When James Hoffmann - one of the most trusted voices in the coffee world - turns his attention to a new trend, people listen. And recently, that trend was mushroom coffee.
The former World Barista Champion and YouTube educator decided to find out: What’s the deal with mushroom coffee? Is it healthy? Does it taste good? And should coffee lovers care?
After trying a lineup that included Four Sigmatic, Dirtea, Mushrooms For Life, Everyday Dose, Laird Superfood, and Renude’s Chagaccino, Hoffmann shared some refreshingly honest thoughts that cut through the hype.
The health claims: “Lots of talk, not much data”
Hoffmann began by addressing the elephant in the room: the health claims.
Mushroom coffees are often marketed as functional drinks that boost focus, energy, mood, and immunity, thanks to adaptogenic fungi like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and Chaga.
But after conducting his own research, Hoffmann found the evidence thin.
“For some of these mushrooms, like cordyceps and chaga, I could find no human randomised controlled trials,” he said.
While a few mushrooms have studies showing benefits, the doses used in research are often 5–6 grams per day - far higher than the sub-gram amounts found in most mushroom coffee sachets.
His takeaway?
“If you’re buying these for functional benefits, read up on the doses required. Most of these products don’t come close.”
Why our Super Nootropic Mushroom Coffee is different (and better) for health:
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At Mushies, we don’t rely on vague claims — we publish detailed blog posts about the research behind Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, and Turkey Tail, showing human and animal studies, mechanisms, and dose ranges.
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We design our formulation so that daily use stacks — even if each serving is modest, consistency allows you to approach effective intake over time.
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We use dual-extracted mushroom extracts (water + alcohol) to capture both water-soluble and fat-soluble compounds, maximising bioavailability — unlike many blends that just use raw mushroom powder.
If you want deeper reading on the science of these mushrooms, check out these blog posts on Mushies:
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Combining Different Mushrooms: Everything You Need to Know (Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps) Mushies
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Mushies’ Guide to Mushroom Supplements (overview of Reishi, Lion’s Mane, etc.) Mushies
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6 Mushrooms That Boost Your Immune System (Reishi, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps) Mushies
The taste test: “Mostly instant coffee with a twist”
Once the science talk was over, Hoffmann did what he does best: he tasted them all.
His verdict was mixed, leaning toward disappointment.
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Four Sigmatic Protect: “Like porcini risotto water with instant coffee spilled in.”
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Dirtea: “A bit like Bovril made of mushrooms. Savory, not terrible, but strange.”
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Mushrooms For Life (Cordyceps): “Completely dominated by cardamom. If you love cardamom, fine. If not… no.”
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Everyday Dose: “Basically tastes like instant coffee. You could sneak this past someone and they wouldn’t know it had mushrooms.”
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Laird Superfood Latte: “Hot coconut cake derailed by coffee bitterness.”
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Renude Chagaccino: “Very sweet, heavy on monk fruit. Mild mushroom taste. More chaotic than cohesive.”
By the end, Hoffmann concluded that none of them rival a proper cup of coffee.
“They don’t taste like high-quality coffee. None of them taste like they’ve used well-roasted beans. They’re just pretty generic instant coffee with extras.”
Why ours tastes better (because quality matters):
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We use 100% high-grade Arabica, both as instant component and a small amount of ground coffee too ensure a full bodies coffee flavour.
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Our roasting is carefully controlled to preserve aroma, acidity, and body - even after drying, so the coffee you taste isn’t flat or bland.
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We use flavour balancing (a touch of natural components, clean extraction and blending) so the mushroom component enhances complexity rather than dominating with earthiness or strange notes.
In other words: you get a coffee-forward experience, with mushroom benefits layered in — not the other way around.
The value question: “Expensive for what you get”
Most of the sachets Hoffmann tried cost more per cup than good-quality specialty coffee, despite containing less actual coffee and only trace amounts of mushrooms.
To get a therapeutic dose of mushrooms, he estimated you’d need to drink four or five cups a day, which could easily exceed safe caffeine levels.
So if you’re in it for the health benefits, it’s not a cheap route.
Why ours gives better value:
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Our Super Nootropic Mushroom Coffee comes at 40 servings for ~£20, which works out to about £0.50 per cup (or ~50p), which is far more affordable than most "single serve sachet" mushroom coffees as well as high street coffee.
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Because of our efficient formulation and manufacturing, we deliver both coffee and functional mushrooms cost-effectively, without overpriced packaging or middle-man markups.
So you get significantly more servings per £, and more flexibility, making the “functional coffee” approach more sustainable day-to-day.
The final verdict
By the end of the video, Hoffmann didn’t crown a winner.
“I don’t think I like these,” he admitted. “But if you do, that’s fine. We just like different things.”
He summed up the category as “a bit of marketing built on potential benefits that haven’t been proven in humans, at least not at these doses.”
He has valid points. But - and I’d say this from personal and customer experience - the benefits of mushrooms are very real, and modern science is increasingly validating them, especially when viewed through a metabolic lens.
I personally have benefited from using a mushroom-coffee blend long term: better mental focus, more sustained energy (with fewer jitters), improved gut function, and generally more balance. And I’m not alone. Many of our customers report the same outcomes.
So my challenge to James (and to skeptics): try ours. See how you feel in 2–4 weeks of daily use. I’d be very interested to hear what your about experience.
Learn more about our Super Nootropic Mushroom Coffee here.
