What Does Mate Tea Taste Like? Investigating the Flavor Profile

What does mate tea taste like?

The taste of yerba mate can vary depending on the preparation method, region, and age of the leaves. However, there are some general qualities you can expect when sipping on this iconic beverage. Firstly, we can detect a robust and earthy base, accompanied by a pleasant bitterness. Subtle hints of grassiness and natural sweetness are also present, making this tea a well-rounded and delightful beverage for our palates.

Keep reading to dive deeper into the flavors and characteristics that make mate tea unique and enjoyable.

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What Is Mate Tea?

Mate tea is a popular beverage in South America, enjoyed for its taste and potential health benefits.

Origin

Mate tea’s beginnings can be traced back to indigenous South American tribes, mainly the Guaraní, who have been consuming this invigorating beverage for centuries. Mate was later adopted by European settlers and spread across the continent. Today, it has a strong presence in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil, where customs and preparation techniques vary.

Ingredients

Mate tea is made from the dried leaves and twigs of the Yerba mate plant (Ilex paraguariensis). The plant is native to South America, particularly the sub-tropical regions of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. To prepare the tea, the dried leaves and twigs are soaked in hot (but not boiling) water, allowing the flavors to infuse.

While traditional mate tea is consumed without any additives, it can also be enjoyed with various sweeteners, fresh citrus peels, or blended with other herbs, depending on the user’s preference. Additionally, it’s common to serve mate with a metal straw called a “bombilla,” which is designed to filter out any small particles from the liquid.

What Does Mate Tea Taste Like?

From its bitterness to its natural sweetness and herbaceous notes, let’s unfold the qualities that make this South American beverage so beloved.

Bitterness

When it comes to mate tea, one of the first things you might notice is its distinct bitterness. This bitter taste largely comes from the compounds in the yerba mate leaves, particularly the caffeine and polyphenols they contain. While the bitterness may take some getting used to, many people find it quite enjoyable and invigorating once they have acquired a taste for it.

Natural Sweetness

Despite its bitter profile, mate tea also possesses a subtle natural sweetness that adds depth and balance to the flavor. The sweetness can be attributed to the natural sugars within the yerba mate leaves themselves, although it is often enhanced by adding sweeteners such as honey, stevia, or sugar.

Moreover, the level of sweetness can vary depending on the specific type or blend of yerba mate you choose. Some mate teas offer a more pronounced sweetness, while others lean more towards the bitter end of the spectrum.

Herbaceous Notes

Another prominent component of mate tea’s taste profile is its herbaceous notes. These flavors result from the numerous compounds found within the leaves, including chlorophyll, xanthines, and other plant-based substances.

The herbaceous notes in mate tea lend it a fresh, vegetal aroma and flavor, reminiscent of grass or green tea. This taste is accentuated further when the leaves are dried and prepared traditionally, as they are often used in a non-roasted state for a more authentic experience.

Factors Affecting Taste

As with other teas, different factors can affect the taste of mate tea. We will take a further look at this below.

Type of Mate

There are different types of mate tea, each with a distinctive taste. Let’s briefly examine some of them:

Traditional Yerba Mate: This type has a robust, earthy flavor with a slightly bitter and smoky taste.
Green Yerba Mate: It is unaged, resulting in a fresher, milder, and more grassy flavor compared to the traditional mate.
Roasted Yerba Mate: It undergoes a roasting process, which gives it a nuttier, slightly sweet, and caramel-like taste.

Preparation Method

Different preparation methods can also affect the taste of the mate tea:

Mate with Bombilla: This is the traditional way of preparing mate tea, where the leaves are infused in hot water and sipped through a metal straw, called a bombilla (bombilla means light bulb, the straw was given that name because of its shape). This method produces a strong, bold, and earthy flavor.
Mate Cocido: This method involves steeping the mate leaves in boiling water and serving in a cup (similar to regular tea preparation). The resulting taste is milder and less intense.
Mate Latte: Mate tea can be prepared with milk instead of water, giving it a smoother and creamier texture and taste, with the flavor of the mate tea becoming more subtle.

Water Temperature

The water temperature is a crucial factor in extracting the flavors from the mate leaves. Different water temperatures can affect the taste of the mate tea:

Hot Water (70-80°C): Ideal for extracting the rich and robust flavors from the mate leaves. At this temperature, the mate tea will have a strong, earthy, and slightly bitter taste.
Warm Water (50-60°C): It’s suitable for experiencing the more delicate and mild flavors of the mate tea. At this temperature, the mate tea will taste smoother, sweeter, and more fragrant.

Possible Additions and Alterations

There are different ways to customize the taste of mate tea to suit individual preferences.

Sweeteners

Adding sweeteners to mate tea can help balance the bitter taste often associated with it. Some popular choices include:

Honey
Agave syrup
Stevia
Maple syrup

You can experiment with different sweeteners and their quantities to find the perfect balance for your personal taste.

Remember that sweeteners are not usually added to mate in countries where it is heavily consumed. If you visit one of these countries, prepare for this. Asking for sugar to add to mate can be considered a faux pas.

Spices

Spices can bring a new dimension to the flavor profile of mate tea. Popular options include:

Cinnamon
Cardamon
Ginger
Cloves

Adding a pinch of any of these spices or a combination of them will not only enhance the taste but may also provide additional health benefits.

Citrus

Adding citrus can brighten and complement the natural flavors of the mate tea. Some suggestions include:

Lemon slices
Lime wedges
Orange zest

Feel free to experiment with various citrus fruits to discover which work best with your mate tea experience.

Comparing Mate Tea to Other Beverages

It is time to compare the taste of mate tea to other popular beverages.

Green Tea

Green tea has a light, fresh, and slightly grassy taste. The flavor can vary depending on the type and quality of the tea leaves used. Generally, green tea has a subtle and delicate flavor profile that some may find soothing and refreshing.

Compared to green tea, mate tea has a more robust flavor with earthy and woody notes. The taste of mate can also be intensified by adding herbs or citrus, making it more complex than green tea.

Black Tea

Black tea is fully oxidized, resulting in a strong, bold flavor with a malty and sometimes astringent taste. The flavor of black tea can change depending on factors like processing methods and the origin of the tea leaves.

Conversely, mate tea has a milder taste than black tea but still offers a full-bodied experience. The earthy notes and natural bitterness in mate tea might remind you of black tea but with its own unique spin.

Coffee

Coffee has a rich, deep, and slightly bitter taste, deriving its flavor from roasted coffee beans. The flavor and intensity of coffee can vary depending on factors such as bean origin, roast level, and preparation method.

Mate tea shares some similarities with coffee, such as the deep earthy taste and natural bitterness. However, mate tea lacks the roasted flavor present in coffee, and its caffeine content is generally lower.

How to Drink Mate

I wanted to include this section in the article to highlight the social aspect of the mate culture. We are not necessarily going to incorporate this aspect into the way we drink it but I think it is important to understand how it is consumed in situ so we can realize that this is more than a beverage.

Here are the steps to properly prepare and drink mate tea:

Fill a mate gourd: Mate gourds are small, round, and typically made from a hollowed-out gourd. Fill the gourd about two-thirds full with loose-leaf mate tea.
Add hot water: Heat water to about 160°F – 180°F (70°C – 80°C). Do not use boiling water, which can make the tea too bitter. Pour the hot water over the mate leaves, filling the gourd to the top.
Insert the bombilla: A bombilla is a metal straw that has a filter on the end. It allows you to drink the tea without swallowing the leaves. Insert the bombilla into the mate gourd, placing the filter at the bottom of the gourd.
Sip the mate: With the bombilla in place, begin to sip the mate tea through the straw. Hold the gourd at a slight angle, so the straw is submerged in the tea. Do not move the bombilla around or touch the filter with your lips.
Pass the mate: In traditional mate culture, the gourd is passed around a group of people. Each person takes a few sips before passing it to the next person. After each round of sipping, the person with the gourd refills it with hot water.
Repeat: Continue to drink the mate tea, refilling the gourd with hot water as necessary. The mate tea leaves will continue to release flavor for several rounds of refilling.

Mate Buying Recommendations

We always recommend getting your tea from a local tea supplier/business. Since we know this may not be a realistic option for all readers, here are some recommendations:

Kiss Me Organic Yerba Mate Tea