yerba mate

“ Yerba mate tea is celebrated for its complex flavor profile, described as earthy, woody, and slightly smoky with nuances of minty, camphor, and herbal notes. Reviewers appreciate its versatility, noting that it can be resteeped multiple times, each steep uncovering a new layer of taste. Many users recommend it as a delightful alternative to coffee, offering a significant caffeine boost without the common jittery side effect, although some advise moderation due to potential overstimulation. The tea’s preparation involves a unique step of adding cool water before the hot, enhancing its delicate flavors. Despite its high praise, yerba mate's distinct taste is noted as an acquired preference, not suited for everyone's palate, particularly those who lean away from grassy or herbaceous teas. Overall, yerba mate stands out for its depth of flavor and energizing qualities, making it a favored choice among tea enthusiasts. ”

“ 28 Nov ‘20 communiTEA review: Wow! Two herbals in a row! I’ve had this on the shelf for quite sometime and was thrilled to have it as communiTEA selection. My previous 27 July ‘20 review, below, still applies ...

Nice earthy Pu-erh-like straw tastes were noted first off in the cup. After that, camphor/minty flavors and mildly bitter, and slightly astringent smokey pipe tobacco tastes were noted ... these hung around in my mouth for quite some time. The process repeats itself with every sip. This one is a multi-steeper, at least four! Every steep provides a different flavor, too! That’s what makes mate so interesting. Mate is an acquired taste to be sipped, not glugged. Love It!!

Steps I used to prepare a 12 oz cup of mate in my steeper: 1 - Add two teaspoons of mate. 2 - Add 2 Tablespoons of cool steeping water on top of the mate to prepare it for the forthcoming hot water. 3 - Add enough 160ºF steep water on top of the cool water, for a 12 oz total. This will bring the temperature down to the 150ºF goal. 4 - 1st steep for 5 minutes, subsequent steeps for 3 minutes. 5 - Indulge! ”

“ UPDATED from 11/28/20: There are small, light green leaves that appear to have been cut into little squares, and a smell like minty grass when the CommuniTEA packet opens. Excitement grows since this is the tea of South America! After steeping, the leaves now smell more earthy, woody, and the tea’s aroma is pungent. The color is a delicate pale yellow. The flavor is woody, with a creamy mouthfeel and a light finish. No bitterness or astringency is noted. As it cools it takes on more of a hay aroma and the taste is slightly smoky. Adding ¼ teaspoon of sweetener (to 10 oz) makes this much more pleasant to drink. Even though this tea has so many great benefits, I am aware this should not be drunk in large quantities on a daily basis, as there can be some negative side effects. Everything in moderation! By the way, this tea will be great on ice. ( 3 mins @ 150ºF, ¼ teaspoon of sweetener).
”

“ Unique and tasty!
A sipping tea with layers
Drink it daringly

Alas though, high caff
It does give me the jitters
So drink sparingly

(haiku review) ”

“ Very few bits of branch, mostly leaf. A very very good Yerba Mate, I've had yerba mate before, this is very comparable and for a really great price. I vary my temperature and time depending on my mood, if I want it to taste green, I follow green tea rules. If I want a stronger tobacco flavour, I'll boil it and steep it for five minutes. ”

“ Delicious green tea, light and refreshing. Nice energy boost without any jitters and it gives me that feel good vibe similar to eating dark chocolate. Love this tea. ”