Yerba Mate 

​Yerba Mate (Ilex Paraguariensis) is a plant that is native to South America. It is predominantly grown in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. It was cultivated by the Guarani  people over 500 years ago. It is an all natural herbal beverage that contains vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. It contains caffeine, has no sugar and is a natural hunger suppressant. It is a mood enhancer, energy booster and not to mention a great social piece. It is tradition to share the brew with your friends and family during social events. You can enjoy it on your own at work for extra focus or before exercising.  Make no mistake this beverage can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere.

This is the classic version of this drink. When the Ilex Paraguariensis is harvested it is dried either by smoke (as tradition) or sun dried it is cut down  and aged (1-3 years), what remains is either the leaves or the leaves and stems. Each variation offers different flavors and experiences. For example, the stemless option will offer the most amount of caffeine and will last longer. The smoked version will give you a smoky aftertaste. The stemmed version will taste more earthy and is traditional. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to which options are better it is all a matter of preference.

While classic yerba mate brings warmth, tereré does the opposite. This drink is  cherished in regions like Paraguay and Brazil where the weather is warmer. This chilled variation offers a distinctive twist to the yerba mate experience. People serve it with ice and it’s common for people to add cold juice. It is common to find tereré blended with mint leaves, citrus peels, ginger, or offer citrus-like flavors and offers a refreshingly different taste with no guilt of sugar or calories. It is often prepared in a different type of gourd called a Guampa.

Also known as Erva Mate is a staple in the south side of Brazil. It is similar to mate in the sense that it is mate however there are a few notable differences. Traditional mate requires aging 1-3 years after being harvested whereas chimarrão is packaged immediately. There is more grinding involved which refines many stems/leaves into a powder giving this drink a look similar to matcha but in a gourd. There is also a small variance in preparation and is prepared in a gourd made specific for this drink called a Cuia and the bombilla straw is wider to accommodate for the powder. This is a Bomba.

To begin, you place the yerba mate leaves into a hollowed-out gourd and gently shake the mate in the cup for about 10-15 seconds. Doing this will cause excess powder to stick to your hand. This ensures a smoother drinking experience. Hold it on one side and with your other hand put the bombilla in with the top covered by your thumb. I like to push the bombilla more to the middle while not necessary people do this.  Next, add a bit of cold water to the dry mate, a step known as "priming." This helps prepare the leaves for the warmer water and prevents them from burning too quickly. Once primed, you are ready to enjoy! When it comes to adding the hot water, you ideally want to use a thermos to maintain consistent temperature all day long. The temperature of the water all comes down to preference. On average the temperature begins from 150°F (65°C) and goes up from there. It’s worth noting that the higher the temperature, the stronger the effect and flavor but it won’t last as long as lower temperature option. Personally I enjoy a moderate 165°F (73.89°C).

Gourds can be made from a variety of materials. The materials can have an impact on your overall experience. The traditional mate gourd is made out of dried out and hollowed calabash gourd that gives your mate a special taste. There are wood options as well and can give the mate a woody aftertaste depending on the wood. These 2 options need to be “cured” prior to using it for the first time. To cure the traditional gourd you need to fill to the brim with used yerba mate and fill it with water. If there is a metal brim, please fill it to the start of the brim. You leave it alone for 24 hours and you drain it and let it dry. You might need to repeat this process once more and you’re good to go! For the wood option you will do the same thing however you pass along an olive or coconut oil along the walls until it dries 2 times before adding the used mate. You might notice small patches of green discoloration, this is normal and is expected. One thing worth noting is that the gourds should stay as dry as possible when not in use. These specific gourds can get white mold if yerba mate if left in there for a few days. If mold does grow please place boiling water (+200°F/+93.33°C) into the empty gourd and let it rest until it reaches room temperature. Empty the gourd and repeat the process as many times as necessary until it goes away.