If you’re wondering what’s the best way to store yerba mate, keep reading.

Storing yerba mate is a mandatory responsibility for everyone.

If you don’t do it properly, prepare to pay the price.

Expect your mate to lose flavor and have mold growing on it.

Scared?

Worried?

Don’t be.

You’re about to learn how to store yerba mate right now and keep it fresh for years to come. And you can start doing it this second.

But first, you need to know…

Why Storing Yerba Mate Is Crucial

When it comes to storing yerba mate, another question arises…

Does yerba mate expire/go bad?

Some say yes, some say no.

But if you’re like me, I wouldn’t take the risk whatever the answer is.

Technically though, yerba mate doesn’t go bad unless it grows mold. Because you obviously can’t drink that. But over time, yerba mate doesn’t expire on its own to the point it’s not consumable either. It will only lose flavor.

And if you expose your yerba to a hot, humid climate with direct sunlight, that’s sure to happen. Your terrible friend – Mold – is also bound to come ruin the fun as well.

However, if you store it in a proper environment that’s cool, dark, and dry, your yerba will stay fresh for years.

How To Store Yerba Mate

There are two ways.

The first way to store yerba mate is simply leaving it in its original packaging, making sure you seal the opening as best as possible. Just remember to keep the bag in a cool, dry, dark area, as well as away from extreme temperature changes. Room temperature is best.

Places like a desk, drawer, shelf, or cupboard work well.

(I like to keep mine in my bookshelf)

I’ve done this for years and it works like a charm.

Unfortunately though, you can’t do this with chimarrão. Reason being, it’s not aged or dried. It’s as fresh as can be, hence its vibrant green color. And if you leave it in just its bag, it can start losing its freshness. This has actually happened to me where I opened a bag of chimarrão, didn’t use it for about 1 month, and what was once bright green  turned into this dull green-gray color.

Not very inviting to drink if you ask me.

So what should you do?

Well, one solution is to pour your chimarrão in a tupperware container and keep it in the freezer. This is what they do in Brazil to keep it as fresh as possible.

But what about other yerbas?

Best Way To Store Yerba Mate

The best way to store yerba mate is by storing it in an airtight container.

If you want to start today, your best bet is with one of these canisters.

Why is this the best way to store yerba mate?

Because with an airtight container, moisture and odors can’t seep in which decreases the chance of your mate growing mold. And with these POP Canisters by OXO, it’s extremely simple to use.

Just press the button in the middle to release the lid, pour your yerba in, place the lid back on, press the button to seal it shut, and voila. All you have to do now is stash the container away from light, and in a cool dry place.

You can leave it there year after year, and it’ll always taste as if it was fresh out of the bag.

If you plan on grabbing one of these canisters, you might want to get a medium size (3 quarts). This size can store one whole kilo of yerba mate (which is the size of most bags).

Any other sized bag, you can store inside their small canister.

Of course, this isn’t the only airtight container you can use. There are many I’m sure you can find even locally. This is just what I found to be effective in regards to size and price.

Final Words

Technically, you don’t HAVE to store yerba mate as long as conditions permit. You can simply leave it in the bag.

It’s only if you don’t plan on finishing it any time soon, or if you live in humid areas, that you should be concerned with storing yerba mate.

I live in New York and I’ve never had to store my yerba mate in a container. I just leave it in its original bag. And this is only because my home doesn’t get extremely humid or cold (and also because I finish these bags in a few months).

It can get pretty hot in my house at times though, so I may get some airtight containers soon for the upcoming summer.

After all, it doesn’t hurt to do so.

It keeps everything well-organized.

So if you want (or need) to store your yerba mate, don’t forget to grab this airtight container on Amazon today.

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