How Dual Extraction Works

Not all mushroom extracts are created equal.

When you look at a bottle of Lion’s Mane or Cordyceps tincture, you might assume it contains everything that mushroom has to offer — but unless it's dual-extracted, you're probably missing half the benefits.

At Arbor Spring Farms, we dual-extract every batch of our mushrooms. Here’s what that means, why it matters, and how it unlocks the full potential of each fruiting body we grow.

🧪 What Is Dual Extraction?

Dual extraction is a two-step process that uses both hot water and alcohol to pull out all of a mushroom’s beneficial compounds.

Why two methods? Because not all compounds are soluble in the same way:

• Hot Water Extraction pulls out beta-glucans and other water-soluble polysaccharides that support immune function.

• Alcohol Extraction pulls out terpenoids, alkaloids, and other non-polar compounds — including the brain-boosting hericenones and erinacines in Lion’s Mane or the energizing cordycepin in Cordyceps.

Without both steps, you only get part of the picture — and part of the benefit.

🔬 Step 1: Hot Water Extraction (for Beta-Glucans)

This step is like brewing a super-concentrated mushroom tea.

We gently simmer our Michigan-grown, 100% fruiting bodies in water to extract:

• Beta-glucans — known to support immune health and gut function

• Polysaccharides — complex carbohydrates that help regulate immune responses

This method replicates how traditional cultures have used mushrooms for centuries — but with modern precision.

🍷 Step 2: Alcohol Extraction (for Active Compounds)

Once the water extraction is complete, we move on to an organic cane alcohol soak.

This step extracts the fat-soluble and alcohol-soluble compounds like:

• Hericenones & erinacines (Lion’s Mane) — support memory and neurogenesis

• Cordycepin (Cordyceps) — supports ATP production and energy

• Triterpenes (in many functional mushrooms) — provide antioxidant and adaptogenic effects

These compounds can’t be pulled out with water alone. Without this step, they stay locked inside the mushroom.

🧴 Step 3: Combine, Concentrate, Bottle

Once both extractions are complete, we combine them in precise ratios to ensure:

• Maximum potency

• Balanced compound profile

• Consistent quality with every drop

We then bottle it right at our Michigan facility, stamping it with a Born-On Date so you know exactly how fresh your tincture is.

🌱 Why We Do It This Way

At Arbor Spring Farms, dual extraction isn’t an upgrade — it’s the minimum standard.

Because when you take a mushroom supplement, it should work. That means:

✅ More than just beta-glucans
✅ No weak water-only infusions
✅ Real mushrooms, real benefits

We grow every mushroom ourselves and extract them within miles of the farm — no imports, no shortcuts.

🧠 The Real-World Difference

You might not taste the difference, but you’ll feel it.

Our dual-extracted tinctures are designed for daily performance — whether that’s tackling mental fatigue, sharpening focus, or fueling your workouts. With every drop, you’re getting the full spectrum of what Lion’s Mane or Cordyceps can offer.

And because our mushrooms are grown right here in Michigan, extracted in small batches, and lab-tested, you know exactly what’s in your bottle — and why it works.

📌 TL;DR — Why Dual Extraction Matters

Real mushrooms. Real science. Real results.
That’s the Arbor Spring Farms promise — and that’s why we always dual extract.