More Than Functional Fungi: How Mushrooms Are Flavoring Wine and Spirits

Extolled as closer to humans than plants and waxed poetic at the end of the world, mushrooms are having a moment (and have been, for years). From coffee alternatives to non-alcoholic spirits, functional properties around energy and cognitive function inspire their integration into countless beverages these days. Culturally, edible mushrooms capitalize on their seductive relation to health as much as danger, but when incorporated into an alcoholic beverage, mushrooms are flavor, first and foremost. In beverage alcohol, mushrooms cater to an audience that’s not afraid of drinking the funky, or at least savory.