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People often ask us "Why do you make your Kombucha with Yerba Mate tea?" and my typical response is "because it's delicious," but I rarely get into all of the details of why Yerba Mate is so special. Grown in the sub-tropical rainforests of Argentina, Brail and Paraguay, yerba mate has long been revered as the “drink of the gods”.  The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific society concluded "it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to mate in nutritional value" and that Yerba Mate contains "practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life." Yerba Mate tea is also considered nature’s most balanced stimulant, giving us true sustainable energy.

Back when LonjeviTea Kombucha was just a dream that Michaela and I talked about on mountain bike rides, we were brewing home batches of Kombucha for our daily enjoyment.  We put our Yerba Mate Kombucha to the test during our first 8-hour endurance mountain bike race at Cobb mountain - Boggs 8 hour.  The tried and true moment that made us decide to include Yerba Mate tea into our Kombucha recipe came after 30 miles each of riding and when we knew we needed to get one more lap in.   We were both exhausted, suffering from muscle cramps and ready to call it a day. I drink about 32 ounces of my Yerba Mate home brew, and got a sudden spurt of energy.  Rejuvenated, I jumped back on my bike and completed one more 10-mile lap (muscle cramp free), which happened to be almost my fastest and definitely my most satisfying lap of the day.  When I crossed the finish line I knew we had to make Kombucha with Yerba Mate for everyone to enjoy! 

We’ve made Boggs 8 hour an annual tradition (read more and see the kombucha keg stands that followed here). 

You might wonder why our Kombucha doesn't have the smoky flavor that is usually associated with Yerba Mate tea.  We use air-dried Yerba Mate tea, rather than the traditional smoked variety.  The outcome is a beautifully tart Kombucha that is much lighter and some may argue less bitter than some of the other Kombucha brands. 

We buy our Yerba Mate tea from our friends and neighbors at Guayaki, they’re located in Sebastopol.  They have the highest quality Yerba Mate tea and have lead the Yerba Mate industry in every aspect, and specifically with their commitment to social and environmental responsibility.  They work directly with farmers to advance farming techniques and practices that are culturally sound. 

LonjeviTea Kombucha and Guayaki have created a fun relationship, which is a truly sustainable partnership.  The Guayaki Yerba Mate Bar in downtown Sebastapol serves LonjeviTea Kombucha in addition to their many amazing Yerba Mate tea offerings. 

Image credit: Jaxxon