Yerba Maté

Yerba Mate // Mate // Erva Mate // Chimarrão
Blended Botanical // Blended Tisane
From The Southern Regions of Brazil

50g Tin

or

Low Waste Refill (compostable bag) with discount code: REFILL

Yerba Mate ~ the ever popular drink of South American enjoys a rich and diverse world of drinking culture to equal that of Tea or Coffee. We’re delighted to offer this fine Brazilian Green Mate and enter the intriguing culture of Mate, all the time learning more.

Fine broken leaves, stem and powder, lush greens and vibrant tones, giving a fresh hay, grassy like and herb aromas. Bright and grassy green in flavour with a good astringency. Lasting flavours and stimulating effect.

The Yerba Mate plant, Ilex paraguariensis is part of the Holly family Aquifoliaceae, genus Ilex which is a native evergreen, wild growing plant of South America. It has small greenish white flowers and produces red fruits, its evergreen leaves are referred to as Yerba or Erva translating as ‘herb’. The plant contains caffeine and strong similarities to Tea itself.

Brazilian Mate is produced in the southern states of Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná. Creating a wide variety from region to region and several grades of Mate from coarser leaf Gaucho blends to bright powders of Chimarrão similar to Matcha, packed fresh from harvest unlike many over varieties that undergo ageing. Yerba Mate sees it roots in the Guaraní peoples, first to cultivate the plant for spiritual purposes and later on becoming synonymous with the Gauchos, nomadic, skilled horsemen ranging the grasslands of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil spreading the popularity and culture across these countries and Southern America. Each developing strong customs and unique varieties.

Traditionally brewed using a Calabash Gourd called a Mate or Cuia used for the brewing and drinking from. A Bombilla or Bomba is used as a straw for drinking the infusions. At its base is formed and wide filter preventing leaves from blocking it. Brazilian Mate is considered to be more bitter than Mate from other regions so herbs or fruit peels can be added to sweeten but sugar is frowned upon.

Brew Guide
Place Yerba leaves into your gourd until 1/2 to 3/4 full.
Shaking lightly and tilting it around in order to help coat the interior with leaf.
Remain holding your gourd at a tilt allowing the leaves to gather on one side.
Pour in a small amount of cool water into the gap the other side of where the leaves rest, the leaves will absorb, awakening the leaves and ensuring you won’t burn the leaves.
Place your bombilla at an angle inside, hooking the filter about under the leaves, being sure not to move it around as you fill with water.
Pour in 70-80ºc hot water and sip through your bombilla.
*it is customary to consume the infusion in one sitting.
Then top up and enjoy again, usually up to 10 times or when the leaves flavour has finished.

In recent years, Mate drinkers have also started to brew the leaves in a western style.
Brew Guide
Tea 1-2 teaspoons (3-4g)
Water 70-80ºc // 300ml
Brew time 2-3 minutes (adjust to personal taste)
Then reinfuse the leaves.
(Equally it can be brewed in a French press or mocha pot.)