Walk into a shop that stocks yerba mate and you'll see bags marked con palo, despalada, barbacuá, suave or chimarrão. If you've made your first gourd with our guide on how to make yerba mate, this post explains what those words mean, so you know what to expect from a bag before you open it. It's all about taste, texture and how the yerba behaves in the gourd.
We don't sell yerba mate at the moment.
Con palo vs sin palo: the cut
The first thing most packs tell you is the cut, meaning how much stem is mixed in with the leaf.
Con palo (with stems)
Con palo yerba is a mix of chopped leaf, leaf dust and small pieces of stem. Under Argentina's food code (the Código Alimentario Argentino), the traditional style has a set limit on how much stem it can contain, and a typical blend is mostly leaf with a share of stem. The stems open up small channels in the gourd, so water flows through more easily and the bombilla is less likely to clog. Many people find the taste smoother and less bitter, which is why con palo is often where people start.
Sin palo or despalada (without stems)
Sin palo, also sold as despalada, is almost all leaf. Argentina's food code says it must be at least 90% leaf and no more than 10% stem. With less stem, the yerba packs more densely and the taste is usually fuller and more bitter. It can take a little more care in the gourd, because fine leaf and dust can block a basic bombilla filter.
Dust and grind
Packs also differ in how finely the leaf is ground and how much dust there is. A dusty yerba gives a thicker, more bitter cup and needs a good bombilla. A low-dust, coarser yerba flows more easily. That's why the shake-and-tip step in our method guide matters more with some bags than others.
Types of yerba mate by country
Yerba mate is drunk across Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil, and each place has its own style. These are general patterns, and brands within each country vary.
Argentinian yerba mate
Argentinian yerba is usually con palo, with a mix of leaf, dust and stem. It's often aged (see below), which gives it a browner colour and a mellower, woodier or nuttier taste. It's widely seen as a balanced, approachable style, and plenty of Argentinian brands also make a despalada version.
Uruguayan yerba mate
Uruguayan-style yerba is typically despalada, finely ground and dusty, with little or no stem. The taste is fuller and more bitter, and it needs a careful build in the gourd plus a bombilla with a fine filter. Uruguay doesn't grow yerba at commercial scale, so much of the leaf is imported, mostly from southern Brazil, then processed to the Uruguayan style. You may see "PU1" on export packs, which refers to a Uruguayan grading standard for this fine style.
Paraguayan yerba mate
Paraguayan yerba is often coarser, and many Paraguayan packs are made with tereré in mind, the cold version of mate drunk with iced water or chilled juice. A coarser grind with less dust works better in cold water, which is more likely to clog a bombilla when the yerba is very fine. Some Paraguayan blends also have a smokier taste.
Brazilian chimarrão (erva-mate)
Chimarrão is the name for mate in southern Brazil, especially Rio Grande do Sul. The yerba (erva-mate in Portuguese) is ground almost to a powder and is usually packed fresh rather than aged, which keeps it bright green. It tastes fresh and vegetal, and it looks nothing like a brown Argentinian con palo. It's traditionally drunk from a large gourd called a cuia.
Words you'll see on a yerba mate pack
Estacionada (aged)
Estacionada means aged. After drying, the yerba rests in storage, often for many months and sometimes up to two years or more, before it's packed. Ageing tones down the fresh, leafy taste and brings out woodier and nuttier notes. Some packs say envejecida, which means a blend that makes a point of a longer age.
Barbacuá (smoked)
Barbacuá describes yerba that has been dried slowly over a wood fire. The word comes from the Guaraní language. It gives a smoky or toasted taste. Most modern yerba is dried with hot air instead, which gives a cleaner flavour.
Suave (mild)
Suave on a pack usually means a milder blend, often one that's less bitter. It's a flavour description, so it's worth tasting a few to see what a particular brand means by it.
Flavoured blends
Some yerbas are blended with citrus peel, mint or other herbs, or with dried fruit. The ingredients list will name each one. These are a matter of taste, so try a plain bag first if you want to learn what yerba itself tastes like.
How to read a yerba mate pack
A few practical things to check on any bag:
- Ingredients: plain yerba should list just yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis). Flavoured blends list every added ingredient.
- Cut or style: look for con palo, despalada or sin palo, or a regional style such as chimarrão.
- Origin: where it was grown and where it was packed can differ, as with many Uruguayan-style yerbas.
- Best-before date: yerba is a dried leaf, but it still loses flavour over time. Store opened bags sealed, somewhere cool and dry.
Yerba mate contains caffeine. The NHS advises that if you're pregnant, you should have no more than 200mg of caffeine a day.
Frequently asked questions
Which type of yerba mate is milder?
People often find con palo blends, aged yerbas and bags marked suave milder in taste than despalada or Uruguayan-style yerba. Water temperature matters too, so keep it around 70 to 80°C, as our method guide explains.
Can I use any type of yerba mate in a French press?
Yes. Any type can be made in a cafetière, but very fine yerba, such as chimarrão or Uruguayan-style despalada, can slip through a coarse mesh, so a finer filter helps.
Is yerba mate the same as matcha?
No. They're different plants. Matcha is powdered green tea, whisked into water. Our guide on how to make matcha at home covers it.
Do you sell yerba mate?
We don't sell yerba mate at the moment.
Questions?
Legally Green is a small independent business in Brighton and Hove. If you have a question about this guide, get in touch or email legallygreenuk@gmail.com. For more guides, have a look at our blog.