How to choose the perfect container or glass for the mate?

Choosing the perfect mate depends on your style and needs. Gourd and wooden mates are ideal if you prefer a traditional experience and are willing to season them, while glass, steel, or ceramic mates are modern options that don't require seasoning and better preserve the yerba's flavor. Silicone and grapefruit mates are more exotic, ideal for those looking for something unique and practical.

There are tons of types of mate, but how do you choose the right one for your intended use? Here are some tips and features to help you choose yours today.

Some points to keep in mind before you start:

• Mates come in a wide variety of shapes and colors. There's something for everyone!

• There are containers that prevent the yerba from sticking to the side of the mate, making it easier to clean and preserving the yerba's original flavor (for example, glass, stainless steel, ceramic, or porcelain). These mates do not need to be cured.

• For more traditional drinkers, there are also mate vessels made of calabash or wood, which seek to recapture the history and origins of the mate drink. They also provide a distinctive flavor to the mate. Important: these types of vessels must be cured before first use.

Did you know this? Wide-mouthed mates ensure that your mateada is always more productive, as the yerba takes longer to fully soak.

Let's have a mate!

The companion: the metal mate

A companion for the kettle and a friend for the afternoon mate drink. Some of these mate vessels transmit the heat of the water to the touch, while others are made using layered stainless steel. This ensures that the mate doesn't get hot after several sips and doesn't hinder the cebador's work when he or she holds it.

The best part? They're easy to clean and don't require seasoning.

The elegant one: the alpaca mate

If you're someone who likes to show off your mate after mate, alpaca and/or silver gourds are the best. They are made from selected gourds, which are then dyed so that a craftsman can finally perform the metal ornamentation.

In these cases, the ferrules (waist of the mate) can be decorated with silver inlays.

Solid silver mate cups, on the other hand, use a technique that involves designing, drawing, melting, rolling, and forging the metal into shape, followed by various finishes such as chiseling or engraving. These mate vessels are finished with a special polish that provides total elegance.

The classic: the wooden mate

This mate, along with the gourd type, can be considered the most traditional on the market.

The most important thing? The mate cup must be made of hard or semi-hard woods that are not very aromatic (wooden mates acquire a slight flavor from the tree), which aggressively infuses the flavor into the grains.

They are available in turned carob, palo santo, quebracho, and oak. They are dyed, carved, and decorated in a variety of ways.

It is advisable to cure them before first use.

The Creole: the calabash mate

The most typical mate cup, chosen by most. It comes in many shapes (pear-shaped, pore-shaped, or biscuit-shaped) and sizes because it comes from a climbing plant called Legendaria Vulgaris.

Like the wooden one, it's essential to season and dry it thoroughly after use (don't worry, we'll tell you how to do it here).

Did you know? Antler or bone mates should be soaked in soap for 24 hours before seasoning them with yerba mate to remove the oiliness.

The exotic: the horn mate or guampa

These mate vessels are more commonly found in the countryside and are made from cow horns, utilizing everything the animal provides.

The cow horn mate was once used by gauchos and muleteers, and is now widely used in Paraguay for drinking tereré.

To make it, the piece of horn is burnished, resulting in a transparent, smooth, glass-like product. Sometimes, the larger end is closed with a wooden lid, and the narrower end is used as a mouthpiece.

The practical one: the glass or ceramic mate

These mate cups are especially time-saving, thanks to their easy-to-clean surface that doesn't require seasoning.

They can be covered with leather, and their main advantage is that both glass and ceramic don't absorb the flavor of the yerba mate.

On the other hand, it's important to pay attention to sudden temperature changes to prevent breakage during preparation and subsequent cleaning. When the time comes, it's essential not to use very cold or very hot water.

The modern: the silicone mate

They're the most modern of all the options and are also easy to clean.

The best part? Silicone mate cups don't retain bacteria or flavors; they retain heat, are unbreakable, and are extra easy to empty. Plus, they come in a wide variety of eye-catching colors and designs.

But be careful, because they're flexible, they can be a bit difficult to hold and sometimes tip over—it takes some getting used to.

The sustainable one: grapefruit mate

Did you know this variety of mate cups? Just as you'd imagine, you can use the hollowed-out grapefruit as a container and give your mate a more citrusy flavor.

This combination takes advantage of the antioxidant properties of yerba mate and the vitamin C in grapefruit, essential for strengthening the immune system during the fall and winter months.

The downside? It only lasts one round of cebadas.

And then what?

Once the gourd is properly cured and you begin drinking from it, it's a good idea, after cebar, to discard the yerba mate and rinse, drain, and let the gourd dry upside down.

Be careful, the most common mistake is leaving the gourd upside down, as this encourages mold growth.

There are as many types of mate as there are cebadores. Which one will you start with? Share yours on our social media!

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