What Is Mushroom Coffee?

What Is Mushroom Coffee?

Mushroom coffee came about as a way to blend two worlds: the familiar daily ritual of coffee and the centuries-old use of functional mushrooms for wellness. While coffee gives people the boost they crave, it also comes with side effects like jitters, digestive upset, and an afternoon crash. Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga, and Cordyceps have been used in traditional medicine for focus, balance, and immune support — but most people aren’t sure how to work them into their routine. Combining them with coffee solved both problems at once.

What started as a niche experiment has become a growing trend because it’s simple: you don’t have to remember to take another capsule or tincture, you just make your morning cup. The mushrooms add compounds that help smooth out the caffeine spike, support long-term health, and even bring their own subtle flavor depth. Done well — with true extracts instead of gritty powders — mushroom coffee feels less like a fad and more like a natural upgrade to an already-beloved habit.

Mushroom coffee sounds simple: combine coffee with functional mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, or Cordyceps. But the truth is, how you combine them matters a lot. Most brands just grind up mushrooms into a powder and toss it in with coffee grounds. The result? A gritty drink that tastes off and doesn’t extract the compounds your body actually needs.

In fact, if you've ever talked to any of us here at Vesper Mushrooms, you may have a negative connotation of mushroom coffee as something that is less bio-available and less effective. We kinda harp on it a lot. So why did we come out with our Spour line of powder mushroom beverages?

Here's the thing, in few cases will a powder mushroom product be able to confer a better result than a liquid extract. So, we created Spour.

What gives?

Instead of raw powders, Spour uses freeze-dried liquid extracts. These dissolve cleanly, preserve the full spectrum of beneficial compounds, and deliver a cup that feels (and tastes) like mushroom coffee — just smarter. In this way, we are able to provide a more impactful serving of mushroom magic without compromising on experience/flavor. Though we aren't promising a more fully-realized mushroom experience when compared with our liquid extracts.

Let's dive deeper.

Why Most Mushroom Coffees Miss the Mark

• Poor solubility → Powders clump, sink, and leave sludge at the bottom of your mug.

• Weaker absorption → Raw mushroom powders aren’t easily broken down in digestion, so the benefits are limited.

• Harsh taste → Instead of smooth coffee, you get an earthy aftertaste that turns most people off after a sip or two.

How Spour Is Different

• Freeze-Dried Extracts → Start with liquid double extracts (just like our tinctures), then freeze-dry into a powder that dissolves instantly in hot water.

• Better Bioavailability → Extracts are already broken down for easy absorption, so your body actually uses the beta-glucans, triterpenes, and other active compounds.

• Flavor First → Coffee tastes like coffee, matcha like matcha, chai like chai. Almost no noticeable “mushroom” flavor — just a smoother cup with more to offer.

Try it yourself:

• Spour Coffee

• Spour Chai

• Spour Matcha

Benefits of Mushroom Coffee (When Done Right)

When you use extracts instead of raw powders, mushroom coffee can actually deliver:

• Balanced energy (Cordyceps helps with stamina without the crash).

• Cognitive support (Lion’s Mane is studied for focus and memory).

• Stress relief (Reishi’s adaptogenic properties support calm).

• Immune balance (Chaga and Turkey Tail bring antioxidant and polysaccharide support).

Mushroom Coffee vs. Regular Coffee

The Bottom Line

Mushroom coffee doesn’t have to taste like dirt or leave sludge at the bottom of your mug. The difference comes down to powder vs. extract. Spour is brewed from freeze-dried extracts, giving you the taste you love and the benefits your body can actually use.

👉 Upgrade your daily ritual with Spour Coffee or explore the full Spour Collection.