How to brew yerba mate properly?
Yerba mate is attracting more and more people – with its exotic origin, unique flavour, and natural boost of energy. If you’re just starting your journey with this infusion, you might feel as if preparing it is a complicated ritual – full of rules and requiring special accessories. Don’t worry! Brewing yerba mate doesn’t have to be difficult at all. In this blog post, we’ll show you step-by-step how to do it right – no stress and no leaves in your teeth. Enjoy the read!
Summary:
- Yerba mate – the magical drink of the Guarani Indians
- How to brew yerba mate? What do you need?
- What is the best temperature for yerba mate?
- How to make delicious yerba mate? Step-by-step instructions
- A few helpful tips
Yerba mate – the magical drink of the Guarani Indians
Yerba mate comes from the Ilex paraguariensis plant – a species of holly that produces an aromatic infusion with a unique flavour and stimulating properties. So how do you properly brew yerba mate? In fact, there are many methods – it all depends on personal preference. Some prefer a strong brew, others – a milder one. Some like it pure and classic, others opt for more elaborate blends – herbal, fruity or with natural flavourings. You can also experiment on your own, adding your favourite ingredients to the dried leaves. The variables are many, and every yerba mate drinker has their own habits when it comes to brewing yerba mate.
Despite different brewing styles, the process usually boils down to four simple steps:
- Put the dried leaves into a mate gourd.
- Add water.
- Insert the bombilla into the cup.
- Wait a few minutes for it to brew.
Yerba mate is more than just a herbal tea. It carries a deeply rooted ritual – mysticism, tradition and culture that flows through every sip. Although everyone prepares and drinks mate in their own way, all yerba mate enthusiasts share one thing – respect for the age-old South American tradition of the Guarani Indians, which dates back hundreds of years.
It was the Guarani Indians who first discovered the remarkable properties of yerba mate. They noticed that chewing on the leaves gave them more energy, reduced fatigue and hunger, and improved mental focus. Eventually, they started drying and grinding the leaves into smaller pieces and used the blend to make an infusion. They would drink it in gourds made from dried and hollowed calabash fruit, using a straining straw made from bamboo or cane, perforated at one end. Drinking yerba mate was a ritual performed before hunts and day-long expeditions. The tribe would gather around a bonfire and share the drink from a single vessel, passed from hand to hand. Yerba mate was a symbol of strength, unity, and natural balance.
💡 From the Guarani Indians’ ritual meet-ups to everyday routines of millions – yerba mate has come a long way. Today, over 90% of Paraguay’s population drink it, and in Argentina, the average citizen consumes up to 6-7 kilos of mate tea per year! It’s not just a drink – it’s a lifestyle that connects generations.
How to brew yerba mate? What do you need?
The tradition of the Guarani Indians has survived to the present day. We may not be drinking mate around a bonfire anymore, but we still use similar – slightly modernised – accessories. The custom of sharing the infusion has also endured. Especially in Argentina and Paraguay, drinking yerba mate together is an important part of everyday social gatherings, rituals, and relationships.
Where to begin your yerba mate journey?
To start, it's worth getting the basic accessories – mate gourd, which is the vessel used for drinking yerba mate, and a bombilla, the filtered metal straw.
- ✔️ Mate gourd is most commonly made from wood, ceramic, or calabash gourd. The choice depends primarily on preference and convenience. With its tailored shape, the gourd makes brewing yerba mate easier, more comfortable to drink from, and helps maintain the optimal temperature of the infusion.
- ✔️ Bombilla is a metal "straw" with a filter at the end. It resembles a spoon in shape but is not meant for stirring – its function is to filter out the leaves, keeping them in the vessel and out of your mouth.
📌 Want to learn more about choosing the right accessories? Check out our blog posts:
If you plan to drink mate tea outside your home, we recommend a thermos or a Yerbomos – a gourd, thermos and bombilla in one. These are practical and convenient solutions ideal for travel, walks, or work. It’s also helpful to use a thermometer, which allows precise temperature control – something that, as we’ll explain soon, greatly impacts the taste and strength of the brew. If you're wondering which yerba mate to choose for beginners, read our guide on types and flavours of yerba mate.
🎥 Watch the video for step-by-step instructions on how to brew yerba mate the traditional way – it’s really easy!
What temperature should yerba mate be brewed at?
Water temperature is a key factor in successfully brewing yerba mate. Water that’s too hot kills the flavour and health benefits of the brew; water that’s too cold won’t allow them to fully develop. Below is a helpful summary to guide you to the right temperature depending on the result you’re going for.
What temperature should you brew yerba mate with?
| 🌡️ TEMPERATURE | 🥤 FLAVOUR & EFFECT | 👍 WHEN TO USE IT? |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100°C (boiling) |
Very bitter taste, no stimulating effect | ❌ Avoid – boiling water “burns” the leaves and destroys the benefits |
| 70-80°C ✅ | Strong, with a natural bitterness and energising effect | Ideal for classic brewing |
| 50-60°C | Milder taste, moderate effect | Perfect for a calm afternoon |
| 30-40°C | Gentle effect, almost no bitterness | For those sensitive to caffeine |
| 0-15°C (tereré) |
Refreshing and light flavour | Perfect for hot days or post-exercise |
💡 The best brewing temperature for yerba mate is 70-80°C – in this range, the leaves release their full flavour, aroma, and natural caffeine content. Avoid using boiling water – it ruins the brew’s quality and may burn your tongue!
Water at 90-100°C is too hot for yerba mate and causes overly fast brewing. The beneficial properties of the plant are “killed” by boiling water, and an overly bitter, intense flavour is released immediately. You can still salvage such a brew – after about a minute, pour the mate through a strainer to stop the extraction. This prevents the harsh bitterness from taking over.
The ideal brewing temperature is 70-80°C. At this range, the mate plant gently yet thoroughly releases its beneficial compounds, delivering a stimulating kick – energising both body and mind, much like coffee, but in a smoother, more sustained way. Instead of a quick caffeine spike, mate tea offers prolonged focus and vitality. The brew is rich, with slight bitterness and astringency.
Cold or even ice-cold water is used to make tereré. While lukewarm water fails to bring out the full depth of yerba mate’s flavour and properties, it behaves differently in icy temperatures. The chilled brew is milder both in taste and effect compared to hot mate, but stimulation is not its main purpose. Tereré is above all a wonderful way to cool down on hot days!
An alternative to traditional brewing: some people believe that boiling yerba mate, instead of steeping it, creates a truly interesting beverage. What’s more, water can be replaced with milk – this gives you mate de leche. Prepared with milk and sweetened with sugar or honey, this mate blend is a great way to warm up on cold days.
How to brew yerba mate – step by step
Unlike regular tea, preparing yerba mate involves a few additional steps – but don’t worry, it’s not complicated, and it quickly becomes second nature! What should you do, and how long should you brew yerba mate for it to taste great and work effectively? Here’s a traditional yerba mate preparation guide, step by step:
Yerba Mate Brewing Instructions
1️⃣ Step 1. Add mate leaves to the mate cup
This first step is one of the most important. The amount of yerba mate you add to the vessel will determine the brew’s intensity, flavour, and effects. The rule is simple – the more leaves, the stronger the brew. Especially early on, when you haven't developed a feel for mate, it’s easy to overdo it and get discouraged because of bitterness or excess caffeine. It’s commonly said that the optimal fill is between 1/4 and 3/4 of the vessel’s volume, though that’s not very precise. We suggest starting with about 15g of yerba mate – that’s roughly one large tablespoon. Over time, you can adjust the amount to your preference.
2️⃣ Step 2. Position the leaves
This step actually consists of a few smaller ones. First, if the leaves are finely ground and dusty, it’s worth removing some of the powder and tiny leaf/stem fragments that could clog your bombilla. To do this, cover the top of the mate gourd with your hand, turn it upside-down, and shake vigorously. This will release some of the dusty particles onto your palm – creating the so-called "mateist’s mark” – a green powder print from yerba mate dust. If your chosen mate tea is already low in stems and dust, you can skip this step.
After putting the leaves into your mate cup (and, if necessary, removing some powder or stems), you should arrange the leaves correctly. Tilt the vessel slightly (at about a 45° angle) so the dried leaves settle on one side, forming a “mound”. You’ll pour water and place your bombilla into the exposed space on the other side.
3️⃣ Step 3. Insert the bombilla
While still holding the gourd at an angle, insert the bombilla and position it so it rests against the “mound” of leaves. Place the bombilla with the filter end downward so that it touches the base of the vessel. Now you can gently position the gourd upright, being careful not to disrupt the “mound”. From now on, avoid moving the bombilla, to prevent tiny particles from clogging the filter.
4️⃣ Step 4. Add water
Aim for the space with the least amount of leaves and pour in water at a temperature of 70-80°C.
Some people like to first pour a small amount of cold water before adding the hot, allowing the leaves to soak. It’s said that yerba mmate prepared this way retains its flavour longer. This method is also tied to tradition. Jesuits who arrived in South America during colonisation called the moment when the water “magically disappears” into the leaves “a sip for Saint Thomas” – an offering in gratitude for the gift of yerba mate to the world.
⏱️ Finally: wait for it to brew!
After pouring in the hot water, wait about 2-3 minutes for the leaves to release their flavour, aroma, and beneficial properties. Yerba mate is now ready to enjoy!
Keep in mind that the brew continues to steep over time – so the longer yerba mate sits in the gourd, the stronger it’ll get. Also, don’t throw out the used leaves after drinking the brew – you can re-brew yerba mate several times, until its flavour and aroma are completely depleted.
A few helpful tips
Even if you’ve mastered yerba mate brewing step by step, you may still encounter a few surprises in practice. Here are some tried-and-tested tricks and tips to make your daily “mate tea rituals” more enjoyable – especially if you’re just starting out:
- ❌ Do not stir your bombilla in the mate cup! Although it looks like a spoon, it’s not for stirring. Moving it around can shift the dry leaves and clog the filter.
- 👍 Forgot to insert the bombilla before pouring the water? No problem! Insert it gently into the brew while holding your thumb over the mouthpiece. Only release your thumb once the straw is submerged. This creates a partial vacuum, which helps prevent leaves from entering the bombilla.
- 🍯 Craving a sweet version of yerba mate? Instead of stirring sugar or honey into the brew – which might clog the filter – sweeten the water you’ll be using to pour over the leaves. That way, the flavour is even, and the bombilla remains unobstructed.
- 🧉 Don’t have a bombilla or mate gourd? No worries. These tools are extremely helpful, but not essential. A regular mug and a tea infuser can also do the trick – you can still enjoy the taste and benefits of yerba mate! Learn more about alternative brewing methods in this article.
- 💧 To reduce bitterness… try pre-moistening the dried leaves with a little cold water before the first pour – this helps release flavour more slowly and makes the brew less sharp.
- ♻️ You can steep the same leaves multiple times – until they lose all flavour and aroma. This is an economical and eco-friendly approach beloved by mate drinkers around the world!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Now you know how to properly brew yerba mate – there’s nothing stopping you from beginning your own mate journey!
Don’t be afraid to experiment – with temperature, the amount of leaves, flavour combinations or even the vessel you use. Yerba mate is not just a drink – it’s a ritual you can craft in your own way.
Good luck – and... may the power of yerba mate be with you!
Sources of information:
- Wikipedia: Mate (drink), History of yerba mate.
- A. Gawron-Gzella, J. Chanaj-Kaczmarek, J. Cielecka-Piontek, Yerba Mate – A Long but Current History, Nutrients, 2021.
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística del Paraguay (INE).
- Instituto Nacional de la Yerba Mate (INYM).
