Tea and Coffee

[Magic City Matt]

So I am going to stand up right now and say, Hello my name is Matt and I am a Coffee addict. Ok so maybe not as bad as some. I have to have a dose of caffeine in the morning to get going though. Just the one but I have to have it otherwise I am just not all together there for the rest of the day. That and there is just something about the zing of that first (most of the time only) cup of coffee I have that I find to be one of the most pleasurable things in life. Yes, me and my wife like the super strong Starbuck's style, fresh ground, brewed at just the right temperature kind of coffee and not this coffee flavored water that you find in most places and office coffee pots.
It wasn't until just recently however that I have rediscovered tea as a great means to get that same kick. But not just some ordinary black tea mind you. I would have to drink like 5 or six cups to get the same wake up effect as the coffee I drink. No, we are talking supercharged high grade stuff here.
I had never heard of Mate' before this past Christmas. Leave it to my sister to show up with an armful of goody bags for everyone full of the latest finds at Whole foods, Fresh Market, and every food couture facility she has come across in her travels. In amidst the organic chocolates and the pink Australian salt flakes and the white truffle oil spritzer is a gift pack from a tea shop called Teavana. Now try to understand that my usual stance on tea is that of a typical southern American who would much rather it be iced with sprig of mint on top and enough white pure cane sugar in it to kill most people who live above the Mason Dixon line. So when my wife hands me a cup of this stuff Matevana, I'm thinking to myself of here we go with super herbal frou frou weak flavor floral design on tea that I am used to. But it's not like that. This stuff is earthy to the scent, strong in flavor, and a few minutes later I get a big surprise. ZING, I mean major zing. I didn't realize at first because it comes on a lot more mild than a coffee kick but it was certainly there but with no jitters.  "WOW", I asked "What is that stuff?"
Mate' (mah-TAY), As it turns out is not like most black teas we get around here but is a product of South America that bears about as much resemblance to English tea as an alpaca does to a pig.
So since we have been getting into backpacking we have been looking for a way to effectively recreate the coffee we make at home on the trail. I am going to say flat out that we have not been very successful as of yet. The closest we have come thus far is grinding our coffee before we go and brewing cup by cup in MSR mugmates one cup at a time. I really don't care to carry a hand grinder or a percolator with me for the purposes of saving the weight created by those things that really cannot be used for anything else. I really think that mate' is the route I am going to start taking mostly because it does not require careful preparation like the coffee I like but also because this stuff is light. It ways next to nothing compared to the average bean and a couple of ounces will last for a week easy.
If you haven't, I strongly suggest picking some up and giving it a try. It will save some weight on the trail and is just plain good tasting stuff.

[Rob]

Hmmm......Intere sting, Can it be bought locally or must one go online to Teavana.com and purchase it for the small sum of $5.80 per 2-0z pkg? I like the "contains a natural stimulant that prolongs energy" proclamation! Thanks for the info Matt, I do like the hot drink on a cold morning to get me bones a goin'. This one sounds like a good "find."

[Lesley]

This tea probably has been around our grocers shelves and we just haven't noticed, what with being southern and all. If memory serves me I think Mate' tea can also be purchased at Whole foods, and I know Tazo Tea has a Lemon Mate variety.  It also goes by the name Yerba Mate'. Honestly though, the 2 oz tin from Teavana has lasted longer than I anticipated and the flavor is wonderful. But the convenience of buying a more commercial blend is not to be overlooked. Tea bags are easier to carry in a pack and no filter is required. I'll keep looking when I go shopping round for some local places. I look forward to trying some other varieties, if I find any that are fabulous I'll post details.

[Joshua Szulecki]

The entries in Wikipedia are surprisingly long considering the topic...

Mate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_%28beverage%29

Yerba Mate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate

Now, whether the stuff in stores bears any resemblance to the actual item described in those articles is a question for another day.

"The pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in mate tea are known to produce a rare condition of the liver, veno-occlusive disease, which produces liver failure due to progressive occlusion of the small venous channels in the liver. One fatal case has been reported in a young British woman who consumed very large quantities of mate tea from Paraguay." - Must be some strong stuff!

[Joshua Szulecki]

It is important to note that Mate is from a different plant than "normal" tea, which is from Camellia sinensis. Tea... just different tea.

[Magic City Matt]

"The pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in mate tea are known to produce a rare condition of the liver, veno-occlusive disease, which produces liver failure due to progressive occlusion of the small venous channels in the liver. One fatal case has been reported in a young British woman who consumed very large quantities of mate tea from Paraguay." - Must be some strong stuff!

I doubt severely it's going to cause much of a problem with my one cup a day but duly noted.

It should also be noted that caffeine in itself is attributed to Parkinson's, memory loss, anxiety, and may aggravate heart disease.

I don't think any of the alkaloids could be that good for you but I have quit smoking, drink rarely, and don't have any other habits. I will take my chances with tea and coffee on the moderate.

But yeah it will most likely kill me.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Matthew,

I'd take that anecdotal warning with a grain of salt. I highly doubt the average, fairly healthy person has anything to worry about beyond coffee or tea with this stuff, which means not much to worry about...

My guess is that something else was going on with that woman, or she was consuming it in some ridiculously large amount.

[Rob]

Me too. I'll take my chances with the tea. I'll probably die driving my vehicle on one of Birmingham's Interstates, and I want to be alert enough to see the  @#!*%@!  that causes it this time so I can haunt them for an eternity

[Nalgene Ninja]

I'm not a tea person but as far as coffee, avoid the percolator. Percolating boils and recircs the brew, both no-nos. I'm currntly shopping for a french press, but haven't seen one that'll hold the requisite 64 oz. (OK that's prob a lil' unrealistic)

Has anyone tried that press thingy for Nalgene bottles?

[Magic City Matt]

GSI makes a pretty nice little french press but it's heavy and made of polycarbonate which leach a chemical called APB into hot fluids. Tends to leave a plastic taste in them. That and I have heard speculation on that stuff potentially causing cancer as well. Jury is still out on that though.
I think MSR or someone may have a titanium french press.