Lion's Mane
A mushroom unlike any other.
Lion's Mane doesn't look like a mushroom. There's no cap or stem, just a cascade of soft white spines, resembling, well, a lion's mane.
Lion's Mane really is a most marvellous mushroom. Lion's mane is one of the most researched mushrooms around. And whilst we're not allowed to make any particular claims, there's plenty of research out there pointing out certain attributes.
We'll leave the science to the scientists and stick to growing it well.
Lion's Mane is incredibly rare in the UK, it can be found, if you're very lucky, growing on old hardwood trees, yet don't go grabbing any, in the UK it's rare enough to be a protected species and needs protecting.
It has been eaten and prized in East Asian kitchens for centuries. Chefs love it for its texture: pan-fried, it pulls apart like crab or lobster and makes for a fantastic steak.
Why we grow our own
Because it's rare in the wild, most Lion's Mane on sale is imported, and much of it is mycelium grown on grain rather than the mushroom itself. We wanted to know exactly what we were using, so we grow it ourselves in a converted shipping container in Hackney Wick for use in restaurants.
We keep humidity high, airflow steady and temperature even, which is harder than it sounds in a metal box in London. When a fruiting body is ready, we harvest it by hand and have full control over the process the entire way.
Fruiting body vs mycelium
The fruiting body is the part you see: the white, shaggy mushroom. Mycelium is the root-like network that grows underneath. Many supplements use mycelium grown on rice or oats, which means a good share of what's in the bottle can be grain. We use the fruiting body only, 100% of the good stuff. All thriller, no filler!
The fruiting body contains naturally occurring compounds called hericenones, which we cannot claim has any functional benefit, but scientists find very interesting!
How we make the tincture
We dry the mushrooms, then extract them three times over eight weeks: first in alcohol, then twice in hot water. Water and alcohol each draw out different compounds, so using both gives a fuller extract of the whole mushroom. It's made at a 1:4 ratio and bottled at 15% alcohol, in 50ml bottles, by hand.
What's in it
Lion's Mane fruiting body (grown by us in London), alcohol, water. Nothing else.
How to take it
1–2ml a day (about one to two full pipettes), under the tongue or in a drink. Earthy, a little savoury, unmistakably mushroom.