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I\u2019ll be the first to admit that I\u2019m not the biggest fan of the taste of coffee<\/a>, despite drinking it on the regular. I always load up my mug with some creamer and a generous amount of sugar to mask the bitterness of the taste \u2014 and after drinking it, I don\u2019t always feel as great and refreshed as I think I should. Still, at the very least, I like the routine of it: Sipping on a hot cup of java throughout the morning has become a sort of ritual for me. But, nobody had to twist my arm to try out a new beverage that claims to have all the benefits of coffee \u2014 and more. Yep, you can probably guess what I\u2019m talking about: I tried one of the mushroom-based alternative coffee drinks<\/a> that have been rising in popularity over the past few years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It didn\u2019t take all that much convincing for me to give MUD\\WTR<\/a> a try, but I\u2019ll confess I was a bit skeptical at first, since I\u2019m decidedly not a big fan of mushrooms. However, after testing out the brand\u2019s Morning Ritual Starter Kit<\/a> \u2014 which comes with their signature Masala Chai blend<\/a> \u2014 I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever go back to regular coffee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We all know the downsides of regular coffee \u2014 mostly in regards to the jittery feeling the caffeine induces and the brutal crash that follows. MUD\\WTR<\/a>, however, claims to give you a boost without those side effects, plus<\/em> a higher level of focus and immunity. As the brand says, it\u2019s a \u201cmicro-dose of caffeine and a macro-dose of functional benefits.\u201d So, what\u2019s the Rise blend actually made of? First off, it\u2019s entirely organic, sugar-free, keto-friendly, gluten-free, kosher, and<\/em> vegan. In addition to the chai, there\u2019s energy- and mood-enhancing cacao and various kinds of mushrooms blended in. According to the brand\u2019s website, the lion\u2019s mane mushrooms are for focus, chaga and reishi are for immune system improvement, and cordyceps help with energy. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Additionally, you\u2019ll only consume about 35 milligrams of caffeine with each serving, as opposed to a cup of coffee that often has over triple that amount<\/a>, give or take. The Morning Ritual Starter Kit<\/a> comes with a 30-serving tin of the Masala Chai, plus a rechargeable frother and recipe book that tells you exactly what and how much to add to your brew. There are even a few samples of nondairy creamers and a sticker, which is a fun little bonus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The guidebook instructs you to add a tablespoon from the tin to your mug, then add 180-degree Fahrenheit water to it. Next, you whip out the provided frother and blend, which I thought was super effective. It\u2019s as easy as it sounds<\/strong>, which I\u2019ve appreciated when I\u2019m in a rush in the morning. In as little as 20 to 30 seconds, there weren\u2019t any powdery remnants in my beverage. Now, I was wary of what MUD\\WTR<\/a> would taste like at first, but thankfully it wasn\u2019t too earthy<\/strong>. There were faint hints, sure, but it tasted like my regular chai from Starbucks more than anything, especially when I added some brown sugar oat milk creamer from Trader Joe\u2019s. I will admit, as with my coffee, I wouldn\u2019t drink MUD\\WTR without creamer and a bit of sugar. (It may only be vaguely earthy, but it certainly isn\u2019t too sweet.) The chai also had the perfect amount of cinnamon<\/strong>, and when I gave the Matcha<\/a> and Rest<\/a> blends a try, they were just as delicious (with the creamer, of course). I wasn\u2019t all that into their coconut milk creamer sample, however, but to each their own. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n