How To Preserve Magic Mushrooms

It doesn’t matter if you grew your own, or you just bought magic mushrooms online. If you want to preserve the potency you will have to learn the proper storing methods. Storing magic mushrooms in the ideal environment is far from easy. However, once you master this craft, you will be able to store your mushrooms for longer, maintaining their potency and enjoying their mystical effects.

Preservation Methods

While there are many different preservation methods that can be found on forums like Shroomery or Reddit, we decided to narrow the pick only to methods that tend to preserve the potency for the longest. Here is how to preserve magic mushrooms on your own:

Drying

If you want to preserve your mushrooms for the longest, properly drying them becomes a fundamental step towards successful storage. When you buy mushrooms online, usually the mushrooms will already be cracker dry. However, if for some reason they are squishy, and you can’t hear a crack when you snap them, they will need some additional drying. Here are a couple of ways how you can dry magic mushrooms on your own:

Use a Dehydrator Or an Oven

The food dehydrator is the best invention for drying magic mushrooms so far. Yes, you can use an over, but you need to take a couple of extra steps and precautionary measures.

When using a dehydrator, be gentle, and set up the temperature to around 35°C (95°F). Check your mushrooms every couple of hours to ensure that everything is fine. Usually it doesn’t take longer than 12 hours to completely dry your mushrooms. While there are some initial expenses, a food dehydrator is the king when it comes to drying magic mushrooms.

An oven is also an option, offering a faster drying process, but it all comes with its risks. High temperatures can degrade the potency of your mushrooms. Simply place your mushrooms on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set the oven to its lowest setting. Check them frequently, every 15-20 minutes.

Fan Drying

Using a fan is a straightforward approach that’s much more budget-friendly than buying a food dehydrator, for instance. Arrange your mushrooms on a wire rack and position a fan so that it blows directly over them. You’ll need several days to get them completely dry. However, since this method doesn’t require any heat, it’s gentle and doesn’t carry a risk of potency loss.

Air Drying

Air drying is a simple, natural technique of drying mushrooms, although it’s much slower than the methods mentioned above. Place your mushrooms on a wire rack in a comfortably warm space with a humidity range of 55-65%. Make sure that they’re not exposed to direct sunlight, as it can lead to the degradation of psilocybin.

Freezing

When it comes to preserving your magic mushrooms, freezing requires precision. There are two fundamental practices to keep in mind: partial or full dehydration before freezing.

Water constitutes a significant portion, up to 90%, of a magic mushroom’s mass. When frozen, it transforms into crystallized ice. This process affects the mushrooms’ structure, relying on ice crystals rather than their natural cellular makeup for preservation. However, this expansion during crystallization can be detrimental. It damages cells, resulting in a loss of alkaloids, ultimately diminishing the potency of your magic mushrooms.

For optimal preservation, never rush the process by freezing fresh fruit bodies. The key lies in the swiftness and depth of freezing to minimize ice crystal formation within the mushrooms. This way, you’ll effectively safeguard their cellular structure. If your magic mushrooms are thoroughly dried and transformed into powder, you can bypass the concerns of crystallization altogether.

Remember, precision is the key when freezing. An incorrect approach might jeopardize the quality of your shrooms.

Mushroom Honey

Turning mushrooms into psilocybin-infused honey offers a range of compelling benefits. First and foremost, the infusion process makes the consumption far more versatile and pleasurable. You can put your honey in the tea, spread it on a piece of bread, or just eat it directly with a spoon. It can also be a game-changer for those who find the taste of mushrooms challenging.

Furthermore, honey serves as a natural preservative, enabling you to store psilocybin for extended periods without sacrificing potency. This makes it an eminently practical choice for those who want to store their shrooms for longer periods of time.

How To Make Mushroom Honey

Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting your mushroom honey:

• Preparation: To kick things off, bring out your trusty scale and measure out your mushrooms. Break them down into the tiniest morsels you can manage. If they happen to be completely dried, consider grinding them into powder.
• Blend with Honey: Combine the mushrooms with honey in a jar. Shoot for a ratio of roughly 1 gram of dried mushrooms for every tablespoon of honey. Of course, feel free to tweak this ratio to hit your desired potency. Remember, precision here is vital. An inaccurate measure can lead to a blend that’s either too mild or overly strong.
• Straining the Honey (Optional): After the infusion period, you have the option to strain the honey. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can strain the honey to bid farewell to any lingering mushroom particles. A cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer will do the job. However, some, myself included, opt to keep those mushroom bits in the mix for maximum punch.
• Store: Keep the honey in a cool and dark place for up to 18 months.

What To Avoid When Storing Magic Mushrooms

Improper storage can also be a potency killer, in some cases, you may even lose a whole batch of magic mushrooms due to the contamination and spoilage. Here are some tips on what to avoid when storing magic mushroom:

Too Much Moisture and Humidity

Excessive moisture and humidity are two of the most important considerations. Magic mushrooms are susceptible to mold growth when exposed to moisture, which can reduce their potency or render them useless. It is essential to completely dry the mushrooms before storing them. It is advisable to use sealed containers containing moisture-absorbing materials such as silica gel.

Temperature and Humidity

Storing magic mushrooms in environments with fluctuating temperature and humidity levels can result in a decrease in potency. Sudden variations in these conditions can lead to the accumulation of moisture within the container or contribute to the growth of mold.

Avoid Direct Sunlight

Direct daylight and high temperatures can quickly degrade the potency of magic mushrooms. Sunlight’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage the active components of mushrooms. Therefore, it is vital to keep them sheltered from both sunlight and heat. Steer away from placing them near heat-emitting sources like ovens, radiators, or furnaces.

Minimizing Air Exposure

Oxidation poses a threat to all consumable items. To extend the shelf life, manufacturers incorporate various antioxidants into their products. While magic mushrooms aren’t technically classified as food, they share similar susceptibilities to oxidation. Prolonged exposure to air can lead to a reduction in potency and a shorter shelf life. To counteract this, opt for airtight containers with reliable rubber seals.

Conclusion

We have covered some of the best practices for preserving magic mushrooms, ensuring that their potency doesn’t degrade as time passes by. Always use airtight containers to shield them from excess air. Also, keep them dry at all costs.

Maintain a cool temperature and avoid exposing them to direct sunlight. Label your containers so that you can stay clear of any potential mix-ups.

With these steadfast practices in place, you’re setting the stage for a future filled with fresh, potent magic mushrooms. Your attention to detail in storage will surely pay off!