How to Brew Yerba Mate in a Drip Coffee Maker

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Yes, you can brew yerba mate in a drip coffee maker with a paper filter.

You can certainly explore the traditional way (gourd and bombilla), with french press, or with aeropress, but drip coffee makers can be a good place to start.

Yerba Mate, the traditional way (try the beginner's kit on Amazon)

Here is a longer explanation, if you'd like to do a deep dive on coffee maker pros and cons.

Making Yerba Mate with a Coffee Pot

What you need:

Loose leaf yerba mate, a standard paper coffee filter, and your drip machine. I'd recommend Playadito, as it is coarser and lower in mate dust.  And if you're looking for where to start on the yerba itself, here are the 10 bags I'd point a friend toward.

The recipe:

- Place a paper filter in your coffee basket as usual.

- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of loose leaf yerba mate per cup of water. Start with 1.5 tablespoons and adjust from there.

- Fill the water reservoir with the amount you want to brew.

- Run it normally. Press brew and let it finish.

- Pour and drink! Add honey, milk, or juice if the bitterness is too much. Learn here what makes Yerba Mate bitter, and how to reduce the bitterness.

***If you get any trouble with the paper filter clogging, I'd recommend trying a reusable filter which has larger pores and is harder to clog. That's what I use now. ***

If you're looking to upgrade your coffee and mate brewing experience, the Moccamaster is the most top notch out there. Just if you're curious.

Ready to go deeper into Yerba Mate?

Once you have had a few cups this way, it is worth trying two other methods that get more out of the leaf. The AeroPress gives you a richer, more concentrated cup and is the method I use most for daily mate. Blog: Yerba Mate AeroPress: The Cleanest Brew You're Not Making Yet

The French press is another easy option if you already have one at home. It brews a fuller-bodied cup than the drip method, and cleanup is straightforward.

Blog: Yerba Mate French Press: Recipe and Pros/Cons

Both are worth a try!