Brewing yerba mate comes with a specific ritual that is somewhat intricate and may pose a few challenges for beginners ;) However, with time, everyone gets the hang of it and experiences no trouble correctly brewing their favorite mate.
In every country, the methods of preparing the infusion differ in certain details; therefore, one cannot say there is a single, unique way to brew yerba mate. Nevertheless, we will try to present two possible methods for properly preparing yerba mate: a simple one and a more elaborate one.
One of the simplest ways to brew mate:
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Insert the bombilla into the vessel.
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Pour the yerba mate tea leaves into the vessel. Depending on the desired strength of the infusion, fill it from 2/4 to 3/4 of the vessel's volume.
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Pour a small amount of cooler water (below 40–50°C) over the leaves.
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Next, pour water at a temperature no higher than 70–75°C.
This method of preparing mate is not particularly complicated, but it has its drawbacks. Preparing the tea leaves this way may cause the bombilla to clog, lead to an overly bitter taste in the first steepings, and result in a rapid loss of flavor during subsequent steepings.
Below, we present a more elaborate method for brewing mate:
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Fill the vessel with yerba mate to 2/4 to 3/4 of its capacity.
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Cover the opening of the vessel with your palm, turn the vessel upside down, and shake it vigorously up and down several times.
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Thanks to this technique, the finest particles of mate and dust move to the top, thereby reducing the risk of clogging the bombilla.
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The next step is to gently tilt the mate against the wall of the vessel. Properly arranging the leaves prevents the finest particles from clogging the bombilla and keeps dust from entering the bombilla's filter holes.
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Next, slowly pour a small amount of water at a temperature lower than the target temperature (40°C or lower) into the empty space until it is completely absorbed by the leaves. The matero remains gently tilted, with the leaves positioned against the wall. Pouring cold water aims to avoid losing the nutritional value and aroma of the infusion.
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Now it is time to place the bombilla into the empty space where there are no leaves.
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Gently pour warm water (up to 70–75°C) into the empty space. Fill it almost to the brim, keeping in mind to leave a small mound of dry mate at the very top.
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After adding warm water, wait about 2–3 minutes, and the infusion is ready to drink.
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Once you finish drinking the infusion, you can keep adding warm water until you no longer taste sufficient flavor coming from the brew.
You can add other ingredients to the mate leaves to neutralize the bitterness (honey, sugar, or herbs: mint, peppermint, lemon verbena, cornflower leaves, and others). Sugar can be replaced with alternatives such as stevia, xylitol, or erythritol.
While the ritual itself is quite detailed, you do not have to strictly adhere to every step. However, it is essential to remember the key points:
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Do not stir the leaves with the bombilla—this clogs its holes and creates a muddy texture.
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Pour cold water into the vessel first to preserve the infusion's aroma and nutritional properties for longer.
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Shake the vessel while covering its opening so that the finest elements of the mate stay at the top.
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Use water at a maximum temperature of 75°C for subsequent steepings.
