Mushroom coffee has gone from niche to mainstream in the UK. You'll find it in cafés, on supermarket shelves and as capsules for your coffee machine. But what actually is it, what does it taste like, and how do you make it at home? This guide covers the basics, the mushrooms most often used, and three easy ways to brew it.

A quick note: UK law only allows authorised health claims to be made about foods, so this guide sticks to what mushroom coffee is, how it tastes and how to make it.

What is mushroom coffee?

Mushroom coffee is ordinary coffee blended with a powder or extract made from edible mushrooms. It isn't made from mushrooms instead of coffee beans. It's still real coffee, usually Arabica, with a measured amount of mushroom mixed in.

The mushrooms used are not the button mushrooms you'd put in a stir-fry. They're species such as lion's mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps and turkey tail, which are dried and either milled into a fine powder or made into a concentrated extract. That powder or extract is then blended with ground coffee, packed into pods, or sold separately so you can stir it into your own cup.

What does mushroom coffee taste like?

Mostly, it tastes like coffee. In a dark roast, most people can't pick out the mushroom at all. What you may notice is a slightly earthier, rounder finish, a little like the difference between a dark chocolate and a milk chocolate.

• Lion's mane is the mildest, with a gentle, slightly sweet and savoury note.
• Chaga is smooth and woody, with hints of vanilla and cocoa.
• Cordyceps is mild and a little savoury.
• Turkey tail is earthy and subtle.
• Reishi is the most bitter of the five, which works well against a strong dark roast or with milk.

If you're new to it, start with lion's mane or chaga, and try it with a splash of milk first.

Which mushrooms are used in mushroom coffee?

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus)

A shaggy white mushroom with long, hanging spines. It's also eaten fresh in East Asian cooking, where it's prized for its tender, almost seafood-like texture. Its mild flavour makes it the most popular choice for mushroom coffee.

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Chaga isn't a typical mushroom cap. It's a dark, charcoal-like growth found on birch trees in cold northern forests. It has been brewed as a tea in Siberia and Scandinavia for generations.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

A glossy, red-brown shelf mushroom with a long history in East Asian tea culture. It's woody and bitter, so it's rarely eaten whole and is almost always used as a powder or extract.

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

A slender, bright orange mushroom. The cordyceps used in food and drink today is cultivated, rather than wild-harvested.

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

A colourful bracket fungus that grows on fallen hardwood, named for its banded, fan-shaped caps that look like a turkey's tail feathers.

For a deeper look at each one, read our guide to mushroom powders.

Mushroom powder or mushroom extract?

You'll see both on labels, and they're not the same thing:

• Mushroom powder is the whole dried mushroom, milled finely. It keeps the mushroom's fibre and has a fuller, earthier taste. It's great for stirring into coffee, smoothies, soups and baking.
• Mushroom extract is made by steeping the mushroom in hot water (sometimes alcohol too), then drying the liquid into a powder. It's more concentrated, dissolves more easily, and you use less of it.

Mushroom coffee pods usually use an extract, because it dissolves cleanly in a short brew. For stirring into your own cup, either works.

How to make mushroom coffee at home

1. Use mushroom coffee pods (easiest)

If you have a Nespresso® Original machine, this is the simplest way. Pop in a pod, choose espresso or lungo, and brew as normal. The GoMush® mushroom coffee pods combine dark roast Arabica coffee with a mushroom extract, and come in lion's mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps and turkey tail.

2. Stir a powder into your usual coffee

Brew your coffee as you normally would, whether that's a cafetière, filter or instant, then stir in half to one teaspoon of mushroom powder, or a smaller amount of extract. Stir well, or use a milk frother for a smoother finish. Our Lion's Mane mushroom powder is a good one to start with, or try a 6 mushroom blend for a mix of flavours.

3. Make a mushroom latte

1. Brew a shot of espresso, or 100ml of strong coffee.
2. Add half a teaspoon of mushroom powder or extract and whisk until smooth.
3. Froth 150ml of warm milk or oat milk and pour it over.
4. Finish with a pinch of cinnamon or cacao powder.

Prefer tea? The lavender and cinnamon matcha latte mixes work the same way. Whisk one sachet into warm milk.

Mushroom coffee pods for Nespresso® Original machines

Most mushroom coffee capsules in the UK, including GoMush®, are made for Nespresso® Original machines. Those are the classic machines with small, bullet-shaped capsules. They won't fit Vertuo machines, which use larger, dome-shaped capsules read by a barcode. If you're not sure which you have, check the capsule shape your machine takes.

Does mushroom coffee contain caffeine?

Yes. Mushroom coffee made with regular coffee contains caffeine, just like the coffee it's made from. The mushroom itself doesn't add caffeine. If you're cutting down, you can stir a mushroom powder into decaf coffee, or into hot chocolate instead.

Good to know before you try it

• Don't use it if you've ever reacted to mushrooms.
• If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, take medication or have a health condition, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
• Mushroom extracts sold as food supplements come with a recommended daily amount. Stick to it.
• Mushroom coffee isn't suitable for children because of the caffeine.

Where to buy mushroom coffee in the UK

At Natures Root you'll find two ways in:

• GoMush® mushroom coffee pods, extracts and matcha latte mixes, from our sister brand. Read more in Meet GoMush®.
• Mushroom powders in sizes from 100g, to stir into your own coffee, lattes and recipes.

Free UK delivery on orders over £50, and 30-day returns on unopened items.

Mushroom coffee FAQs

Is mushroom coffee just coffee?

It's coffee with mushroom powder or extract added. The coffee is exactly the same as regular coffee.

Can you taste the mushrooms?

Usually only slightly, as a gentle earthy note. Reishi is the most noticeable because it's naturally bitter.

Can I make mushroom coffee with instant coffee?

Yes. Make your instant coffee as usual, then stir in half a teaspoon of mushroom powder.

Do mushroom coffee pods fit Vertuo machines?

GoMush® pods fit Nespresso® Original machines only, not Vertuo.

Nespresso® is a registered trade mark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. GoMush® pods are not made by, affiliated with or endorsed by Nespresso®.