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Mate is a drink with a bitter taste, yes.
But, while it can be undrinkable in some cases, it's often due to poor preparation or a bad choice of mate.
So, if you find your mate too bitter, here are some tips that should help you enjoy this drink.
This type of reaction is very common among people drinking mate for the first time… and not having chosen the right type of mate!
Although mate is a bitter drink, there is an immeeeeeense difference in taste from one type of mate to another.
However, few people know these differences and the majority end up buying a brand of mate and a type of mate at random.
The most consumed types of mate are distinguished into two main categories: green mate and refined mate (or "traditional" mate).
According to our experience with people who have recently started drinking mate:
That's why we always recommend green mate to people wanting to discover mate, and aged mate to those who have been drinking it for a long time.
If you haven't tried mate yet or if you're looking for a mate that is less bitter than the one you're currently consuming, we have designed the kit you need: a pack with everything necessary to drink mate, at a low price.
It is possible, even probable, that the taste of mate will surprise you if you just drank it for the first time.
But, mate is a bit like coffee, beer, or wine: the taste is strange the first time. Then, you get used to it, before quickly appreciating it.
So, if you just drank your first mate, and its taste made you make a weird face, don't get stuck on that first impression.
We can assure you that after a few mates, you won't be able to do without it!
The classic mistake in preparing mate is using water that is too hot.
Water that is too hot burns the mate leaves and makes the drink very bitter.
Aside from the taste issue, using water that is too hot is not recommended for health reasons:
The water used to infuse mate has an ideal temperature between 70°C and 80°C.
If you heat your water in a pot or kettle without a way to know its temperature, just stop heating it as soon as it starts to simmer.
Unlike tea, it is possible to drink mate about thirty seconds after preparing it (just be careful not to burn yourself - but if you paid attention to the previous advice, that shouldn't happen).
This advice mainly applies to the first infusion, as it has a stronger taste than the following ones.
Speaking of the following...
Mate can be infused about ten times and its taste changes during the infusions. Hence the usefulness of having a mate thermos!
The first infusion is the strongest, and the following ones are much milder.
So, if the first mate is a bit strong for you, you'll surely prefer the infusions that follow.
Some prefer the first mate, others prefer the following ones.
Tastes and colors...
Although mate is traditionally prepared with a gourd and a mate straw, it can be prepared differently.
Indeed, mate can simply be infused using a teapot, a filter, a tea ball, or even a mate infuser.
This is what we call a cooked mate. Prepared this way, the mate has a much less pronounced taste than when prepared traditionally.
The purists of mate would kill us for giving you this advice. Because, traditionally, mate is drunk pure... and very bitter.
But if you want to sweeten your mate, you can do it a bit like you would for sweetening coffee by adding sugar or honey.
To do this, just add it to the small hollow you have at the level of the bombilla (the filtering straw).
If you're looking for a sugar-free solution, you can simply add stevia.
Varying the flavors is good.
So know that many people enjoy drinking mate with different flavors.
For that, there are several solutions:
There, your imagination is your only limit.
Among the ingredients often added to mate, we find:
But as we said, it is possible to add all types of ingredients. So, feel free to try out different blends.
Really all types of ingredients...
According to a survey by the national yerba mate institute in Argentina, 2% of respondents indicated they flavor their mate with... Beer!
Feel free to write to us if you want to share one of your recipes ;)
At La Bombilla, we have developed a complete range of mate: 6 different types of yerba mate, including 3 naturally flavored.
Mint mate, peach mate, or even ginger-lemon mate.
There is no better flavored mate per se, each being suited to different tastes. Here are reviews of our flavored mates so you can find the one that suits you best:
