Prepare mate in a french press
Just as you would coffee. Use 1 tablespoon per cup, fill the press with hot water, then plunge. For step-by-step instructions, click here. You don’t need a gourd or bombilla to enjoy mate. Any machine you use for coffee or other teas will work. However, drinking yerba mate with a gourd and bombilla is best. I’ve tried all the methods and nothing compares.
Make a yerba mate espresso
Fill a third of the basket with 1.5 tablespoons yerba mate, moisten with cold water to expand leaves. Make sure it’s not too tightly packed. Dilute the espresso with warm water to desired bitterness.
French press method
Preparing mate in a french press is straightforward. Add 1-2 tablespoons per cup, soak with cold water to expand leaves when wet. After filling with hot water, wait 2 minutes, then plunge.
Yerba mate is traditionally brewed in a gourd and sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla.
Instructions
- Do your best to make a half-moon of leaves on the gourd’s bottom.
- Pour cold water over the leaves to protect nutrients from hot water.
- Insert the bombilla flat over leaves.
- Pour in 80 – 100 degree water, but avoid the dry leaves mountain.
- Drink until slurping noises.
- Refill, share, enjoy.
The water temperature for brewing mate with an Aeropress should be around 160-170°F. An Aeropress offers better control over extraction and a smoother, cleaner taste. With different brewing techniques, you can explore flavors and enjoy a satisfying drink.
Tips
Making mate with an Aeropress is like conducting a symphony. Selecting the right mate sets the stage, while preparing the Aeropress is the conductor’s baton.
Using a coffee maker for mate has pros and cons. I recommend sticking with tradition, but a coffee maker has a purpose.
Pros:
- Convenience. Most people who want to try mate have a coffee maker. This saves time and money.
- Brews mate in bulk, easily 10+ cups a day. With a gourd and bombilla, you drink one mate at a time.
Cons:
- Less control over strength and flavor.
- Doesn’t follow traditional methods.
Make a strong french press
I decided to prepare mate in a french press. I want it really strong, like 150mg caffeine cans. How do I prepare it?
Make your own yerba mate
Can I make my own yerba mate?
Use a coffee maker
Brewing mate in a coffee maker involves adding mate to the filter and filling the water reservoir with hot water. Strain using a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or methods like a French press or tea infuser. When serving mate, add honey or lemon for flavor.
Cold brew
Iced mate, known as tereré, can be a lifesaver during summer heat waves. You can use a french press to make cold brew mate as well. You can prepare it using hot or cold water, depending on your preference.
Yerba Mate has been said to have health benefits. It contains minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Here is how to prepare this drink in just a few easy steps:
- Mate
- Hot water (between 70 °C ~ 90 °C)
If its your first time preparing mate tea traditionally, you need to cure the gourd before use to remove some of the inner flavour. To cure:
- Put two spoons of mate inside the gourd.
- Fill the gourd with boiling water and allow it to sit for 24 hours.
- Empty and rinse it.
To make a yerba mate latte you’ll need: Any strainer (teapot, french press etc).
One easy way to brew mate is with a french press. It’s brewed similar to coffee. You may want a mate with bigger leaves and stems so it doesn’t seem through as you push down.
Chimarrão
Chimarrão is a type of mate drunk in Brazil. It’s caffeinated with hot water.
To make mate:
- Fill gourd two-thirds with dry mate.
- Cover top and swirl.
- Insert bombilla on empty side and pour hot water over it. Let steep.
Experienced users use the same herbs all day, topping up with hot water on empty side as needed.