Guayaki

I didn’t fall asleep till late and my boyfriend of course wakes up at 8:30 and makes me eat breakfast. Then I discover the world juniors gold medal game is on. I fall asleep during the end, but wake up in time to hear bad anthem singing. USA!

And now I am still not awake. This was the only mate I brought over with me I think, and it is a teabag, so I cannot remember who gave me this because I never put them in my spreadsheet if there’s just one.

I put milk in the mug first then added enough hot water for a cup total, and let it steep probably 10 minutes.

This definitely isn’t how I thought it would taste. I was expecting just chocolate but there’s spices in here that make it seem more like chai. It’s also disgustingly sweet, and I see on their website that is thanks to stevia. Glad they could make that clear anywhere, I was looking all over the place and finally realized the ingredients are in a fake looking nutritional facts chart.

I’d probably really like this if it wasn’t for that stevia. It just ruins it. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove wouldn’t be something I’d match with chocolate, but it seems to work until the sweetness hits.

Originally published at The Nice Drinks In Life: http://thenicedrinksinlife.blogspot.com/2012/08/guayaki-organic-traditional-yerba-mate.html

Origins: Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil
Type: Yerba Mate
Purveyor: Guayakí
Preparation: Two teaspoons put into an empty mug (about eight-ounce size), no bag or steeper, a little cold water added, stirred with a bombilla, rest of mug filled with approximately 150-degree water, sipped with bombilla

Yerba mate is really cool. It is a tisane in that it is not Camellia sinensis, but it is naturally caffeinated, and it certainly tastes more like a beverage that was meant to be brewed than like a dessert tray pureed with a little too much water and sugar, as many herbals are apt to taste. The traditional drink (or, at least, a traditional drink) of the Native Americans in sub-tropical South America, yerba mate remains a staple there, and has found its way to much of the rest of the world as well.

Yerba mate is traditionally drunk out of a hollowed out gourd. I have one, but it is a pain in the neck to clean, so I use a mug. I do, however, use the bombilla, also part of the tradition, which is a metal straw through which the liquid is drunk. (For those wondering, it is indeed possible to burn one’s lips on it, but that is unlikely to happen more than once.) Preparation should be as described above when using loose tea. The cold water helps manifest many elements of the tea, including not only compounds such as caffeine and anti-oxidants, but also those that give the tea is lovely flavor. After the hot water is poured in, there is no need to wait more than a few seconds for the tea to steep. It is ready to go.

Guayakí has done some remarkable stuff with yerba mate, but I generally prefer the simple and original things in life, and therefore keep the “traditional” version in my home. The leaves are chopped in all ways, with some fragments the size of a SIM card, and others practically powder. They are pale greenish tan, not at all unlike the color of American military uniforms between Desert Storm and the present day.

Yerba mate has an aroma and flavor all its own, and it is much more difficult to describe than the notes of coffee or black tea. The steam coming off of the tea smells very earthy, very malty, and very woodsy, with a tinge of smokiness. The color of the liquid, which is a little bit thinner and lighter in body than a brew made from Camellia sinensis, is the same as the color of the leaves. The flavor is bitter, but smooth, consistent, almost tannic even. It has plenty of malt, and a hint of the floral. Both the aroma and flavor, but especially the aroma, will make one reminisce about spending time outside in a wooded area after a rain, though one will not be able to put his finger on exactly what situation that was. (This has been confirmed by many.) The liquid has minimal structure, just enough so that the flavor can do all the heavy lifting; and indeed, while the body is light, the flavor is rich. It goes down easy, being so light in body, and leaves an aftertaste as smooth and consistent as the tea itself. The sipper will want more.

The good news about wanting more, by the way, is that yerba mate can be re-steeped much more often than Camellia sinensis. The mug or gourd can be refilled three times without too much effect on the flavor’s strength.

In the middle of making some notes on the flavor, I realized that I had forgotten to note the aroma of the dry leaves. Imagine my shock to discover strong fruity tones where the liquid offers only malt. The dry leaves are earthy, and even woodsy, but where with the brewed liquid there are flowers growing wild, here there is only fruit to decorate the flora.

Yerba mate is hardly unknown or unheard of in North America, but it still does not get the attention that it deserves. To tea lovers, people who like variety in what they consume, and anyone who would not mind an alternative pick-me-up for the morning or afternoon (its caffeine is quite effective), I definitely recommend getting some of this delicious beverage right away. Enjoy.

With fish tacos at Mendocino Cafe. Refreshing!

I’m slowly becoming a fan of Mate the more I try it. By itself I cannot get over its strange, almost abrupt herbal flavor, but I do enjoy its energy boost similar to drinks like Red Bull. I saw this flavor at Target and figured I’d give it a try and I’m glad I did. The chocolate spice is not strong, but it does mellow out what bothers me about mate…makes it more palatable. That being said, it’s not a bad choice.

I guess I just need a little energy today :D

wonderful classic. I have had a million cups of this in the last few years. It’s my favorite yerba so far. i’m looking for something different just for fun. Does anyone know of any particularly exciting yerba concoctions?

side note: never buy the tea bags of this brand unless you don’t mind chunks in the water (they break and are sealed poorly)

Though I do get more of an immediate boost from a cup of coffee, I enjoy drinking Guayaki Yerba Maté much more than a typical cup of coffee. Easy to brew and serve (hot or iced), with a wonderfully earthy flavor, maté has become part of my daily morning ritual. Highly recommended straight up or with a touch of mint and lemon, depending on personal preference.

i like to have this with mint mate to make orange mint mate… delicious!

Was in a hurry this morning, so I decided to throw a few teabags of mate in the to go mug. Green tea never tastes good in the mug, so this is just to get me started before I get to work and can have a proper cup of tea. Mate gives me wings.

Drank yerba mate this morning to wake me up after working until 3am the previous night. It wasn’t doing the job, so I moved up to something stronger.

When I tried this hot I hated it. But when cold brewed in the fridge… Now that’s a different story. It’s so much better! It has lovely notes of orange and a light cherry flavor. Very refreshing.

This could possibly be one of the worst tasting teas I’ve had – ever. I don’t know what it is, it could very possibly be just me. But I can’t even finish a glass of this! Which is sad, because I bought a box I now have no use for. Something about the citrus and this almost burnt green flavor, I just can’t. Sorry to all the people who really like this one, but I guess not all teas work for all people. I have a box up for grabs, if anyone wants to trade.

umm this has 120mg of caffeine per can.
it’s 11:33pm and i probably shouldn’t have even had the half a can i did.
it tastes nice. but the flavor is really kinda hard to describe. i mean, basically it’s carbonated and sweetened mate tea. i’d definitely buy it again. i don’t drink soda but i could easily enjoy this regularly.

While I have an appreciation for bitter flavors that are awesome (dark roast coffee, certain teas, wicked dark chocolate, etc), my introduction to Yerba Mate was, “Whoa…too bitter for me.” However, I have such fond memories of my visit to Guayaki in California, I just had to try it again. This time I picked up a box of this cocoa infused blend. I tried it with lots of positive attitude but inner bracing against possible bitterness. OH…my…yumminess! Delicate sweetness, light cocoa and spice flavor, warming and delicious. Frothed with a little milk/non dairy bev. and a touch of honey, this became a latte of cocoa laced with spices; the yerba mate’s earthy and vegetal flavor creating a lovely counterpoint.