1. Fill the gourd half-way with Yerba Maté. Add 1 tablespoon of ashes (from fire wood or other burnt plants – do not use ashes from coal or other non-vegetable sources).

2. Pour hot water into the gourd until it is full.

3. Let the gourd sit in a well-ventilated place for 2-3 days, always topping it off with water as the gourd absorbs it.

4. After 3 days, pour out the contents of the gourd and rinse thoroughly in running water. Your gourd is ready for use!

Another way of doing this that probably yields better results...

1. Mix only the ashes and water in the gourd and let that sit for 24 hours.

2. Dry it in a well ventilated place for 72 hours.

3. ...then curing it with the Maté for another 48 hours.

This process is more time-consuming, but should produce a more durable gourd.

Please Note: The use of ashes, described above, is optional. If you do not have access to ashes, simply follow the instructions above (cure with just water & maté), but only let the gourd sit for 1 to 2 days.

Taking Good Care of Your Yerba Maté Gourd

After you have cured your gourd and are using it, it is essential that you know how to take good care of it. A good gourd should last you a long time, giving you years of flavourful Yerba Maté drinking. First of all, the gourd should never be dropped. Although it may not look delicate, the gourd is like a piece of fine china. If dropped or abused, small cracks may begin to form which increase with time, creating leaks and compromising your gourd. The gourd is also prone to mold if not dried correctly. To keep your gourd dry between uses, rinse it out well with running water and position it in a well-ventilated, warm place, preferably at a 45° angle so that circulating air flows through the gourd. Optionally, reserve a cotton cloth to dry excess water after rinsing the gourd. If mold appears (usually white or black “furry” spots) once the gourd is cured, rinse the gourd in scalding water. You may, as an option, use a little hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), then rinse thoroughly with water. Cure the gourd with ashes again to remove and destroy any residue left by the mold.

If you are prone to have allergic reactions to molds, do not try to reuse the gourd.

The Maté Factor is not responsible for personal health problems acquired through the misuse of gourds, the failure to follow the instructions above, or the use of a gourd once it has molded.

The instructions provided in case of mold are intended to instruct our customers on how the native peoples traditionally deal with molding gourds.

Drinking Yerba Maté From a Gourd - Basic Instruction

Method 1

1. Put bombilla in empty gourd and let rest at an angle against the top of the gourd.

2. Fill the gourd 2/3 full of maté leaves.

3. Pour hot (not boiling) water on top of the leaves and sip through the bombilla.

4. Refill and drink until the mate is not strong enough anymore. The first few sips may allow some leaves to come through, but it seals as the maté expands around the bombilla.

Method 2

1. Fill your gourd 2/3 full of hot (not boiling) water.

2. Place bombilla in the water and let it rest at an angle against the top of the gourd.

3. Pour mate leaves on top of the water, letting them mound up.

4. Poke about a 1/2 inch hole in the maté mound on the opposite side to where the bombilla is resting.

5. Sip through the bombilla and then re-pour with water through the hole.

6. The first run may allow some leaves to get through, but then it seals as the maté expands and sinks to the bottom around the bombilla.

Warning:
Boiling water can burn your mouth and also harms the yerba maté.
Do not put boiling water in the gourd or your gourd may crack.

Fill 'yer gourd with fresh green yerba maté!