Herbal Lodge's Chaga Thunder

Bottoms Up

By Kristi Kates | May 13, 2017

The lost tradition of Native American herbal remedies are being found again, thanks to Herbal Lodge, the brainchild of Nathan Wright and Monica Cady. The purveyor, which boasts a pair of headquarters — one in Hessel, the other in Petoskey — melds natural, organic, and wild-harvested ingredients into a host of salves, teas and more.

One of its most popular products: Chaga Thunder, a wild mushroom tea harvested sustainably from mushrooms growing on wild white birch trees right here in the Midwest and up into Ontario.
        
Herbal Lodge claims that chaga is a good beverage for your health (see the long list of possible benefits and links to government studies on the company’s website). The mushrooms themselves are often referred to as a superfood, with potent antioxidants, high antimicrobial activity, and soothing properties.

But what does mushroom tea taste like, you ask? Cady and Wright contend it’s not bitter, as you might expect, but note that it’s infinitely better when sweetened with maple syrup. Many describe the flavor as earthy, warm (even when consumed cold), nutty, and with a hint of vanilla.

Read up on this interesting drink and pick up a tin for yourself ($21 for 4 ounces, which makes about 45 servings) here.