Yerba Mate

So I bought a gourd and a bombilla with my birthday money. I’ve wanted one for a while but just never actually got one until now. I must say it takes practice to make it right so the leaves don’t come up through the straw. I’ve been drinking mate in it for the past couple days and I’m addicted. I feel cool :] and I feel like it tastes better. Though that part might just be in my head.

Remember when my tea notes used to have every other one being this yerba mate or another flavored yerba mate? I do and I am not used to drinking it anymore.

I made this with a four minute steep, a good splash of honey, and some microwaved steamed vanilla almond milk. I left out the honey additionally, but I found it a little bitter. Once it is cooled down enough to actually drink, it is good. I wish I could have left out the honey, but I was feeling like a sweetened latte. I couldn’t get a good foam with my almond milk this time, but I don’t have a tool to actually froth or foam my milk with.

It still stands that I would like a goard and bombilla set to try this with. I think it would taste better. And I could use the bombilla with my mug steeped oolongs as well so I don’t feel strange trying not to drink a tea leaf.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 teabag
Water: 8 ounces hot spigot water
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Wood, paper, green tea
Steeped Tea Smell: woody green tea
Flavor: woody green tea, a bit bitter and a bit astringent
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: translucent yellow-brown honey colored

Gift from a co-worker who tried the Yerba Mate and found it to have too much caffeine. I enjoy being the crazy tea lady of the office.

So far I find mate to taste very much like a green tea.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/guayaki-teabag-mate-tea-yerba-mate.html

Recently, I discovered a drink that I ADORE at the Philz on my walk to work. However, when I go there, I end up spending like $6 or more because I have no self control and get a vegan cookie, as well. Well, since I’m on a money AND food diet, I decided to buy a bag of these yerba mate bags, even though $5 for 25 seemed a little steep. Now, at Philz, I had them add a little soy milk and fresh mint, so I was trying to accomplish the same at home… SO, I mixed 40 oz of water with 4 yerba mate tea bags and 2 Trader Joe’s Mint Melange tea bags, then added some vanilla soy until my pot was about full (maybe a cup?)

PERFECT! Exactly what I was looking for. Too bad the tea bags are $5 for 25 and I’ve already used 6 bags since I bought them last night….

On a side note, does anybody know why there is a huge warning on the mate bag to NOT DRINK IT OVER 150 DEGREES?? :)

No rating, since I mixed it with another tea.

I had to bump this down… I used up the rest of the yerba mate, but it isn’t as great as it used to be for me. The flavor was just meh. Plus, it reminded me of my surgical rotation, which was horrible. I also think that my palate has been spoiled by the yummy teas I’ve tried! :)

I am certainly getting that “earthy” quality others have mentioned. This is my first time trying mate… had to even ask how it was pronounced. I am feeling somewhat more energized, which is definitely a good thing as I am currently at work and have another 2 and a half hours to go till this shift is through! Some days midnight cannot come soon enough. :)

I have some serious a$$-kicking work to do today, so I thought it was time to bust this out again. My pack is a couple of years old—-I originally had it sitting in my desk at the library at which I used to work, when I was trying different ways of waking myself up in the morning.

At any rate, despite it being a couple of years old, this mate actually lasts really, really well. It doesn’t taste at all old or musty, and while a 5-minute steep may seem a little long, it’s really not much at all (especially considering that I usually am all about strong black teas).

Totally brilliant, I am very awake and focused, just as I need to be. Now, after having written this review, back to work with me—-as mentioned earlier, I’ve got a lot to do today. :)

Was a little hesitant to drink this because I had heard somewhere it was a potential carcinogen, but did a little research after my partner brought a bag home. Reminds me of nettles.

I love Guayaki’s products and their traditional maté is one of the best I’ve had. Why? It doesn’t taste like only dirt and grass like some brands. If you have it in a bag, it’s great steeped not too long. But this is best served traditionally in a gourd.

Special remedy for a slight cold?
A pot of Yerba Mate.
Learned how effective YM was when I was really into Matevana from Teavana…
but hey, the plain stuff is just as effective.
In any case, yeah, I got a sore throat, and I’m a little phlegmy. But when I got my mate, I’m just phlegmy.

Sorry about never actually following through on my previous posts about the iced teas…
Here’s the story:
They all turned out awesome.
I’ll post about them in a sec.

Oh, and I was the only one that brought anything to the potluck.