mushroom, and it could hardly be simpler: dried slices of Ganoderma lucidum simmered gently in water until the liquid turns amber-brown and properly, unapologetically bitter. In China, where reishi is called lingzhi, it has been brewed this way for well over a thousand years; in Japan it is known as mannentake. You cannot really eat reishi — the fruiting body is woody, like a piece of polished bark — so a long simmer has always been the traditional route.

This guide covers how to make reishi tea from dried slices and from powder, what it actually tastes like (be warned), the flavour pairings that soften it, and an honest look at when a modern format — a reishi mushroom supplement in capsule form, or a dual-extracted tincture — makes more practical sense than the teapot.

A very old drink: reishi in China and Japan

Reishi turns up in Chinese herbal texts going back centuries, most famously in the Shennong Bencao Jing, where lingzhi was placed in the highest class of herbs. Folklore gave it the extravagant nickname "the mushroom of immortality" — and folklore is exactly what that is, a poetic label from a time when a rare, glossy, red-lacquered mushroom found on old plum trees seemed touched by magic. Reishi appears in classical Chinese art, on robes and carvings, as a symbol of good fortune and long life. None of that is a modern health claim; it is simply the cultural backdrop that explains why people have been simmering this odd, shiny fungus for so long, and why the evening pot of reishi tea remains a quiet ritual in many households today.

Why reishi is brewed rather than eaten

Pick up a piece of dried reishi and the reason becomes obvious. The fruiting body is hard, dense and corky — closer to wood than to anything you would sauté. Chewing it is out of the question. Its interesting compounds are locked inside tough cell walls, and the traditional solution is time and heat: a long simmer in water. That is also, incidentally, the logic behind modern hot-water and dual extraction — the same principle as the teapot, done under controlled conditions.

What does reishi tea taste like? Honestly: bitter

Let's set expectations properly. Reishi tea is bitter — genuinely, persistently bitter, in the way of strong dark chocolate, dandelion coffee or a well-hopped beer. There is an earthy, woody depth underneath and a slightly sweet edge on some batches, but bitterness leads. Some people grow to love it and find the bitterness part of the ritual; others never do, and that is fine. If you are new to it, start with a shorter simmer and fewer slices, and lean on the pairings below.

How to make reishi tea from dried slices

The traditional method is a slow simmer, known as a decoction. Here is the version most home brewers settle on.

3–5 dried reishi slices (roughly 5g)
1 litre of water
Optional: a few slices of fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, or honey to finish

Add the reishi slices and water to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce to the barest simmer, partially cover, and let it bubble quietly for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Longer simmers make a darker, stronger, more bitter brew — commonly, people start around 30–45 minutes and work up.
Top up with a splash of water if it reduces too far; you want to end with roughly 750ml.
Strain into a jug or teapot. Add honey, ginger or other pairings to taste.
Drink a mugful warm and refrigerate the rest — it keeps for around three days, and reheats gently without complaint.

Making reishi tea from powder, and softening the bitterness

Ground reishi powder is quicker. Simmer one to two teaspoons in a mugful of water for 10–15 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve or simply let the sediment settle before drinking. Powder gives a cloudier, more rustic cup than sliced reishi, but the flavour is much the same.

Whichever you use, a few pairings tame the bitterness well:

Honey — the classic partner; a teaspoon rounds off the sharpest edges.
Fresh ginger — its warmth sits naturally alongside reishi's woodiness.
Cacao — bitter-on-bitter sounds odd but works; a spoon of cacao and a splash of oat milk turns reishi tea into a passable evening "hot chocolate".
Cinnamon or liquorice root — both add natural sweetness to the simmer itself.

Reishi tea vs capsules and tinctures: a reality check

Here is the honest trade-off. A simmered tea is a lovely ritual, but its strength varies pot to pot — it depends on your slices, your simmer time, your water and how far it reduced. One evening's brew is not the same as the next, and there is no label telling you what you got. It is also, unavoidably, bitter.

Modern formats exist to solve exactly that. Our reishi capsules use 100% fruiting bodies at a 10:1 extraction, so every two-capsule serving contains a consistent 1,000mg of extract — the equivalent of 10,000mg of raw mushroom — in a vegan HPMC shell, with no bitterness to negotiate. The dual-extracted reishi tincture covers both water- and alcohol-soluble compounds in a 30ml dropper bottle you can add to any drink. Neither replaces the pleasure of the ritual; they replace the guesswork. Many people happily do both — the teapot at the weekend, a labelled serving on busy days. If you are weighing up formats more broadly, our reishi mushroom UK guide goes deeper.

Buying reishi in any format: what to check

Whether you are buying dried slices for tea or a reishi mushroom supplement, the same quality checks apply:

Species named in full — look for Ganoderma lucidum on the label, not just "reishi blend".
Fruiting body, not mycelium on grain — the mushroom itself, not the root-like network grown through rice or oats, which dilutes the product with starch.
Extraction stated — for capsules and tinctures, the ratio (such as 10:1) and the serving in milligrams should be on the label.
Batch testing you can actually see — every batch we sell has a published certificate on our Certificates of Analysis page; any good supplier should offer the same.
Provenance — ours is cultivated in Finland and extracted and bottled by our small team in Sheffield. Wherever you buy, a supplier should be able to tell you where their mushrooms grew.

You can browse everything we make with this mushroom in our reishi collection.

Reishi tea FAQ

What does reishi tea taste like?

Bitter first, with woody, earthy depth behind it — think strong dark chocolate or dandelion root coffee rather than a mellow herbal tea. Honey, ginger and cacao are the usual softeners.

When do people drink reishi tea?

Traditionally in the evening. In both Chinese and Japanese custom, reishi has long been a wind-down brew — a slow, warm, bitter cup at the end of the day rather than a morning drink. There is no rule, though; drink it whenever the ritual suits you.

Can I reuse reishi slices?

Yes. Dried slices are dense enough to stand two or even three simmers. Later brews come out lighter in colour and flavour, so many people give the second batch a longer simmer, then compost the spent slices.

This article is for general information only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical care, speak to your GP or pharmacist before adding any supplement to your routine.