What is tereré?

If you drink yerba mate, you’re probably familiar with this word. It’s pronounced teh-reh-REH (don’t forget to roll those r’s). And if you’re new to this tea, it’s easy to be confused by what it is.

The good news though is it’s not confusing at all.

Tereré is a drink just like mate.

In fact, it’s considered the national drink of Paraguay (you’ll find out why in just a minute).

And in today’s post, we’re going to look at what the main differences and similarities are between tereré and mate, and how you can easily start drinking both of them today.

Let’s start!

Tereré VS Mate

To keep it short and simple, tereré is simply mate brewed cold.

That’s it?

Yes, that’s literally the only difference.

So if you have a gourd, bombilla, and bag of yerba at home, you can already start drinking tereré like a Paraguayan. In Paraguay, they prefer tereré over mate because of how hot it is over there. Tereré is akin to lemonade or iced tea in the United States – they drink it to keep cool and refreshed.

Now, although tereré and mate are very similar, there are a few things that are different.

Let’s have a look…

Things Needed For Tereré VS Yerba Mate

Traditionally, tereré is consumed in a guampa (cow horn), whereas yerba mate is consumed in a calabash gourd. But because it’s rare to find guampas nowadays, it’s more commonly consumed in a stainless steel gourd since it helps keep it chilled.

When it comes to bombillas though, there’s no difference. Use anyone you’d like. But a spoon bombilla is always what I prefer.

Now when it comes to yerba mate, there’s a difference.

For tereré, although you can use any brand, maybe with the exception of chimarrão, Paraguayan yerba mate brands (like Pajarito, Selecta, and La Rubia) are traditionally used as they’re meant to be consumed cold. For regular hot mate, however, you can use any type of yerba mate you’d like.

As tereré is becoming more and more popular, yerba mate companies from other regions are also beginning to sell variations of their traditional mate to be designed just for tereré. Two brands from Argentina – Rosamonte Tereré and Pipore Tereré – are good examples.

Other types of yerba mate to be aware of are those that are flavored or are combined with other herbs. Popular brands like CBSe, Kurupi, and Campesino include mint, boldo, catuaba, guarana, ginseng, lemon verbena, and more, while others are flavored with orange, honey, lemon, and grapefruit.

Preparing Tereré VS Yerba Mate

Like the equipment used, preparing these two drinks are very similar.

You’re still going to fill your gourd 1/2-2/3 of the way with mate, do the upside-down shake, form a slope, insert your bombilla, and fill it with water.

Again, the only difference here is the temperature of the water, and the addition of herbs or fruits for tereré.

Mate is typically consumed around temps of 140-170ºF (60-77ºC). Whereas, tereré is consumed as cold as possible. Which calls for chilling a thermos or pitcher of water for a few hours, then filling it up with ice cubes.

For more details, click here to learn how to prepare tereré and click here to learn how to prepare mate.

How Do They Taste?

Tereré doesn’t taste the same as regular mate.

You can use the same exact brand, but it’ll taste completely different when brewed hot and when brewed cold.

When brewed hot (mate), you can expect a bolder, stronger, and more flavorful infusion. And when brewed cold (tereré), you can expect the opposite – a softer, milder, and more refreshing drink. And this is all due to the temperature difference.

Hot water extracts the yerba’s nutrients, chemicals, and flavor at a much faster rate than cold water does. Which is why if you steep both a gourd of mate and a gourd of tereré for 1 minute each, the gourd of mate will always come out stronger, and with different tasting notes.

This is seen with even just regular hot mate.

If you read some of my reviews, you’ll know that a mate can taste very different with just a 20ºF increase/decrease. So imagine the difference when it’s ice cold…

Does Tereré Still Have The Same Effects?

Because tereré is the same thing as mate, you can expect the same stimulating effects.

However, with tereré, like its taste, its effects are also pretty mild.

Again, this is all because cold water extracts the yerba’s stimulating compounds like caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine at a slower rate.

When you drink tereré, it’ll take longer for you to experience its effect, and it’ll also be to a lesser degree. Whereas with mate, it’ll probably hit you hard and fast.

But for both tereré and mate, you can expect the same effects of increased focus and concentration, improved mood, higher energy levels, and often, no crash.

Final Words

So there you have it.

You now know what the main differences are and what the main similarities are which really isn’t much.

Tereré is essentially mate brewed cold which allows for a milder taste and milder effect.

If you’re wondering which one’s better, it’s all a matter of preference.

Remember, in Paraguay, they mostly drink tereré because of the hot weather. But in other regions such as Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, they typically drink regular hot mate.

Personally, I’m a fan of both. They both serve their purposes…

Tereré for cooling down and refreshing your mind, body, and soul. And mate for warmth, comfort, stimulation, and productivity.

Try both and see what you like.

P.S. If you found this article helpful, you might also want to check out our store for exclusive gourds, bombillas, and yerba mate that are great for both tereré and mate.