Texas company that sells it: https://www.catspringtea.com/
this is the one I always buy at farmers markets in Austin https://lostpinesyaupontea.com/
A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
131–140 of 170 posts
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#132Another obscure-ish tea that is seems to be gaining popularity is guayusa (mostly being pushed under the brand Runa). It is another holly from warm regions, I think from rainforests in South America. I'm a big fan of the moderate caffeine content and the ability to steep it for long periods to get more caffeine out of it, without it getting bitter. It is amazing as a summer/warm weather high-caffeine iced tea. You ca…
The other day a barista offered me a tea made from the berries/cherries that coffee beans grow inside. It was delicious, but so caffeinated that I felt like I was on drugs all afternoon.
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#133i tried yerba mate in an an automatic drip coffee maker with some cream and sugar and i was blown away by the energy i got from it. there was no caffeine crash. it was a sustained energy. it takes a while to kick in so u gotta drink it first thing in morning. u can find some popular bags of it on amazon. it has to be the loose leaf stuff, not the individual bags. i think i tried Taragui Yerba Mate Con Palo. but there…
How much milk and sugar did you add?
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#134i tried yerba mate in an an automatic drip coffee maker with some cream and sugar and i was blown away by the energy i got from it. there was no caffeine crash. it was a sustained energy. it takes a while to kick in so u gotta drink it first thing in morning. u can find some popular bags of it on amazon. it has to be the loose leaf stuff, not the individual bags. i think i tried Taragui Yerba Mate Con Palo. but there…
How much milk and sugar did you add?
a tbsp (or so) of 1/2 and 1/2 and a teaspoon of sugar
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#135I love yerba mate. My family traveled to Argentina when I was a kid and I remember we were delayed for about 4 hours before our flight back home late in the night. I kept making myself yerba mate teas while the lounge had the movie Screamers playing on an old CRT tv. It was foundationally terrifying to a deeply-wired and awake 10 year old kid. As a teenager I found a seller selling it on Amazon in bulk, I bought 3 ki…
I didn't find that drinking it from a gourd quite had the same effect as brewing it in an automatic drip coffee maker. The first time I tried this, I drank a few cups at around noon. That night I found myself wide awake at 3 am.
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#136Go nearly anywhere in Argentina and you will find mate. People walk around with a thermos of hot water and sip all day. It is a shared cultural experience too like saying hello. You see a friend, greet them, then offer them some mate. Our SF-based company has an office in Mendoza, Argentina. You will not find baristas and coffee (though Starbucks just opened there), but plenty of mate for everyone. Due to this connec…
One thing I've always wondered is, if everyone is sharing a straw, does that lead to issues with disease transmission? Seems like it would be very easy to spread a cold around or something worse.
saliva + hot liquid are pretty good disinfectants, especially if only dry lips are used..
related side note: most (all?) eastern christian groups use a single spoon for communion..
my unscientific biological theory on these things is they to some extent cause immune-boosting results since you are getting a micro exposure to mostly killed off or weakened pathogens in combination with 'clean' nutrients (mate+vitamins or host) and potentially also antibodies from the others in the group..
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#137I drink Yerba Mate every day, and when I heard about yaupon, definitely had to try it. Unroasted, it's very grassy, but refreshing. The roasted variety I got tasted quite similar to mate. It's really good. The biggest problem I have is that I can get a kilo of mate for $9, but 2 Oz of yaupon is in the $15-$20 range.
Where I live, yaupon is free (pick from ornamental bushes in front yard, or around practically any office building).
any cultivation / drying / preparation tips?
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#138Reminds me of CCC and all the Club Mate you can handle before dying from a caffeine overdose. ;)
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#139Earlier quoted context omitted.
And "Mormon tea" would be similar but not caffeine -- ephedrine. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedra
Now we're talking! Definitely on my todo list of drinks to try.
it's great.
Unfortunately hard (impossible?) to come by these days in the US due to stronger restrictions related to ephedrine..
Re: A Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries
#140I live in Porto Alegre and.. most days I prefer the aeropress to the mate, though. Mate is a mild taste drink.