Guayaki is the most common brand of Yerba Mate found at grocery stores, but there are many other types included toasted Yerba!!
Afternoon study sessions got you tired? Grab some mate and a gourd and add a natural uplifting beverage to study time with your classmates on the lawn.
-Pronounced “Mah-Tay” Yerba Mate-translated means “Mate-Herb.”
-Green tea traditionally consumed hot out of a hollowed gourd with a filter straw called a bombilla.
-Most commonly consumed in central and southern regions of South America.
-First cultivated by the Guarani people and in some Tupi communities in Southern Brazil prior to European colonization.
-Mate plants start as a shrub and grow into a tree like plant, the leaves are an evergreen type meaning they do not completely loose their foliage at any time of the year.
-Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil are the main areas yerba mate it produced by the cultivators called yerbateros.
-The leaves contain caffeine and are dried and ground coarse before being brewed as a tea.
-Yerba mate can be found in many energy drinks on the market today and offers a more natural caffeine source similar to coffee.
-Consumption of Mate gives you a “lifted” effect that is a mind and body boost, different than that of coffee that can give you the “jittery” effect.
How to enjoy mate in the gourd:
Gather friends, traditionally everyone sits in a circle with one person being the brewer.
-pack gourd with dried yerba mate of choice (about half-3/4 full)
-Shake tea in gourd (dry) and allow to settle to the side to separate the fine and coarse particles.
-Lay filter straw called “bombilla” on top of green tea.
-The brewer saturates the leaves with some warm water to let the leaves bloom or open up.
-Hot water is then added second.
* Adding Hot water first to raw leaves will burn them and give the mate a bitter flavor
-Gourd is then passed to first person to sip out of bombilla, once this person has a few sips they pass gourd back to brewer.
-Brewer will add more hot water and pass to next person (clockwise) and continue this until everyone has enjoyed the beverage.
-Etiquite:
-Try not to disturb the placement of the straw, it will ensure less leaves come through.
-Do not “camp” or hold on to the gourd too long, enjoy and return to brewer.
-Multiple gourds are acceptable or straws if you are concerned about sharing straws.
-Enjoy great conversation and each other’s company as you all get “lifted.”
Check out the Guayaki Yerba Mate store to purchase gourds and bombilla straws!
Yerba Mate in it’s loose leaf form.