ENJOYING MATÉ
Yerba maté can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from the traditional custom of drinking from a hollowed out gourd, to a more modern and convenient technique of brewing loose leaf in a teapot, or even in teabags. With our extensive range of Yerba maté products, you can choose the option that suits you best.
As with any infusion, the quality of the water affects the flavour of your drink. Always aim to use clean, fresh water.Go for filtered water where possible, but avoid mineral water. Much like green tea, you should not pour boiling water over Yerba maté. Aim for 70-80 degrees celsius.
Read on for a list of ways you can brew your Yerba maté!
Argentinian Way
The traditional way to enjoy a brew of Yerba maté is in a hollowed out gourd, which is the fruit of a Calabash tree. This adds to the flavour of the drink and has been done for centuries.
Curing Your Own Gourd
If you’d like to create an authentic Yerba maté experience, get your hands on a gourd! You’ll taste the beverage the way it has been prepared by people since the discovery of Yerba maté.
A well seasoned gourd will better absorb the yerba attributes, increasing the taste of the maté.
Your gourd should have a wide mouth and a narrow base.
Here are the steps to cure your gourd:
1. First, fill your gourd with Yerba maté leaves, and then cover with hot water. Fill all the way to the top.
2. Leave it to sit overnight.
3. Tip out the wet maté leaves, and then use a spoon to scratch out the inner walls of the gourd. This removes the “woody coat” - which you don’t want when drinking your yerba!
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for a few days, until the walls are completely clean.
5. You are now ready to drink from your gourd!
Preparing your maté
Step 1. Begin with a well cured gourd, and fill it ¾ full of Yerba maté leaves.
Step 2. Next, cover the top with your hand, turn the gourd upside down and give it a good shake. This helps evenly distribute the Yerba maté leaves.
Step 3. Now that you’ve shaken it up, tilt the gourd on a 45 degree angle towards you. This leaves a gap so that you can pour water and it will go straight to the bottom.
Step 4. Pour a small amount of warm water into the bottom of the gourd to wet the leaves.
Step 5. Insert your bombilla (straw) and rest it against the inside of the gourd. Once it’s in, don’t move it!
Step 6. Pour your hot water (70-80 degrees) and fill the remainder of the gap.
Now sip your maté and enjoy! You can keep adding water and the flavour will last and mature over many refills.
