What Does Yerba Mate Taste Like?

Jason has been an online writer for over 12 years. His articles focus on everything from philosophy to delicious recipes.

The Flavor of Yerba Mate

Yerba mate, a South American herb related to the holly whose leaves are drunk much like tea, has a taste that is different from tea, even green tea. It's strong, earthy, bitter, and has a eucalyptus smell.

What does yerba mate taste like?

• Strong and pungent, especially if prepared in the traditional fashion from the gourd and straw.
• Somewhat earthy, not completely unlike green pu-erh tea.
• A slightly camphor/eucalyptus smell and taste (like Vicks).
• Bitter, but not very astringent if prepared similarly to tea.

How long should I steep yerba mate for maximum flavor?

It also comes in tiny broken pieces of the leaf, so in hot water, it doesn't take long to steep. I typically steep a couple of teaspoons in almost-boiling water for about 30 seconds, while I usually steep tea for at least 3 minutes.

Does yerba mate have caffeine?

Yerba mate has quite a bit of caffeine—more than tea, but less than coffee—so it can be addictive (I'm speaking from personal experience...).

Comments

Hitoshi from Tokyo on March 22, 2010:

Switched from coffee to yerba mate a while ago. No more jitters, can sleep at night, but still wakes me up - http://yerbamates.com has more details.

Jason Menayan (author) from San Francisco on May 25, 2007:

It's supposed to be full of antioxidants...but most of its health claims are made by vendors:

http://www.iloveyerba.com/ben.htm

http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2005-05-03/bensi...

cgull8m from North Carolina on May 24, 2007:

Thanks for the post, is there any good health effects for this tea like Green tea?

Cory Zacharia from Miami Beach, Florida on May 22, 2007:

That sounds delicious!

Jason Menayan (author) from San Francisco on May 22, 2007:

@ jimmy: Definitely next time. I think I've seen all of London I need to see for a while, and I've wanted to visit Edinburgh ever since I saw a documentary about it about 10 years ago. As for the haggis... I might need some Johnny to wash out the flavor! (I'm a vegetarian)

@ Guru-C: You've done it the "real" way! Yes, I'd imagine that it's really, really bitter that way, but it must also pack quite a powerful caffeine punch. An alternative, I guess, is to try terrere, where they use fruit juice instead of hot water to steep the leaves.

Cory Zacharia from Miami Beach, Florida on May 22, 2007:

I have a very dear friend who is from Argentina and when we get together in her home, we partake in the mate ritual of refilling with boiling water again and again, and passing the vessel like a peacepipe that marks the pace of our conversation. Yes, the mate is quite bitter but I like it that way. My friend adds a sugar packet to each cupful of hers. In all it's a very invigorating experience.

Jimmy the jock from Scotland on May 22, 2007:

you should have said that you were in London , you could have got on an easyjet and flew up here it only takes an hour, lol . i would have made you some scotch broth and haggis which you could have washed down with a little nip of black label.....jimmy

Jason Menayan (author) from San Francisco on May 22, 2007:

Agreed. Speaking of...you know, I was in London a couple of months ago and I tried Irn-Bru. Bitter & sweet, kind of like tonic water. Suspect it's an acquired taste!

Jimmy the jock from Scotland on May 22, 2007:

i tried it recently but alas it wasn't to my taste, i think it is one of those products that people will either love it or hate it.....jimmy

Jason Menayan (author) from San Francisco on May 21, 2007:

Tobacco is actually a good description of its taste! Well, "full strength", the way Argentineans drink it, is really strong. More dilute, it can taste nice.

vic on May 21, 2007:

I had this tea in Argentina and remember it to taste something like bitter tobacco tea!! They served it in a small gourd and a straw. I had about six ounces which felt like having four shots of espresso. It would make a great morning drink.