Yerba Mate Newibe Question

[desmoface]

Hey gang,

I loves my teas, but want to try Yerba Mate for something different. Does anyone have any recomendation for a Yerba Mate newbie?

I found this while searching online:
http://www.republicoftea.com/yerba-mate ... /p/V00689/
http://www.yerbamate.us/Yerba-Mate-Samples-s/40.htm

Thanks for any advice.

Steve

[Poohblah]

Check the forum before you post. This thread is just a few posts down from yours.

Here is what I said in that thread:

I quite frequently drink mate with breakfast. It can give a good buzz even though it's lower in caffeine than a similar amount of coffee. I used to share gourds of mate with my friends in high school. I would recommend three brands (in this order):

1) Mate Factor
2) Guayaki
3) EcoTeas

You should be able to find all three brands at natural food stores, such as Whole Foods and Natural Grocers. However, sometimes the grocery stores mark up the price quite a bit. You should be able to find each of those for around $10 per pound. Be careful, because an open bag of mate goes stale after a few months. I once tried ordering a 5lb bulk bag, but I had to toss around a third of it because I had it for 6 months and it was no longer good. In my experience, mate sold off of the grocery store shelves is sometimes not very fresh. One reason I prefer Mate Factor brand is because they vacuum-seal their bags, which increases the shelf life a bit.

[sake7]

You can always start with something sweet like this http://guayaki.com/product/126/Pure-Pas ... f-12).html

[yalokinh]

I got my gourd from ma-tea, the size isn't exactly accurate, I ordered 3 until I got one I found suitable. For 1 person a 4oz gourd should be perfect, more than that and its just too much tea, too much caffeine. Invest in a good bombilla, it really does make a difference