What is Yerba Mate Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea with probiotic properties and health-promoting compounds. Yerba mate is a traditional South American drink made from yerba mate plant leaves. It provides a caffeinated boost and antioxidants.
Yerba mate contains nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, antioxidants and more! With over 100mg of caffeine per cup, the South American beverage is stronger than coffee. Its crisp carbonation and sweet-tart balance works well in kombucha.
Yerba Mate Kombucha Recipe
Here are basic steps for an easy yerba mate kombucha recipe:
- Add sugar to boiling water and mix until dissolved
- Add yerba mate and turn off heat. Allow to brew – longer equals stronger taste
- Strain mixture and pour tea into kombucha brewing vessel
- Once cool, add kombucha starter liquid and SCOBY
- Cover vessel and let brew for 14 days
- When tasting delicious, bottle finished kombucha
Save some starter liquid and SCOBY for your next batch. Adjust brew time and ingredients to find your perfect yerba mate kombucha!
Benefits of Yerba Mate Kombucha
Kombucha and yerba mate both provide health benefits. You can make yerba mate kombucha at home by fermenting the South American beverage instead of regular tea. This gives the probiotic benefit of kombucha plus the antioxidant benefit of yerba mate.
Tips for Making Yerba Mate Kombucha
Choosing Ingredients
To make yerba mate kombucha, first choose a high quality yerba mate brand. This ensures the best flavor and nutritional value. Brew the yerba mate tea then use it as the base liquid to ferment with a kombucha SCOBY. Ferment for 7-10 days. Flavor it to taste.
Common Mistakes
Find out the most common mistakes brewers make when making kombucha and tips on how to fix or prevent them…For more information, see Where to Find a Kombucha Scoby. Wash your tools and equipment thoroughly.
Flavor Ideas
One of the many pleasures of making kombucha at home is the endless flavour combinations to experiment with. This flavouring can occur in the second fermentation step of making kombucha and is optional. Flavouring with herbs and spices like cardamom or cinnamon can bring a really unique flavour profile to the drink.
Don’t Flavor the Initial Batch
Kombucha flavored with citrus, herbs, fruits, herbs, and spices is delightful, especially when you take the time to concoct your own favorite flavor profiles, but one of the biggest mistakes new brewers make is adding flavorings to the initial batch of kombucha.
Basic Steps for Making Kombucha
Don’t Fear the SCOBY
So you’ve heard the buzz about kombucha, the trendy fermented tea drink touted to promote everything from better bowel movements to a great immune system. Luckily it’s possible to brew this beverage home, but before I get into the individual steps of kombucha making, there’s an important missive you must know: Don’t be scared of your SCOBY.
Mastering Kombucha Brewing
To make Kombucha at home, you just need a little patience, plus this series of detailed practices to get advanced in your brewing skills and master kombucha brewing.
When you’re ready to make the kombucha, brew the tea by bringing 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot. Once it boils, turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup sugar, then add 6 tea bags. Allow the sweetened tea to cool to room temperature (about 2 to 3 hours). Remove the tea bags, then pour the tea into a 1-gallon glass jar.
What to Mix with Yerba Mate
Yerba mate offers focused energy without the crash of coffee. Its anti-inflammatory properties may strengthen immunity. Adding mint provides flavor and aids digestion. Lemongrass offers a citrus taste and aroma while supporting inflammation reduction.
With some experimentation you can create a uniquely flavored yerba mate kombucha to enjoy.