So you heard about yerba mate but don’t know the best way to get started.

Well what if you could have a veteran yerba mate drinker show you the ropes? Like which mate gourd and bombilla to get, the best brand to start with, how to prepare it, and more?

If that sounds nice to you, then you’re in the right place.

Looking back now, there are lots of things I would’ve done differently that would’ve made my first experience (and future ones) much more pleasant.

What are they?

Below is everything I wished someone told me when I was a beginner. But to start, here’s one of our videos to give you a quick overview:

Yerba Mate Equipment

Before you read anything else in this post, you need to get your yerba mate equipment together.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Looseleaf yerba mate
• Mate gourd
• Bombilla

Now after hearing this, the usual question that follows is, Well, which ones should I get?

I’ll tell you…

What’s The Best Yerba Mate For Beginners?

There are four types of yerba mate – Argentinian, Uruguayan, Paraguayan, and Brazilian – all with their own features and characteristics.

But of these four types, the most beginner-friendly yerba mate is from Argentina.

Why?

Because this type of yerba mate is usually simple and straightforward. These brands have a classic earthy and grassy taste without much complexity, allowing you to easily get comfortable and accommodated to what yerba mate tastes like. Brands from other regions can be too bold, harsh, smoky, and difficult to prepare for a beginner.

So what brands from Argentina should you get?

Well, I wouldn’t recommend anything too strong or harsh as your palate likely isn’t ready to handle all that bitterness.

For this reason, I recommend Cruz De Malta (Review) as the perfect (and most economical) choice. This is actually the first brand I’ve ever had. And it has a lovely woody, buttery taste without being too bitter, but still strong enough to show you what yerba mate is about.

If you want to stay on the safer side, then you have two other brands to choose from – Playadito (Review) or Liebig (Review). These brands are created by the same company and both have a nice mild and sweet honey-like flavor to them. If I had to start over, I would’ve definitely went with one of these two first.

Now that you have your yerba, it’s time to get a gourd…

What’s The Best Yerba Mate Gourd For Beginners?

The mate gourd (cup) is what you’ll use to drink yerba mate from.

There are many types of mate gourds out there (click here to learn about each one) made from different materials and designed in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Choosing one can be hard, but there’s one specific gourd I always recommend to beginners.

And that’s a stainless steel gourd.

Before these were created, I always recommended silicone gourds, however, they’re not sturdy enough. One little push and the entire cup tips over. Not with stainless steel gourds though.

These gourds require minimal care and attention. They’re durable, easy to clean, won’t mold, and can even help keep your mate hot. Not to mention, they also have a nice sleek design and are the perfect size – not too small and not too big – which is something many beginners overlook.

One of the biggest mistakes I made starting out was getting a gourd that was too small. Not only did this prevent me from drinking enough, but it also made the infusion very concentrated. My first sip was much bitter than it should’ve been But the size of stainless steel gourds prevent this from happening.

Now of course, stainless steel gourds aren’t traditional.

Which is why in addition to this gourd, I also recommend you get a calabash gourd.

Calabash gourds are made from of a dried, hollowed out squash plant. It’s what the Guarani tribes used centuries ago to drink mate. However, they do require the most care. If not careful, they can easily crack, break, and grow mold (you’ll learn how to prevent this in a minute), but they’re also the most rewarding.

No gourd can offer an experience like a calabash gourd can. Knowing it’s one-of-a-kind, all natural, and a part of a tradition long before you were even born gives your overall drinking experience a unique quality and element to it.

What’s The Best Bombilla For Beginners?

Now that you have your yerba mate and gourd, the last thing you need is a bombilla (filtered straw).

Like everything else, these also come in numerous shapes, sizes, and designs (click here to learn about each one). But there’s only one type of bombilla everyone needs, and that’s a spoon bombilla.

In all my years of drinking yerba mate, I’ve always reached for my spoon bombillas over all my others.

Why?

Because in my experience, not only do they provide the best filtration, but they also serve as a tool for molding your mountain of mate (you’ll learn about this soon) and for scraping out the yerba from your gourd once finished. In addition, we’ve also created a special silicone-cap for our spoon bombillas to prevent your lips from being burned by the hot steel.

All you need to do is pick the correct size for your gourd.

If the gourd’s small, you need a small bombilla. If the gourd’s big, you need a big bombilla.

How To Cure Your Calabash Gourd

Traditionally, calabash gourds were cured before they were used. It was believed doing so helped prevent the gourd from breaking, cracking, growing mold, and to improve the flavor of the mate. But in reality, this practice isn’t mandatory nor are its said effects totally true. The only real reason to cure your gourd is to get rid of the loose plant material inside of it.

So if you decide to cure your yerba mate gourd anyway, you can click here to read our step-by-step guide.

How To Prepare Yerba Mate

To learn how to prepare yerba mate, watch our instructional video below or click here to read our step-by-step guide.

 

In short, fill your gourd about 1/2 way with yerba, cover the the top with your palm and shake it upside-down, bring it back to a 45º angle to form a slope, fill the empty side with water, steep, insert your bombilla under the mountain of mate, fill with water again, and drink.

Alternative Preparation Methods

Now although I always recommend preparing yerba mate the traditional way, you can always prepare it in a french press, coffee maker, or even a tea pot just like you would with coffee or any other tea. This would be the most cost-effective approach if you have these items at home already, but the entire experience will never compare to a gourd. When possible, move onto one ASAP.

How To Clean & Take Care Of Your Gourd Afterwards

After every session, it’s recommended to clean your gourd as soon as possible. Depending on your environment, you can get away with not cleaning it for 24 hours, but any longer than that and you’re probably going to find mold. So don’t forget! Click here now to read our step-by-step guide.

In short, you want to toss all the yerba in the garbage, rinse your gourd under warm water, then dry it with a paper towel, ensuring there’s no yerba left behind. Once finished, rest your gourd on its side anywhere that’s cool and dry (under direct sunlight is even better).

How To Get Rid Of Mold

If during the unfortunate event that you happen to find mold in your gourd despite what you’ve done to prevent it, you can easily get rid of it with some hot water and lemon juice. Click here to read our step-by-step guide.

Just don’t confuse mold with the natural curing and coloration of your gourd. You see, every time you use your calabash, the interior walls get stained green/brown/black from the yerba. This is completely normal and part of the curing process. However, if you see something fuzzy, then it’s time to take action.

Final Words

If you made it up to this point, you now know everything you need to know as a beginner to start drinking yerba mate.

Now all you need to do is grab your equipment and make your first mate.

However, I must warn you…

Your first sip probably won’t be that great. It’ll most likely taste like dirt, soil, grass, and smoke. But trust me, it gets better.

Yerba mate is an acquired taste you have to get used to just like wine and coffee. So long as you keep drinking it every day, you’ll soon fall in love with its earthy bitterness. And if you keep at it for longer, you’ll be able to start detecting the subtle notes and nuances between each brand.

Don’t worry though…

No matter how you react to its taste, you’re not gonna want to miss out on the effects it gives you. It’s the reason so many people are replacing their coffee and energy drinks with yerba mate. And that’s because it provides a nice steady increase in focus and concentration, and even a better mood all without crashing down.

So don’t wait…

Get everything you need to make your first mate now to see just how much you’ve been missing out on.

To make it easier, I’ve even prepared a special Beginner’s Yerba Mate Kit of all the items listed above to get you started.

Click Here Now To Get Yours!

P.S. If you found this article helpful, you may also want to check out our store to explore what other yerba mate items we have to offer.