Anyone here a fan of yerba mate?

Cafe Society
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[Earlier thread from 2006.]

I’ve certainly heard of it and seen the packages in the tea section of the grocery store. I was always under the impression that it was strong, high in caffeine, and would put hair on your chest (whether you wanted it or not). The thing that caught my attention was stumbling on this special cup and accessories on amazon this morning:

Yerba Mate Gourd Cup Double Wall Stainless Steel, Bombilla Mate (Straws), Mate Tea Filter

I will confess that I’m a sucker for beverages that have their own tools and rituals. :sunglasses:

Then I started researching. There’s a whole subreddit devoted to yerba mate with a robust discussion of brands, methods, “gourds” (the special cup you make it in), effects on the body. Like most reddit discussions, it was TMI and overwhelming. Naturally I turned to a trusted source: the SDMB.

Apparently it’s an acquired taste (like black coffee or martinis). There are a bazillion brands, but two that are suggested for beginners are Playadito and Anna Park. The palatability for newbies seems to have to do with how smoky the blend is.

What’s your experience with the beverage?

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I’ve loved it ever since I visited Argentina in 1990. The taste is great, and the ritual with the gourd and special metal straw and sugary hot water is fun — like passing around a bong.

A few years later it started appearing in American stores as tea bags, which is okay, but not the same as with the paraphernalia.

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:grinning:

What brand do you like?

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Sorry – it’s been so long since I enjoyed just the basic “loose leaves in the gourd.” The name I recall is Secadero – maybe it was this? Smoky and full-flavored. Yerba Mate "SECADERO" Smoked & Tasty Great Quality / 1.10 | My Mate World - Yerba Mate Store

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Thanks. :slightly_smiling_face:

The YouTube videos show a tea-making process (with loose leaves) unlike any other.

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I just remembered — we also had a bag of Piporé brand in the house (the red bad tipped me off). I remember it being tasty, but a little lighter, and not as smoky.