How to maté

Your first gourd, done properly.

Fifteen minutes of reading, then you never need this page again. Ask a question at the bottom if something goes wrong.

Any more and there is no room for water. Any less and the leaf floats.

Cover the top, tip the gourd on its side, shake gently. The fine powder ends up on your palm instead of in the bombilla.

Stand the gourd back up at an angle so the leaf sits as a hill with an empty pocket on the low side.

Pour a little room temperature water into the pocket and let it sit for a minute. This one step is what stops the bitterness.

Push it into the wet side with your thumb over the mouthpiece. Do not stir it afterwards.

Water at 75 to 80 degrees, always into the same pocket. Fifteen rounds before the flavour flattens out.

Fixes

Four things that go wrong.

Your water is too hot. Take the kettle off before it boils, or leave it open for two minutes.

Dust got in. Shake the leaf next time, and rinse the filter under hot water after every session.

You are wetting the whole gourd. Keep pouring into one pocket and let the dry side wait its turn.

Stop after 4pm. Maté holds you for about six hours, longer than coffee does.

One person pours for everyone. That person drinks the first, weakest round.

Drink the whole gourd, then hand it straight back. It is not passed on half full.

Do not move the bombilla. Ever. It is the one thing that will get you a look.

Say thank you only when you are done. It means you are out of the round.