Product Questions - Frequently Asked Questions

Erva and Yerba Mate consist of the same components: leaves, branches, and leaf powder.

The yerba mate is fresh and green, and that's how it tastes. It's drunk directly after drying; the fresher, the better. This way of drinking fresh yerba mate is mainly found in Brazil.

The yerba mate is ripe and greenish-gray, with a slightly hay-like...more bitter taste. After harvesting and drying, it is stored for at least 12 months. This type of aged mate tea is primarily found in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

You can also prepare mate very well as a cold brew; this method is particularly common in Paraguay. Cold-brewed mate is called tereré, with the emphasis on the last "é". Tereré has a significantly milder flavor and is not quite as stimulating. On hot summer days, cold-brewed mate is a healthy and invigorating refreshment. It's best served ice-cold with ice cubes, fruit juice, and fresh herbs. Mint, lemongrass, orange juice, or freshly squeezed lime are especially good...

Mate is a natural product, and its caffeine content varies slightly, ranging from 0.7% to 1.7% depending on the variety. Yerba and Erva Mate are our mildest varieties, with approximately 0.7% caffeine. Raw Mate, at around 1.7%, is the variety with the highest caffeine content in our range. The amount of caffeine released from the leaves depends on the steeping time and the water temperature. Experiment and see what feels best for you. Hot water releases more caffeine from the leaves in the same amount of time than cold water. For example, a short steeping time of about one minute with very hot water produces a particularly invigorating brew. The same steeping time with cold water would have a significantly weaker effect.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. We know people who have been drinking 2-4 liters of mate a day for decades and they're doing great, myself included. Be mindful of yourself, listen to your body, and decide how much mate feels right for you. And not all mate is the same; there are significant differences in its effects depending on its origin, cultivation method, and drying process.
If you keep re-steeping your mate without adding fresh leaves, you'll eventually just be drinking water. If you add fresh leaves with each infusion, you'll experience a much stronger effect.

If you don't like it too bitter, steep your mate for only a very short time and re-infuse it more frequently. You can also use a slightly lower dose; the infusion will automatically be milder.

Of course, you can also brew your mate using a tea strainer, a tea infuser, or a French press. A bombilla is wonderful and makes drinking mate a lot of fun, but it works without one too :-)

You can simply pour the water through the leaves or let them steep for several hours. However, the taste and effect will then vary considerably.

For those hoping for a relatively well-rounded flavor and a stimulating effect from the infusions, caamate should be steeped for approximately 1-2 minutes at around 70-100 degrees Celsius. The hotter the water, the more stimulating the infusion.

Important: Hot drinks should never be hotter than approximately 70 degrees Celsius when they touch the mouth and throat. Therefore, if necessary, let them cool down again before and after pouring.

Traditionally, mate is steeped so many times that it loses its flavor anyway.

The same applies when brewing mate tea in a tea infuser or French press. For a truly enjoyable tea experience, you can brew mate approximately 2-3 times. The specific type of mate varies; roasted mate is often quite mild after the third brew, while classic mate tea, yerba mate, and erva mate can withstand more brews.

You can put the bombilla in the dishwasher or simply rinse it with clean water.

Every few months, you can also boil your bombillas for about 5 minutes with a little washing soda, 1 tablespoon per liter. Afterwards, they will be shiny again and any deposits will be gone.