Chá Mate GeladoIced Mate Tea
Cold-Brewed Erva Mate, the Southern Summer Standard.
Where the South drinks mate hot from the gourd, summer turns the same leaf into chá mate gelado — cold-brewed, lightly sweet, sipped all afternoon. It carries the region's caffeine habit into the heat without a can in sight.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp loose erva mate (yerba mate)
- 1 liter cold water
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey, to preference
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Ice and mint, to serve
Method
- Cold brewStir the erva mate into the cold water with the sugar in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours — cold brewing pulls the caffeine and grassiness while skipping the hot-brew bitterness.
- StrainStrain out the leaves thoroughly; the tea will be clear olive-gold.
- ServePour over ice with a slice of lemon and a slap of mint. Sweeten more at the glass, not the pitcher.
Questions
How long does Chá Mate Gelado take?
about 5 minutes of prep — yielding 6 glasses.
Does iced mate have caffeine?
Yes — mate carries caffeine (often called mateína), comparable to strong tea. Cold brewing keeps it smooth, but it is still a morning-to-afternoon drink.
Why cold brew instead of hot-brewing and chilling?
Cold water pulls the flavor and caffeine without the tannic bite and grassy bitterness hot water releases. The result is round enough to drink unsweetened.