Yerba Mate

Just like coffee beans, tea leaves and wine grapes, yerba mate is very nuanced and complex. Region, climate and soil where yerba mate was grown, as well as how it was produced, aged and blended all influence the properties of the beverage and make it so satisfying to discover and explore.

When the final product hits the shelf, mate enthusiasts are presented with thousands of different brands, types, cuts and blends of yerba mate, ready to be enjoyed. The sheer variety of yerba mate on the market, that makes seasoned cebadores so excited about it, may surprise and even shock a new matero, so it is important to understand how these regional types, cuts and other features of different yerba mate products differ from one another, how they are affecting the taste of mate and what yerba mates will fit your palate the most.

In this section you will find everything you need to know about yerba mate itself, or erva mate, as they call it in Brazil — from the raw plant, called Ilex Paraguariensis, to the final product that makes the delicious and healthy drink called mate. We will explore what yerba mate is and what it is not, what are the different types and features of yerba mate and how they affect the characteristics of the infusion, such as complexity and body of the taste, durability and effects. We’ll answer common questions, bust through myths surrounding yerba mate, and dive deeper into the numerous brands of yerba mate in order to determine what they can offer to both new and experienced materos.