Classic Horchata with Chaga Mushroom and CBD.
Horchata has a rich history, with origins in Africa dating back to 2400 BC. While it has many versions, at its core, horchata is a refreshing, milky (often plant-based) beverage with a cooling characteristic. Our recipe celebrates the Mexican version, featuring 100% plant-based ingredients and spices, plus a unique Brothers twist.
What does Horchaga taste like?
Horchata is blended to taste like traditional horchata, with a smooth flavor of rice, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. We recommend mixing this blend with rice milk to retain that traditional taste, though the blend works wonderfully with oat milk or other milk alternatives (and regular dairy!). While horchata includes a whopping 1 gram of bioavailable chaga mushroom per serving (with the antioxidant equivalent of about 500 blueberries), it won't have a bitter, harsh taste. Just be sure to stir the drink well from time to time so everything disperses well in your cup.
What makes this CBD Horchata special?
Most of today's ready-to-mix horchata options are made with dehydrated milk powder, artificial flavors, and lots (and lots) of sugar. The Brothers' horchata is different.
We start with real organic rice milk powder, tested for heavy metals* (considered a nuisance in rice production). We then add traditional spices, like organic cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg, to capture the classic flavor of authentic horchata. For a sweet touch, we primarily use organic coconut sugar, a low-glycemic sugar that provides additional health benefits. Of course, we also add wild, organic Chaga mushroom from Oregon. A touch of organic cane sugar and Himalayan pink salt complete the recipe, making this a deliciously simple yet unique horchata.
What is Chaga?
Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is an adaptogenic mushroom that commonly grows on birch trees. Although it is a mushroom, its appearance is more similar to a dark, often black piece of tree bark, snail-shaped, and with unique morphological characteristics within the fungal kingdom. It can be consumed alone, often orally as a supplement or as bitter Chaga tea. Most surprisingly, Chaga has an extremely high level of antioxidants on the ORAC scale, and is sometimes claimed to have up to 1,362 times more antioxidants than blueberries. In fact, Chaga has been measured to contain up to 50 times more superoxide dismutase (SOD) than any other similar mushroom.
Antioxidants are a complex and nuanced plant metabolite, but for those who seek them out, Chaga is a useful mushroom with enzymes that can contribute to a healthy body.
Where does Horchata come from?
Horchata has a rich history, with origins in Africa dating back to 2400 BC. While it has many versions, at its core, horchata is a refreshing milky (often plant-based) beverage with a cooling characteristic. Our recipe celebrates the Mexican version, utilizing warming spices and high-quality rice milk, while also using less sugar than other instant horchatas. The addition of chaga makes this horchata a unique experience.
When should I drink Horchata? Horchata is caffeine-free, which means it can be enjoyed virtually any time of day or night. Traditionally, horchata is refreshing; meaning it's usually enjoyed cold, with ice, and during the hottest hours of the day. Mix it with warm milk or a dairy alternative, stir well, and let it cool. Stir before pouring it over ice!
Instructions:
Add one heaping tablespoon of horchata to 225-350 ml of rice milk or other dairy alternative.
Mix vigorously with a whisk or fork. You can also shake to dissolve the sugars and spices.
Once blended, pour it over ice or enjoy it as is. Stir occasionally.
The Brothers Apothecary uses exclusively hemp with a THC content of <0.3% and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture.