What does Horchaga taste like?

Horchaga is blended to taste like your traditional horchata, with a smooth rice flavor alongside sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. We recommend mixing this mix with Rice Milk to retain that traditional taste, though the blend works great in oat or other milk alternatives (and regular dairy!). Although horchaga includes a whopping 1 gram of bioavailable chaga mushroom per serving (with the antioxidant equivalent to about 500 blueberries), you won’t get any gritty bitter taste. Just be sure to give your drink a good stir now and again to keep everything well dispersed in your cup.

What makes this CBD Horchata special?

Most ready-to-mix Horchata options today are made with dehydrated milk powder, artificial flavors, and a lot (like a lot) of sugar. The Brothers Horchaga is different.

We start with real organic rice milk powder, tested for heavy metals* (considered a nuisance in rice production). Next, we add a handful of traditional spices, including organic cinnamon, vanilla bean, and nutmeg, to capture the classic flavor of authentic horchata. To add some sweetness, we primarily use organic coconut sugar, a low-glycemic sugar that contains additional health benefits. Of course, we also add wild-crafted & organic Chaga mushroom, sourced locally in Oregon. A touch of organic cane sugar and pink Himalayan salt round out the recipe, making it a deliciously simple yet very unique horchata option.

What is Chaga?

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is an adaptogenic mushroom that’s commonly found growing on Birch trees. Though it is a mushroom, it actually looks more like a dark piece of tree bark, often black, conch-shaped and sporting it’s own unique morphological features in the mushroom kingdom. It can be used alone, often take by mouth as a supplement or as a bitter Chaga tea. Most amazingly, Chaga is extremely high on the ORAC scale, sometimes argued to have as much as  “1,362 times” more antioxidants than blueberries. In fact, Chaga has been measured to contain up to 50x more superoxide dismutase (SOD) than any other similar mushroom.

Antioxidants are a complex and nuanced plant metabolite, but for those seeking them, Chaga is a useful fungi and with enzymes that may support a healthy body.

Where does Horchata come from?

Horchata has a rich history, with origins in Africa as far back as 2400 B.C.E. While it has many versions, at its root horchata is a milky (often plant-based) refresher that has a distinct cooling quality. Our recipe celebrates the Mexican iteration, using warming spices and high-quality rice milk, as well as using lower sugar than other instant-mix horchatas. The boost of Chaga makes this a unique Brothers experience.

When should I drink Horchaga?

Horchaga does not contain caffeine, which means it can be enjoyed just about any time of the day or night. Traditionally, Horchata is a refresher – that is, it’s often enjoyed cold, over ice, and during the hot portions of the day. Mix yours with warmed milk or milk alternative, stir well, then let chill. Stir before pouring over ice!

Instructions:

• Add 1 heaping tablespoon of Horchaga to 8-12oz of rice milk or other milk alternative
• Mix vigorously, using a whisk or fork. You can also use a shake method to breakdown the sugars and spices.
• Once mixed, pour over ice or enjoy as is. Stir occasionally.

The Brothers Apothecary exclusively uses hemp that contains <0.3% THC and is licensed with the Department of Agriculture.
*Disclaimer •  Testing
* Find our rice metal testing on our testing page.