At a glance. Yerba mate: use 5 g of leaf per 200 ml of water at 65–80 °C and steep for 3–5 min. Caffeine: 30–80 mg per 200 ml cup. Flavour: herbal, clean bitterness, toasty.
Not from Camellia sinensis, but it does contain caffeine. It is the base of chimarrão, tereré and toasted mate tea. The water must never boil: above ~80 °C the leaf scorches and turns bitter.
How to brew
- Heat the water to 65–80 °C.
- Use 5 g of leaf for every 200 ml.
- Steep for 3–5 min, then remove the leaves.
- For chimarrão, water around 70 °C, when the kettle starts to hiss.
What it is commonly used for
- Focus and steady energy: Caffeine paired with L-theanine (an amino acid almost unique to the tea plant) tends to produce calmer alertness than caffeine on its own.
Frequently asked questions
What water temperature is right for chimarrão?
Between 70 and 75 °C, when the water starts to "sing" in the kettle, before boiling. Boiling water burns the yerba, makes chimarrão bitter and makes it go flat fast. Drinks above 65 °C are also linked to oesophageal risk.
How do you set up chimarrão so it does not go flat fast?
Fill two thirds of the gourd, tilt the yerba to one side, wet the empty space with lukewarm water and only then insert the bombilla, never moving it afterwards. Pour water at 70 to 75 °C always at the same spot, beside the bombilla, without wetting the top of the yerba.