Birch Boys Tea FAQ


How to Brew Chaga Tea - Chunks, Loose and Tea Bags

How To Brew Wild Chaga Tea Bags

  1. Bring one cup (8 oz) of water to boil in a metal, glass or ceramic stovetop safe dish.
  2. Add the tea bag and steep covered for at least 5 minutes. For a richer brew, steep or simmer for at 15 minutes.
  3. Enjoy 1-3 cups per day.

How To Brew Loose Chaga Tea

  1. Use 2 tsp of loose chaga tea in a reusable muslin tea bag per 1 cup of water.
  2. Steep until a rich black color develops, around 15 minutes.
  3. Serve
  4. Enjoy 1-3 cups per day. Do not consume leftover Chaga pulp.

How to Brew Reishi Tea

How To Brew Wild Reishi Tea Bags

  1. Use 1 tea bag per cup (8oz) of water. In a stove-top safe, metal, ceramic, or glass dish. Add your water and one Birch Boys Wild Reishi Tea bag.
  2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and steep for 15 minutes.
  3. Serve and enjoy 1 cup per day.

How To Brew Turkey Tail Tea

How To Brew Turkey Tail Tea

  1. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Use one heaping tablespoon of Ground Turkey Tail per 8 fl oz of water. If desired, use a reusable muslin tea bag to avoid mess.
  3. Pour boiling water over Turkey Tail.
  4. Steep for a minimum of 15 minutes, covered.
  5. Enjoy!

Is It Okay To Boil Chaga?

There is a lot of controversy about this in the fungi-world. The short answer is that it's best to brew chaga at a simmer. However, please do not dispose of chaga tea that has boiled, it is perfectly usable and healthy. While boiling can degrade some of the healing constituents of chaga, many beneficial constituents remain. If your chaga tea boils, don't fret! Drink it down/use it up, and be more careful of the temperature next time you brew.

Our recommendation is to brew chaga the way you feel most comfortable. The crock pot method or a gentle simmer for 15 minutes works very well for most people. If you'd like to be extra cautious, you can use a thermometer to ensure that your brew remains below 178 degrees F. If you would rather not have to worry about it at all, then try our ChagaNOW!

How do we brew our chaga at the shop? We brew at 178 degrees (F) to preserve ALL of the constituents in our chaga. If your chaga tea has been boiled. It's still usable, beneficial and worth drinking. Check our Garrett's thoughts on the matter by playing the video below. This video is regarding the hot-water portion of our Lion's Mane Tincture, but the logic applies to chaga tea as well. Click to watch the full Lion's Mane Brewing Video.

What Does Chaga Tea Taste Like?

What Does Chaga Tea Taste Like?

Each person's tastebuds are unique. To the overwhelming majority of people, chaga tea has an earthy and sweet flavor. For some people, chaga tea tastes like nothing at all, or like water.

There are also those who say that chaga tastes like dirt. In truth, high quality chaga will not taste like dirt. If it "tasted like dirt," it may be that it was picked from a dead or fallen tree. Click to read more about the top ten chaga misconceptions.

Can I Add Chaga to Coffee?

Coffee Beans and Chaga Chunks

Can Chaga Tea Be Added To Coffee?

Yes, chaga tea can be added to coffee in a myriad of ways. Here's how!

  1. Brew tea from chaga chunks, wild chaga tea bags, or loose chaga tea and use that chaga tea in place of water when you make your coffee.
  2. Use our super easy wild chaga extract powder, ChagaNOW, and add a scoop to your coffee for a super-boosted morning beverage.
  3. Add 4mL of Birch Boys Chaga Tincture to your coffee.

How Much Chaga Tea Can I Drink Per Day?

Woman holds a custom mushroom mug full of jet black chaga tea

How Much Chaga Tea Per Day?

You can drink up to three 8oz glasses of chaga tea per day. There are recommended serving sizes on all of our products.  

Be responsible with your chaga consumption, you know what they say about too much of a good thing!

Click the link to learn all about chaga's warnings, side effects, interactions and more. 

 

Can I Drink Chaga Tea Iced?

Can I Make Iced Chaga Tea?

Yes! Chaga tea is fantastic iced. Keeping iced chaga tea in the fridge is a great way to make it even easier to get your chaga in. Try this delicious Chaga Thai Iced Tea Recipe.

Chaga Tea will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, but is best if consumed within one week.

Are Birch Boys Teas Gluten Free?

 

Yes! All of our products are gluten-free.

 

Are Birch Boys Teas Vegan?

 

Yes! Birch Boys Teas are vegan. All of our products, except for the skin cream (which contains beeswax,) are vegan.

 

How Long Will Chaga Tea Keep In The Fridge?

Iced Chaga Tea overlooking a lake next to a conk of Chaga

How Long Will Chaga Keep In The Fridge?

Chaga Tea can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks, although it is best if consumed within one week. You can also freeze chaga tea for extended use. I enjoy making chaga tea ice cubes to add to beverages and iced coffee.

Can You Brew Chaga In An Instant Pot?

Many Conks of Chaga being prepper for the drying process

Can You Brew Chaga In An Instant Pot?

In MOST locations, the answer is no. You cannot brew chaga in an instant pot. At average elevations, pressure cookers and instant pots do not get hot nor pressurized enough to brew chaga effectively. Brewing chaga in an instant pot would result in an incredibly weak brew, that doesn't contain the benefits of chaga.

The only places that an Instant Pot would work to brew Chaga is in Chile, China and Afghanistan due to their specific elevations and even then, I would still recommend the tried and true methods of crock pot or stovetop brewing.

How To Store Unused Chaga Chunks?

How To Store UNUSED Chaga Chunks

To store unused chaga chunks, just keep them in the bag that we shipped them to you in, and store in a cool, dry location. You can also repackage them into a jar or container of your liking.

How To Store Used Chaga Chunks?

How To Store USED Chaga Chunks

To store used chaga chunks, package them in a plastic or reusable bag, and store them in the freezer until you are ready to reuse them.

How To Dispose Of Chaga Chunks?

Chaga Chunk being used as tinder or firestarter

How To Dispose Of Chaga Chunks

Please don't throw your chaga chunks in the trash! Spent chaga chunks can be used for a myriad of things.

  • You can dry them out and use them as tinder/kindling when building a fire.
  • You can compost them in at-home or commercial compost.
  • You can toss them in your yard, or bury them near a plant that you'd like to boost.

How Many Times Can A Chaga Chunk Be Reused?

Two Chaga chunks on a wooden table

How Many Times Can A Chunk Be Reused?

As a natural material, each chaga chunk will have a slightly varying lifespan as it pertains to reuse. In general most chaga chunks can be used 2-4 times before becoming spent.

You'll know if your chaga chunk is spent because it will no longer darken the water when brewed.

Make sure to freeze chaga chunks after the first use so that you can get the most out of your chunks!

Can I Eat The Leftover Chaga Pulp/Chaga Chunk?

Chaga Chunks in a rectangular bin

Can I Eat Raw Chaga?

No, raw chaga as well as leftover chaga chunks/pulp/particulate is not suitable for ingestion. Consuming chaga in this manner has resulted in 3 instances of severe, adverse effects. 

Chaga is very hard, so eating a chunk would not be easy. Because of this hardness, ingesting ground chaga is very harsh on the mouth and gut. Eating raw chaga can lead to kidney issues. Read more about Chaga's Warnings here.

Think about it like bone broth, you drink the healing broth - you don't eat the hard, inedible bone!

ChagaNOW VS Chaga Tea VS Chaga Tincture

ChagaNOW VS Chaga Tincture

ChagaNOW and Chaga Tincture are made from the same fungus, but are very different products. ChagaNOW is a single extract powder (powdered hot water extract). Chaga Tincture is a liquid dual-extract (hot water and alcohol extraction.)

ChagaNOW gives your body access to antioxidants (including fungal melanin), polysaccharides and polyphenols.

Chaga Tincture gives your body access to antioxidants, polysaccharides, polyphenols. triterpenes, sterols, lignin and more! Chaga Tincture offers the more complex benefits of chaga.

Double or dual extracts are the best, most bioavailable way to consume fungi, click to read more about chaga tea vs chaga tincture or the purpose of alcohol in our tinctures. 

Can I Add More Ingredients To Chaga Tea?

Can I Add Other Ingredients To Chaga?

Yes! Chaga pairs well with many ingredients, both from a medicinal perspective as well as a flavor perspective. You can pair chaga with almost anything, but here's a few pairings that are absolutely sublime,

Our Chaga Spiced Cider is stunningly delicious! Click to check out all of our recipes!

How Do I Clean A Reusable Muslin Tea Bag?

How To Clean A Reusable Tea Bag

To clean your reusable muslin tea bag, just follow these simple steps

  1. After brewing, turn your resuable tea bag inside out and compost/discard leftover pulp.
  2. Rinse well with water
  3. Set to dry completely
  4. Every 2-3 uses, or if you brewed in dairy or a dairy alternative, use a drop of dish soap and rinse as usual.

Birch Boys Tincture FAQ

 

We have an entire page dedicated to everything you could want to know about our tinctures. Click the button below to check out the FAQ section.

 



Birch Boys Chaga Skin Care FAQ


Is Chaga Skin Cream Vegan? Is the Chaga Lip Balm Vegan?

Bees Wax pearls in a wooden bowl with a wooden scoop

Is Chaga Skin Cream Vegan?

No, Chaga Skin Cream is our only non-vegan product. Because there is beeswax in the formula, our skin cream is not considered vegan.

Is Chaga Lip Balm Vegan?

Yes, our Chaga Lip Balm is vegan.

Is The Chaga Skin Cream Cruelty-Free?

happy rabbit in outdoor hutch

Are Chaga Skincare Products
Cruelty-Free?

Yes, our Chaga Skin Cream and Lip Balm are cruelty-free and are not tested on animals.

Our skin cream is made for us (using our chaga) by the Adirondack Fragrance Farm, a local artisanal body care and soap maker, who uses the finest wildcrafted ingredients from the Adirondacks and beyond.

Why Can't I Get The Pump To Work?

Why Can't I Get The Pump To Work?

The pump of our Chaga Skin Cream works, rest assured.

On occasion there are those who have a hard time opening their Chaga Skin Cream. We advise holding the part circled in white in the image to the left, and turning the pump (in the direction specified on the pump,) while gently pressing down.

If you're still having trouble, have someone else try it! If all else fails, check out this video.

Why Can’t I Get The Last Bit Out Of The Bottom?

Why Can't I Get The Last Bit Out?

To get every last drop of skin cream, you can use a standard size plastic bottle top (half and half, soda, water, etc) and use it to replace the pump top. Then just set it upside down for a few minutes and the remainder will be available for you to use easily. If you choose to leave it upside down overnight, ENSURE that it is a tight fit, not all caps fit perfectly.

The fact that it's tricky to get the last little bit of cream is a flaw of all pump bottles. With a longer tube, bottles would not be able to efficiently pull up the cream. When we originally got this feedback, we switched the packaging to a jar. The jar caused more issues than it solved unfortunately, which is why we're sticking with the pump bottle going forward. Besides, the pump bottle is a fan favorite!

Can I Return or Exchange The Chaga Skin Cream?

Skin Cream Returns/Exchanges

Due to the costly nature of shipping liquid inside of glass, we only accept Chaga Skin Cream returns/exchanges when the purchaser covers the cost of the return shipment. We do not refund the initial shipping cost of the skin cream, but we will refund the value of the skin cream minus the initial cost of shipping the skin cream.

For this reason, we strongly urge you to double check that you have chosen your preffered skin cream scent before completing your order.

If you need to return or exchange the Chaga Skin Cream, please reach out within one week of receipt, and we'll instruct you on how to pack and ship it back to us.



Birch Boys Account/Website FAQ


Why Can't I Login To My Birch Boys Account?

 

This issue comes up every now and again. Users will get a message stating, "No account associated with this email address," even though they have made a purchase before. This is because the first time that you purchased, you checked out as a guest or using quick-checkout. Meaning that you didn't set a password for your account. This is an easy fix! Just send an email to kaitlin@birchboys.com and we'll send you an email that allows you to set a password for your Birch Boys account. You can also give us a call to place your order and get the account password set up. We're here for you!

 

Is There A Discount For My First Order?

 

There is no first order discount. However, if you sign up for our emails by clicking here you will get a 25% off code delivered to your email. You can also click here to see our ongoing deals and bundles.

 

Why Isn't My Coupon Working?

 

There are a few reasons that could explain why your coupon is not working.

 

  • Your coupon may be expired
  • Your coupon may not be applicable to your order.
  • Coupons do not work on subscription (recurring) orders.
  • Our website has limitations when it comes to combining coupons. Certain coupons may not be eligible for combination, but some are and the website prevents them from working together. In any case, give us a call and we'll help you get the best deal available.

 

Feel free to give us a call at 518-299-9620 (9am-5pm EST. M-F). We can place your order over the phone and ensure that you get the best deal on offer. If you have placed an order outside of our business hours, we may be able to apply the coupon post-order for you. This is not always the case, but email us using our contact form and we'll let you know what we can do for you.

 

What Coupons/Discounts Are Available Right Now?

I Signed Up For Emails But Did Not Recieve My Coupon

 

This happens every now and again. Make sure to check your spam folder. If you still don't see it, you can email kaitlin@birchboys.com or use our contact form for assistance.

 

Does Birch Boys Offer A Military Discount?

 

Yes, we offer a 15% discount to active duty, veterans and their families. Click here to apply.

 

How Much Does Shipping Cost?

 

Orders ship for free in the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii. International orders are subject to shipping charges. Click here to learn more about our shipping policy.

 

Does Birch Boys Ship Internationally?

 

Yes! We can ship internationally. International orders are subject to shipping charges and may be subject to import fees and/or duty. You'll see your shipping options at checkout. Click here to read our shipping policy.

 

Should I Recycle Bottles/Jars Through Birch Boys Or My Local Recycling Program?

 

If you use our recycling program, your jars or bottles and droppers will be commercially cleaned and reused in future batches of our products.

If you recycle them yourself through your local recycling program, the glass will be melted down to make new glass.

The choice is up to you. What's important is that you recycle them rather than throwing them away.

 Click here to read about our free recycling program for ChagaNOW jars and Mushroom Tincture bottles/droppers.

 



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Wild-Harvested and Sustainably Sourced

Our Chaga, Reishi and Turkey Tail are all sustainably wild-harvested in the Adirondacks of New York State. We source our Lion's Mane and Maitake from organic growers in the USA.

Made in USA

Every step of the way, from harvest to drying, slicing & chopping to grinding, to packaging and order fulfillment, our small (but mighty) team does it all.