CHAGA HUNT (pt.2): Making Tea

The following is my first attempt at making Chaga tea. I heated the Chaga for about 20 minutes at a low boil (or just below boiling). This allowed the water to become dark quite quickly. The colour has hints of red like many common teas - but this is no common tea. It is tea of the birch fungus. (I suppose you have to be a little adventurous for this type of thing...) The smells and process are reminiscent of a sugar shack and boiling down sap to make maple syrup. Perhaps this is more Canadian than I originally thought.

I then transferred the Chaga with the hot water 

to the slow cooker and let it steep for about 4 hours. 

Once complete the colour was quite dark in appearance. Not unlike coffee. The taste was pleasantly surprising. I have read that it has hints of vanilla and coffee. For me the flavours have hints of maple and a subtle bitterness of a dark tea. There is a definite familiarity to the taste. 

I have now had about 10 cups of Chaga tea over the last 5 days. I have blended it with coffee at 50% which is a delicious combination. I have also tried it with both honey and agave nectar. The natural sweeteners definitely enhance the already sweet undertones - but in my opinion - the subtle beauty of the flavour can be masked by adding too much sugar. I recommend it "black". Enjoy it for its essence.