Welcome to Mushroom Magic, a mush anticipated Hot Tokes series that aims to unearth what’s missing from pop culture’s mycology craze.
From conversations with the brightest minds of entheogenic subculture to trippy products worth trying, Mushroom Magic is here to expand mycelial consciousness, and myth-bust misconceptions about our beloved food of the gods.
Today we chat with Chris, the man behind the buzzy, award-winning mushroom brand Humboldt Fungi, about popular strains and what they do, factors that affect your trip, and the importance of drying in the growing process.
Spoiler alert: You don’t hate the taste of mushrooms, you hate the taste of the bacteria and mold.
In other, equally exciting news, you can now pre-order my very first trip tea! Humboldt Fungi and I have teamed up to create this magical tea line, featuring a combination of his social and sparkly Albino Melmacs mushroom strain with my proprietary blend of herbs and adaptogens that support the psychedelic experience.
To order, email oystergirlworld@gmail.com with “Mushroom Magic” in the subject line, and I’ll respond with more info <3
So, without further ado, let’s blast off!
DECOMPOSING MUSHROOM STRAINS
Much like cannabis, there are different strains of psychedelic mushrooms, each with its own aesthetic and levels of psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in magic fungi).
The conversation around mushroom strains—what they are, what they do, and which ones are present in those over-branded chocolate bars you’ve been buying—is eerily absent from the tidal wave of mushroom mania that’s flooded pop culture over the past five years.
Because mushrooms are still, for the most part, illegal, consumers are navigating the opacity of this grey market on their own. Without much access to reliable education, people generally accept whatever information the seller provides at face value.
Despite their lack of inclusion in most product branding, I believe–as do many scientists, experts, and psychonauts—that the strain and quality of the mushrooms you consume have an impact on the high you will experience from taking them. There is, however, a good amount of controversy surrounding this topic, as scientific research has yet to catch up with the wild ways of our mycelial friends.
ARE ALL CUBES CREATED EQUAL?
“Most of the strains we see on the market are variations of cubensis,” said Chris, who founded Humboldt Fungi after a brain injury led him to explore microdosing, and ultimately a career in mycology.
“When we think of the mushrooms growing out of cow patties—the stereotypical “shrooms”—those are cubensis,” he said. “They’re from the same family as the classic golden teacher mushrooms.”
There's a common saying in the mycology world, "a cube is a cube." This implies that no matter the strain, how bizarre its features, or how rare its genetic selection, all Psilocybe Cubensis mushrooms have the same potency. This is not completely true.
“People have domesticated cubensis strains over the years, almost like dogs,” Chris continued. “Through all the years of people running spores and years of domestication, we have found tons of unique expressions and morphologies in cubensis. That’s where we’re seeing all these albino mushrooms and so on.”
Few morphologies are more stunning than those coming out of Humboldt Fungi. His highly potent and other-worldly Pearly Gates won the Recreational category at the Psilocybin Cup last spring, a contest founded in 2020 by Hyphae Labs, that measures psilocybin levels in mushrooms using a competitive framework to gather data on the potency variance between different cultivars.
Outside of psilocybin levels, how these cubensis expressions affect us depends on what is going on inside and outside the person who consumes them, otherwise known as our “set” and “setting,” and how all of these factors, including the person, react with the chemical makeup of the mushroom.
“Mushrooms affect all of us a little bit differently,” says Chris. "It’s dependent on a lot of different factors, like what vitamins we have in our system, or how hydrated we are that day. What kind of headspace are we in? How much food is on our stomachs? A lot of people don't know this, but SSRI medications can make it so people can’t even feel the effects of mushrooms.” Other pharmaceutical medications, like Adderall or Benzos (such as Xanax or Valium), can negatively impact or negate your experience as well.
SORRY, YOUR SHROOMS ARE MOLDY :(
Another less talked-about factor that can affect your trip is whether your mushrooms are moldy and bacterial.
“This is honestly the biggest problem that no one's talking about,” says Chris. “People say the thing in mushrooms that can cause stomach upset is chitin [Chitin is a fibrous carbohydrate that forms the cell walls of fungi, shrimp, and insects], but I think a huge percentage of people’s problem is that they’re getting mushrooms that were not dried and stored properly.”
He continues, “When a mushroom hits the air, depending on what environment you're in, moisture is getting into the mushroom. If people are storing their mushrooms in bags or plastic jars, they're acquiring humidity.”
Chris believes the gross smell and taste many people associate with consuming psychedelic mushrooms is the result of moldy, rotting mushrooms.
“Mycologists I've talked to have told me I don't like the taste of cubes,” he said. “Until I let them try mine. I’m like, ‘No, you, you just don't like the taste of moldy, nasty old mushrooms!’ It has nothing to do with them being cubensis!”
This is why Chris uses glass jars exclusively for his products. “It’s a huge headache, and sometimes a nuisance, but every fruit is dry. You open the jar, and it’s how it’s supposed to be, crispy, beautiful, and totally dry.”
A GUIDE TO MUSHROOM STRAINS
Here’s a guide to four popular strains you may encounter in today’s market.
PENIS ENVY
Penis Envy are the ubiquitous fruit of the mushroom world. If you’ve eaten mushrooms more than once, you’ve probably tried them.
I would hate the name more if the story of how they infiltrated the zeitgeist wasn’t so good. Penis Envy’s origin is full of lore, strippers, death, and lies. And while an unsolved murder mystery remains at the center of this story, one thing is certain: It begins in the Amazon.
The original spores were collected by Terrence McKenna, author, ethnobotanist, and father of modern entheogenic philosophy. He’s responsible for popularizing the Stoned Ape Theory, penning the book Food of the Gods, and bringing awareness of Ayahuasca to the world.
In 1971, McKenna went on an Amazonian expedition to investigate reports of a blue substance that came out of the bodily orifice of shamans while in drug-induced states. His goal was to also ingest the mushrooms to see if he, too, could ooze blue. It was there that he stumbled on a cubensis mutation growing out of local cattle dung.
He returned and shared the spores with Steven Pollack, a famed mycologist who bred the mushrooms and was shocked by their size, shape, and general robust nature of their existence.
After sending them to Washington, Pollack was shot in the head execution-style. His murder was never conclusively solved.
Shortly after his death, Washington-based mycologist Rich Gee received the Penis Envy spores from his friend and co-author Jules Stevens, who had gotten them through another friend who knew McKenna. Gee began cultivating the mushrooms.
In 1977, Gee pulled out a bag to impress some strippers.
“They look like donkey dongs,” one of the women allegedly said.
He responded, “Do you have Penis Envy?”
The rest is history.
Flash forward to the landscape of our current market, and they’re everywhere.
“Penis Envy was one of the first mushrooms that was different than the classic Golden Teacher mushroom with the classic brown cap,” said Chris. “The Penis Envy has a brown cap, but there’s a different structure to it. And, of course, it’s incredibly potent.”
Penis Envy produces considerably more psilocybin than an average cubensis, requiring users to consume less of them to “breakthrough” or “blast off,” both of which mean reaching a desired state of psychedelic realization.
Because of this, Penis Envy was named the most potent strain at 2022’s Psilocybin Cup, winning the “Spiritual Use” category.
“As soon as you cut the mushroom, it goes heavy blue,” said Chris. “It is one of the things people would select for before we had as much knowledge as we do today. The blue became a marker for potency.”
While experiences are, again, subjective, a Penis Envy trip leads me into a heavy, introspective high. Despite their popularity in party-leaning products, I feel they are more suited for inward journeys than outward social situations. But of course, this portrait is drawn from my collective experience having taken them hundreds of times over the years.
You’ll have to experiment with them and find out for yourself.
Albino Penis Envy
Albino Penis Envy (also known as APEs) are similar to their caramel-capped counterparts, but way stronger and less economical for growers to produce.“APEs are extremely potent,” said Chris. “They’re always the top testing mushroom strain in terms of potency.”
These mushrooms are silver and white with a blue hue that becomes metallic when dry. Thought of as temperamental, the challenge in growing them lies in the fact that they rarely produce fertile spores like other mushrooms. Because of this, APEs are more expensive and less common.
“Normally, you would start from a spore, like you would start from a seed,” said Chris. “When you’re breeding mushrooms, you’re looking for special phenotypes or special expressions that you want to keep. Say you grow a tub from a spore and then an albino pops up, the way you go about keeping and breeding it is different than a normal mushroom.”
Albino mushrooms are unique because their spores are clear. They don’t drop spores visibly, either, so growers can't take spore prints like they would a classic mushroom. Instead, growers like Chris must clone the mushroom, take a sterile swab to the gills, and collect invisible spores.
“Apes were found from a Penis Envy selection and the Albino fruit that they discovered was incredibly potent,” said Chris. “It all just went from there. Now there are all different isolations of APE in a range of different morphologies.”
While most casual consumers won’t encounter this strain in the product market, APEs are great for the heady tripper who is comfortable with higher doses, or anyone seeking a more profound psychedelic experience.
Albino Melmac
Albino Melmac is my all-time favorite mushroom strain (at this point in my tireless research) because they make me feel physically uplifted and socially effervescent.
Melmac is a variety of Penis Envy that some say is closer to the original PEs from the 1970s than the girthy shrooms bearing the moniker today.
What sets Albino Melmac’s apart from normal PE, or even APE, is that this strain can have a sociable and exciting high, which can make them perfect for party-oriented experiences and products. That’s why our new Trip Tea is recommended for use in social or active settings.
“Albino Melmac is one of my favorites because for some reason it gives me a super energetic high,” said Chris. “I’ve found some mushrooms that will put me in a good headspace, making me feel happy and lighter, but this one is literally like an espresso shot for me. It's an unusual mushroom high.”
While mushrooms are currently being marketed as a party-drug replacement, they’re not inherently a social lubricant, like alcohol or cocaine.
Most strains—especially high psilocybin strains, like Penis Envy—take you on an internal journey of self-discovery, which used to be the sole purpose of taking mushrooms.
However, if you want to party on mushrooms (we do!), Albino Melmac is your non-binary girl.
“I think these are great for concerts, or just being out and having conversations with friends,” said Chris. “For me, they are really social.”
Pearly Gates
And now, we enter the final realm of the mycelial forest through the spiritually potent and iridescent Pearly Gates.
A cross between True Albino Teacher and Melmac, this extremely potent strain is lauded for its breakthrough potential, lending itself to transcendent or otherwise spiritual experiences.
“Pearly Gates is one of my personal favorites,” said Chis, whose variety of PG won the Recreational category at the Psilocybin Cup last year. “Each one of my friends I’ve given PG to has told me that it changed their life,” he paused. “I love getting feedback like that.”
Because Pearly Gates are a cross with Melmac—and Melmac are thought of as the original PE—they, too, carry the “breakthrough” ability at relatively low doses.
These are spiritual use mushrooms that should be used with reverence. They fill a role that is glaringly absent from the capitalist lens of modern psychedelia.
Pearly Gates have the power to make you trip the fuck out and force you to experience the ego death necessary to achieve the enlightenment that Chads think they’ve reached after microdosing for a few weeks.
While microdosing can improve cognition and other aspects of mental and physical acuity over time, it will never provide the soul-shattering, neuron-restructuring, life-changing revelations that a macro, or even a proper dose of mushrooms like PG, will. Microdosing gives you the light side of the yin-yang with none of the darkness that keeps your ego in check.
Conflating the regenerative effects of microdosing with the restructuring effects of heavy dosing disrupts our understanding and our expectations of what the psychedelic experience is capable of providing.
“I've gone pretty deep on them myself,” said Chris. “Once or twice a year, I’ll eat like five or six grams. The last time I had this magical experience in the forest by myself, curled up in a ball, basically crying. It was one of the more powerful experiences of my life as far as mushrooms go.”
Mushroom strains like Pearly Gates are antithetical to the various forms of spiritual bypassing that run rampant in the glossy new world of mainstream psychedelia.
Now more than ever, we need the kind of mushrooms that force you to cut the bullshit and face yourself.
“I think it’s natural as humans that we get this feeling right before we take mushrooms, like, ‘Oh I could just take one gram instead of two or three,’” said Chris. “But if you do take more, like four to six grams, that’s when those special experiences happen that people are actually looking for. We just tend to psych ourselves out.”
And now, some thoughts about an awesome new devivce from our sponsors, Advanced Vapor Devices.
If you own or operate a cannabis brand, you need to hear this.
After close to a decade in cannabis journalism, I’ve reviewed pretty much every vape on the market. Despite constant press releases and a never-ending onslaught of “new” devices, nothing seems to excite me, especially when it comes to the products claiming to push innovation in the space.
While it seems like the evolution of weed vapes would be pursued with the same kind of gusto found in other corners of the tech arena, the updates devices see are usually subtle improvements centered around hardware, rather than changes in the way brands can educate and market to consumers.
There is, however, one device that excites me enough to have taken on AVD as a sponsor for this newsletter.
Meet the newest addition to their lineup, The Node.
The Node is an NFC-enabled all-in-one vape that comes pre-programmed with a URL of the brand’s choice.
Consumers simply tap their phones on one end of the device and are directed to any website. This could be the brand’s social media, a strain infographic, a giveaway, some kind of promotion, or consumer education about the brand, plant, or product. The possiblities are endless.
Not only is this an incredible education tool, it allows brands to keep in touch with their clients after the sale or sample is given out.
Think about the potential for a B2B show like MJ Bizcon, for example, where convention-goers end up with a big bag of samples after walking the floor.
It’s almost impossible to keep all of the swag straight, especially when it comes with a card or other tactile point of contact that immediately gets lost in the shuffle.
Or take a buyer-facing tradeshow like Hall of Flowers. Same issue, buyers walk out with hundreds if not thousands of samples with no info outside of the packaging.
With the Node, brands can use their actual product to keep in contact with the buyer after their show, not just the packaging, which becomes obsolete and is thrown away the second the device is opened.
Once vapes are out of the packaging, they become anonymous. As a consumer, I constantly have the issue of losing track of what oil is in what vape, what each vape’s high will do, and where each of them came from.
With the Node, consumers can easily access the packaging information or any other kind of information brands might want them to have with the tap of their phone, keeping the brand itself top of mind, and avoiding any mishaps like accidentally hitting a downer strain before a meeting—or worse.
Aside from its technical capabilities, The Node is small, discreet, and holds a nice weight in your hand, which is the hallmark sign of a well-crafted device. It hits fat, billowing clouds of flavor that never taste like burned plastic and oil.
The reason AVD devices are so good is that the people behind AVD are weed people. They care about the products and care about the plant, unlike most vape brands that use nameless e-cig manufacturers overseas, employing sketchy metals and plastics with little regard for consumer safety.
You can taste the difference. 400 brands, many of the biggest names in the industry, use AVD products for a reason.