Calcium salts are often poorly soluble in water and alcohol. If you were to make calcium psilocybinate by adding a little calcium hydroxide, could that be precipitated from water?

Would it be possible to fit active doses of psilocybin on blotterpaper of let's say, the size of a large stamp?

Would it be possible to fit active doses of psilocybin on blotterpaper of let's say, the size of a large stamp?

For personal use I would hope and assume?

An moderate dose is around 12mg, you'd need a larger than normal blotter to get 12mgs on.

It would be better to make "window pane" style psilocybin gel tabs rather than blotters. You can make them pretty thick, like little gel cubes. It's easy and if done right it can look professional. All you need is water, gelatin, and glycerin. I forget the exact ratio. I posted it before on this forum for making 5-MeO-DMT sublingual gel tabs. It works really well for sublingual use.

You can add some stevia extract for sweetness and even a little lemon for flavor. They even sell gummy bear molds that you could use. I personally like the pyramid shaped gel tabs that you can make by pouring the melted gel solution on a plastic fluorescent light cover (the kind with the inverted pyramid shapes on it). It looks cool and is easy to do. Once dry, you remove it from the light cover and you have a sheet of tiny pyramids stuck together.

You can even get fancy with food coloring and make swirly psychedelic color blends by adding some different food coloring here and there to the gel while hot and then swirling it around while on your mold. The effect is fantastic. All your friends will be amazed that you made it yourself.

Extraction and analysis of indole derivatives from fungal biomass
Jochen Gartz
Vol 34, 1994; 17-22
Journal of Basic Microbiology

The occurrence and extraction of indole derivatives in six species from four genera of higher fungi were investigated. By using pure methanol for extraction of the mushrooms analysis revealed the highest concentrations of psilocybin and baeocystin. The psilocin content of the species was higher by using aqueous solutions of alcohols than with methanol alone but was an artificial phenomenon caused by enzymatic destruction of psilocybin. The extraction with dilute acetic acid yielded better results than with the water containing alcohols. The simple one-step procedure with methanol for the quantitative extraction is still the safest method to obtain the genuine alkaloids from fungal biomass.

Comments:

The abstract says it, if you are planning to extract the alkaloids from either dries and pulverized fruiting bodies or from mycelium it is best to use pure methanol. Superior to aqueous solutions of alcohols (which is wet alcohol, the one you are likely to have!) is dilute acetic acid which means simple vinegar (better: vinegar essence diluted with same amount of water) which is quite nice because there is no problem obtaining it. The problem with wet alcohol is that the enzymes which dephosphorylise Psilocybin to the instable Psilocin are also extracted from the biomass. This also occurs with acetic acid but to a smaller amount and does not occur at all with pure methanol (ethanol?). The recommended extraction time (magnetical stirring) is with methanol 12h at room temperature or 1h at 45 deg. Celsius, no times given for the acetic acid method. And the moral: Don't use clandestine-quality alcohols for extraction, use vinegar ! Or dry the alcohol by adding salts like MgSO4, CaCl2, NaSO4 which were previously dried in an oven and decant or filter the solvent from them after a day or longer.

PLEASE NOTE:
For those new to extractions, it is extremely important to note that methanol is poisonous to humans and if it is used for any extractions, it must be thoroughly evaporated before the material is used.

Full Text #

In the last 15 years many papers have been published about the occurrence and determination of psychotropic tryptamine derivatives like psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin in fungi (Gartz 1992, 1993).

Various extraction procedures of these substances from mushrooms have been ised mainly with methanol as solvent (Beug and Bigwood 1982, Gartz 1987, Sottolano and Lurie 1983).

In 1985 an aqueous-organic extraction method with acetic acid for these compounds was described (Casale 1985). Recently, Czech analysts have used aqueous solutions of methanol and ethanol (pure or in presence of potassium-nitrate) for extraction of the indole derivatives in Psilocybe bohemica Sebek (Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al 1992). They claimed that it was possible to have found more psilocin with aqueous ethanol extraction than with pure methanol and that a dissimilar extraction of the alkaloids by using both new systems could be achieved. In this work the extraction procedures of psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin from varoius mushroom species including P. bohemica Sebek were studied by using methanol and the recommended mixtures of sol vents (Casale 1985, Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al. 1992), respectively.

Materials & Methods #

Fungal material: Cultivated mushrooms: Psilocybe semilanceata (FR.) Kumm from horse manure compost (Gartz 1991); Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer grown on cow dung/rice grain mixture (Gartz 1989a); P. bohemica from rice grain/water (Gartz and Mueller 1989; Gymnopilus purpuratus (Cooke and Mass) Singer from rice grain/saw dust medium (Gartz and Mueller 1990, Gartz 1991).

Naturally grown mushrooms: Panaeolus cyanescens (BK & BK) SACC. (leg. Oahu, Hawaii 13.11.8; Inocybe aeruginascens Babos (leg. Potsdam 20.05.1987); P. bohemica Sebek (leg. near Sazava, Czech Republic 15.11.89).

All basidiocarps were dried at room temperature. Possible present residual water was removed from the mushrooms by freeze-drying. Voucher speciments of each species have been deposited in the herbarium of the Univeristy of Leipzig (LZ).

Extraction: (Samples (0.01 - 0.1 g) of dried ground mushrooms were extracted with 5 to 20 ml of methanol for 0.5 to 12 hours by using a magnetic stirrer at room temperature. Under equal conditions the mixtures with aqueous acetic acid (Casale 1985) and a queous ethanol (psilocin) and methanol (psilocybin) (Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al. 1992) were used for extraction of the same batch of mushrooms. In the cases with aqueous alcohols as solvent a different extraction time for psilocybin (10 min) and psilocin (160 min) was performed (Kysilka and Wurst 1990). By using of dilute acetic acid the solution was placed in a boiling water bath for 10 min after extraction and anaysis and was then analysed 10 min after extraction and analysis and was then anal ysed again (Casale 1985).

The filtration and analysis of the indole derivatives by using HPLC and TLC were described elsewhere (Gartz 1987, Semerdzieva et al. 1986, Wurst et al. 1992). An analysis of the extracts for enzymes of the phosphatase type was also carried out (Weber a nd Horita 1963).

Results #

In this investigation the extraction of psilocin, psilocybin and baeocystin with pure methanol was not completely after 30 min in all species and even 6 hours in analysis of P. cubensis and G. purpuratus. But the full extraction of the alkaloids from al l mushrooms was reached after 12 hours. After this time no traces of indole derivatives could be detected after subsequent extraction of the fungal material with aqueous solutions of ethanol/methanol or acetic acid as well as with chloroform for psilocin.

Baeocystin as incompletely methylated counterpart and possible precursor of psilocybin (Gartz 1989a) was found in all species by using methanol but in some cases only in very small amounts (Table 1).



The psilocybin and psilocin content was in the same order of magnitude as that found earlier (Gartz 1992, 1993). This substance seems to be a phosphoric acid ester like psilocybin and baeocystin. Similar concentrations of psilocin were detected in the extracts of P. cubensis and G. purpuratus by using an aqueous solution of acetic acid versus pure methanol (Table 2).

Table 1 #Amount of indole alkaloids in fruiting bodies of different species by using pure methanol as solvent (%, dry weight).

Species ........................Psilocybin..... Psilocin.... Baeocystin
P. semilanceata ............. 0.98 ............ - ......... 0.34
P. bohemica .................. 0.85 ............ 0.02 ........ 0.04
P. bohemica (cultivated).. 0.93 ............ 0.04 ........ 0.02
P. cubensis ................... 0.63 ............ 0.11 ........ 0.02
G. purpuratus ................ 0.34 ............ 0.29 ........ 0.05
I. aeruginacens .............. 0.40 ............ - ........ 0.21
P. cyanescens ............... 0.32 ............ 0.51 ........ 0.02


Table 2 #Concentraction of alkaloids by using acetic acid for extraction of the dried mushrooms (%, dry weight).

Species.........................Psilocybin.....Psilocin....Baeocystin
P. semilanceata.............. 0.97 ............. 0.15 ........ 0.11
P. bohemica................... 0.60 ............. 0.21 ........ -
P. bohemica (cultivated).. 0.65 ............. 0.28 ........ -
P. cubensis.................... 0.45 ............. 0.25 ........ -
G. purpuratus................. 0.24 ............. 0.35 ........ 0.01
I. aeruginacens............... 0.32 ............ 0.05 ........ 0.15
P. cyanescens................ 0.20 ............ 0.61 ........ -


Table 3 #Results of the mushroom extraction of six species using aqueous mixtures of methanol and ethanol (%, dry weight).

Species.........................Psilocybin.....Psilocin....Baeocystin
P. semilanceata.............. 0.80 ............ 0.15 ....... 0.11
P. bohemica................... 0.60 ............ 0.21 ....... -
P. bohemica (cultivated).. 0.65 ............ 0.28 ....... -
P. cubensis.................... 0.45 ............ 0.25 ....... -
G. purpuratus................. 0.24 ............ 0.35 ....... 0.01
I. aeruginacens............... 0.32 ............ 0.05 ....... 0.15
P. cyanescens................ 0.20 ............ 0.61 ....... -

By using the new solvent mixtures containing ethanol and methanol for extraction it was found that more psilocin could be detected in extracts of every species but always smaller amounts of psilocybin than with pure methanol (Table 3).

Additionally, a high activity of enzymes of the phosphatase type could be detected in these aqueous solutions from all species. In contrast to these results only the extracts of P. cubensis and P. cyanescens showed a significant enzymatic activity b y using acetic acid as solvent. In these cases psilocybin was completely dephosphorylated to psilocin by heating the acid extracts and no baeocystin could be detected in P. cyanescens.

Discussion #

It is well known that an extraction procedure with methanol needs much time (up to 12 hours) at room temperature (Beug and Bigwood 1982, Gartz 1987, Semerdzieva et al. 1986) or one hour at 45 C (SCOTTOLANO and Lurie 1983) for complete extrraction.

In our investigations psilocin could be found in high concentrations as well as psilocybin after simple extraction with methanol from various species (Gartz 1987, 1989c, 1991). When undertaking quantitave analysis of levels of indole derivatives after biotransformation of tryptamine and similar compounds in fruiting mycelia of P. cubensis the highest concentrations of psilocin in every mushroom for example could be detected by using methanol (Gartz 1989a, b . By using aqueous methanol and ethanol as so lvent for analysis of P. bohemica the Czech analysts have not always analyzed the same batch of mushrooms during their comparative study of extraction methods (Kysilka, pers. communication 1989).

We generally found variations from one mushroom to another in every species even within P. bohemica from a single location (Gartz and Mueller 1989) and also in controlled cultures (Gartz 1991). Additionally, the high activity of enzymes of the phosphat ase type in the aqueous solutions of alcohols was already described in aqueous mycelial extracts of P. cubensis and other psilocybin containing mushrooms many years ago (BOCKS 1968, Gartz 1993, Weber and Horita 1963). These enzymes were also extracted with the water containing solvents and caused a partial dephosphorylation of psilocybin to psilocin (Tables 1 and 3). By using these aqueous soluions it was also observed that in some cases bluish mixtures have been resulted after extraction as a sign of par tial oxydation of psilocin (BOCKS 1968, Gartz 1989a, Weber and Horita 1963). It is also interesting that most of the baeocystin was destroyed during the extraction procedure with water containing alcohols (Tables 1 and 3).

Casale (1985) described the rapid formaion of psilocin after complete dephosphorylation of psilocybin by heating the dilute acetic acid extract. It is now quite clear that the decomposition under these conditions is an enzymatic reaction and was not ca used by the acid alone. For example the phosphoric acid ester psilocybin, baeocystin and aeruginascin in these acidic extracts from I. aeruginacens were stable during heating in contrast to the behaviour of the same alkaloids in solutions of P. cubensis a nd P. cyanescens. It seems that active enzymes of the phosphatase type could be extracted with aqueous acetic acid only in these two species in contrast to water containing alcohols as extraction method. In the past attempts at the sparation of psilocybin and psilocin simply using mixtures of organic solvents and water were also unsatisfactory (THOMSON 1980).

This investigation shows that the high percentage of psilocin detected in P. bohemica (Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al. 1992) and not found earlier (Gartz and Mueller 1989) was an artificial phenomenon casued by enzymatic destrucion of psilocybin w hich is common in different species by using water containing organic solvents. Extraction with pure methanol is the safest method to obtain the genuine indole derivatives from mushroom species of various genera.

Acknowledgements

The author thanks the following persons: G. Drewitz, J. Allen, G.K. Mueller and M. Semerdzieva who geneously supplied herbarium material and/or valuable information.

References #

.Beug MW, Bigwood J. 1982. Psilocybin and psilocin levels in twenty species from several genera of wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. J. Ethnopharm, 5, 271-289.
.Bocks SM. 1968. The metabolism and psilocin and psilocybin by fungal enzymes. Biochem. J., 106, 12-13.
.Casale JF. 1985. An aqueous-organic extraction method for the isolation and identification of psilocin from hallucinogenic mushrooms. J. Forensic Sci., 30, 247-250.
.Gartz J. 1985. Zur Isolierung des Baeocystins aus den Fruchtkoerpern einer Psilocybe-Art. Pharmazie, 40, 274.
.Gartz J. 1987. Variation deer Indolalkaloide von Psilocybe cubensis durch unterschiedliche Kultivierungsbedingungen. Beitraege z. Kenntnis d. Pilze Mitteleuropas, 3, 275-281.
.Gartz J. 1989a. Biotransformation of tryptamine derivatives in mycelial cultures of Psilocybe. J. Basic Microbiol., 29, 347-352.
.Gartz J. 1989b. Biotransformation of tryptamine in fruiting mycelia of psilocybe cubensis. Planta Med., 55, 249-250.
.Gartz J. 1989c. Occurence of psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin in Gymnopilus purpuratus. Persoonia, 14, 19-22.
.Gartz J, Mueller GK. 1990. Analysis and cultivation of fruit bodies and mycelia of Psilocybe bohemica. Biochem. Physiol. Pflanzen, 184, 337-341.
.Gartz J, Mueller GK. 1990. Versuche zur Kultur von Gymnopilus purpuratus, Purpurflaemmling. Myk. Mitt. blatt (Halle), 33, 29-30.
.Gartz J. 1991. Further investigations on psychoactive mushrooms of the genera Psilocybe, Gymnopilus and Conocybe. Ann. Mus. civ. Rovereto (Italy), Sez. sc. nat.,7, 265-274.
.Gartz J. 1992. New aspects of the occurance chemistry and cultivaion of European hallucinogenic mushrroms. Ann. Mus. civ. Rovereto (Italy), Sez. sc. nat., 8, 107-124.
.Gartz J. 1993. Narrenschwaemme. Psychotrope Pilze in Europa in Europa. Herausforderung an Forschung und Wertsystem. Editions Heuwinkel. Genf/Neuallschwill.
.Kysilka R, Wurst M. 1990. A novel extraction procedure for psilocybin and psilocin determination in mushroom samples. Planta Med., 56, 327-328.
.Semerdzieva M, Wurst M, Koza T, Gartz J. 1986. Psilocybin in Fruchtkoerpern von Inocybe aeruginascens. Planta Med., 47, 83-85.
.Sottolano SM, Lurie IS. 1983. The quantitation of psilocybin in hallucinogenic mushrooms using high performance liquid chromatography. J. Forensic Sci., 28, 931-935.
.Thomson BM. 1980. Analysis of psilocybin and psilocin in mushroom extracts by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. J. Forensic Sci., 25, 779-785.
.Weber LJ, Horita A. 1963. Oxydation of 4 and 5-hydroxy-indole derivatives by mammalian cytochrome oxydase. Life Sciences 1, 44-49.
.Wurst M, Kysilka R, Koza T. 1992. Analysis and islolation of indole alkaloids of fungi by high-performance liquid chromatography. J. Chromatogr., 593, 201-208.

Recently, Czech analysts have used aqueous solutions of methanol and ethanol (pure or in presence of potassium-nitrate) for extraction of the indole derivatives in Psilocybe bohemica Sebek (Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al 1992). They claimed that it was possible to have found more psilocin with aqueous ethanol extraction than with pure methanol and that a dissimilar extraction of the alkaloids by using both new systems could be achieved. In this work the extraction procedures of psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin from varoius mushroom species including P. bohemica Sebek were studied by using methanol and the recommended mixtures of sol vents (Casale 1985, Kysilka and Wurst 1990, Wurst et al. 1992), respectively.

This might help someone who is looking to play with some psilly fungus...

Simple Extraction

I love mushrooms but I hate the taste of dried fungus- it always makes me gag.

PF TEK SHROOM EXTRACTION update - December 28 2002

This technique describes how to extract psilocybin from magic mushrooms with pure 190 proofethyl alcohol and make a magic mushroom liqueur of concentrated psilocybin to effect a powerfulpsychedelic dose as potent as desired. The entire process involves only the shrooms and alcohol.The alcohol is untainted with chemicals and poisons because it can be easily acquired from a liquor store (United States) either over the counter (in some states) or with a special permit (most states - see end of article section - "procuring 190 proof ethyl alcohol from a liquor store".

ALCOHOL EXTRACTION

1. Acquire quality psilocybe cubensis shrooms (harvested before or just as the veils open andcool dried with desiccant). The more shrooms used in the beginning, the more potent theconcentration can be when finished. Use at least several grams of dried shroom material to makethe process worthwhile and effective. The shrooms need to be thoroughly dry (rock hard) to allowpulverization. To pulverize the shrooms, put them into a small strong zip lock plastic bag (freezer bag), cover the bag with a magazine (for protection of the bag) and pound it with the rubber heel of a large shoe. Or, powder them in a small canister type coffee bean grinder.

In a heat resistant soaking vessel (pyrex glass), combine the shroom powderwith several times its volume with 190 proof Everclear (ethanol). Thisis the "slurry". Place the soaking vessel in a pan of boiling water. Raisingthe soaking vessel off the bottom of the hot water pan is a good ideafor preventing serious sticking of the good extracts. The slurry willstart to boil. Turn the water boiling pan heat down and let the slurry sit for a few hoursat a warm-hot temp. Alcohol boils at a lower temp than water. Watchthe temperatures closely. Things can get totally out of hand and ruinedvery quickly without close attention paid.

While the slurry is still hot, filter it through filter paper. This is probablythe most important part. A good filtration will be efficient and will keep most of the shroom material out, making for a clean extraction (clean ofshrooms that is - but heavy on psilocybin). A small lab type vacuum pumppowered bottle top filtering funnel with filter disk holder makes it all reallyeasy and fast, with little waste. That is why this extraction idea isreally only for the fanatics.

Collect and save the filtrate liquids. Heat the slurry (the mush in the filter paper)one or two more times with the 190 proof as before, filter, and accumulate the liquids of the extractions. The photos at the top are of extractions donetwice.

Inexpensive dust-pollen masks make excellent filters for the slurry. These are available at hardware, drug and paint stores. They are usually white or tan colored, fit over the nose and mouth and are held on to the face by a rubber band attached to the filter. Fashion the filter over the mouth of a drinking glass. Squeeze the filter and slurry to extract the alcohol. There are many details to deal with, but doing it once reveals them all. Experience is the best teacher. Store the extracted alcohol in a fresh bottle.

EVAPORATION AND CONCENTRATION

Combine the alcohol extracts into a glass. Place a small electric fan (small desk clip on fans are perfect) near the glass and point the air flow directly down into the glass until the surface of the alcohol ripples. This will speed the evaporation and concentration. The process will take several hours. The more alcohol extract - the longer the evaporation time. As the alcohol evaporates and the level recedes down into the glass, wash the residue that adheres to the inside of the glass back into the solution. Any fumes that are generated will be harmless because the alcohol is a non poisonous drinkable spirit. Keep flames away from the solution - pure alcohol is very flammable.

One can also use heat to evaporate and concentrate the elixir. Use a double boiler type of setup to heat and evaporate off the alcohol to concentrate the elixir.

The concentrated shroom liqueur will have a pungent mushroomy aroma (like fungiperfume). Also, a white crystalline kind of precipitate will form in the alcohol elixir (seeabove photo). Store it in small screw cap bottles or vials in the freezer. Alcohol doesn'tfreeze solid and will remain liquid. PROCURING 190 PROOF ETHYL ALCOHOL ("Everclear" - "Golden Grain" ect) FROM A LIQUOR STORE

First, call a well stocked liquor store and ask if they have 190 proof ethyl alcohol. Full service liquor stores supply hospitals and laboratories with 190 - 200 proof ethyl alcohol.

If a permit is needed, call the state liquor board (usually in the State Capital) and ask for anapplication to get an ethyl alcohol permit. The fee is 5 or 10 dollars. On the application will be a question asking what the use of the alcohol will be. Write what they more or less want to hear. State that the use of the alcohol will be for "non-toxic surface sterilizing plus herb extraction - preservation - tincture - and perfume making" (or something to that effect). The poison warnings on the alcohol bottles and this idiotic red tape are just bureaucratic nonsense that results in the state making a big fat bundle off of the sale.

SUPPLY LIST

* shrooms
* 190 proof ethyl alcohol (GOLDEN GRAIN - EVERCLEAR ect)
* Pyrex glass wide mouth slurry soaking vessel
* funnel and filtering set up - or
* dust-pollen masks
* small desk fan

Here are some important guidlines for right now! There is one thing about magic shrooms that is universal.Anyone that you know that has taken magic shrooms will tellyou one thing, if asked, and that is that the shroomswere were hard on the stomach. They make most peoplesick, at the least, temporarily, and some get very sick.What makes for the sickness, is that these magic shroomsare not easy to digest. It is the stomachs reaction todifficult to digest food that is the sickness. So theygoal would be to elliminate the stomach, or by pass it.These extraction teks can do that. By making the extractvery potent and using good filtration technique, theproduct can be consumed by mouth so that the salivaand the mucous membranes in the mouth do most of the job.So when anything of the extract reached the stomach, it isbasically digested leaving the stomach with nothing to dowhich results in no stomach upset - just the trip. Thisis the greatest idea in magic shroom history. To elliminatethe ugly physical effects is a real godsend. It makesit all totally superb and beyond any known psychedelicin entheogenic quality and potency.

1. Use warm-hot temps when soaking the initial slurry (shroom-alki).Use the hot water bath idea from the Gottlieb tek below. Avoidhot bottomed slurry soak vessels. The good stuff can bake onand stick very easily.

2. A good filter is a must. Lab quality filter paper helps for a cleaner extract (less shroom stuff). The fanatic should get a little bottle top vacuum filtering funnel with a hand squeeze vacuum pump and fine slow flow filteringpapers. (science supply - not cheap - but affordablefor the fanatics - look for the 47 millimeter filtersized set ups - small but perfect for this).

3. When filtering the slurry, do it while it is hot.

4. The crystals when heated in the initial slurry are free basemolecules. In the final liqueur on cool down, the free basemolecules will coalesce and form crystals. It takes a day ortwo for the process to be complete. The smaller the finalamount of liqueur, the easier it is for the molecules to meeteach other and combine. When you get your final magic liqueur,the free base psilocybin will coaslesce and form whitish crystals.At first they might look like whitish glue, but they transform insolution to hard crystals.

5. The final elixir will have a layer of crystalson the bottom of the storage vessel. The freebase Psilocybinmolecules come together fast in the cool alcohol. When it is time for dosage, reheat the crystal liqueurin its storage vessel in a pot of hot water. Boil theliqueur and stir and scrape deposits from the glassas the liqueur boils lightly. Alcohol boils at a lower temperaturethan water. Keep the storage vessel off the bottom of the boiling water pot.Direct heat is very bad for the elixir, making it stick.As the liqueur boils, the crystals will remelt with time. The large particles of the crystals can be crushed with a long needle probe to hurryup the process. When the crystals are gone, administer themagic liqueur while it is HOT. Using a syringe enablesuniformity and accuracy of the doseages. The hot liqueurquickly becomes cloudy on slight cooling. So a hottemp of the liqueur with remelted crystalsis important for accurate dosage administration.Or the crystals can be dried and used as they are!

6. Or, the crystalline extract can be completely dried by placing the elixir container in front ofa small fan to get most of the liquid out. To complete the drying, desiccant is recommended. Place the small vessel of liquid extract into a larger jar with quality desiccant. It takesseveral days to complete drying, but the final crystalline substance is very dry, loose, and canbe weighed and worked with very easily.

7. TEK personalization through experience is what happens to anyonetrying this. DOSAGE and STORAGE Getting crystals is really moot. I think the following schemefor dosing and storage is the only way to go. With this way,one doesn't have to deal with the problems of crystalizationand other things related. Plus, the dry crystals would be much more prone to potency loss if left dry. If they arein an alcohol solution, that would be better for preservation.

As an example, one can start with 20 grams of dried shrooms.After the filtration of the hot slurry, the resultant liqueurshould be put into an evaporation vessel and with a fan blowingair across the mouth of the vessel, the liqueur should be evaportateddown to about 50 milliliters. Then, in a double boiler, heat thesmall amount of liqueur to put the crystals and extract back intoa cloudy solution. Then while it is hot, dispense 10 cc of theliqueur into waiting small storage jars with watertight caps. Eachsmall jar is allowed to cool, the cap is put on and the jar isplaced into the freezer for storage. Then when it is time to trip,the desired jars are removed from the freezer, allowed to warm toroom temps, the lids taken off, a small fan set up blowing airacross the jars mouths and the liquere evaporated off to a manageble"hit". The small jars then become adminstration "spoons" - wherethe entire contents (alcohol - water - and extract) can bepolished off with the tongue.