Photo: Stash Tea |
Guayusa (prounced “why-you-suh”) is a holly plant that is native to the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. It is related to yerba maté, a similarly prepared tea that is native to Uruguay. The dry leaves were a mix of many shades of green and had a jagged, chopped appearance. I steeped this tea in my Breville One-Touch Tea Maker with 212 degree water for four minutes. The liquor was deep brown in color.
I’ve heard that yerba maté is very bitter so I wasn’t sure what I was in for with its Ecuadorian cousin. It was actually surprisingly pleasant. It was woodsy and with a bit of sweetness on the end of each sip. It almost tasted like a toned down version of rooibos. I didn’t notice a caffeine jolt like I was expecting but that is a good thing since I’ve developed a slight sensitivity lately. I would definitely recommend this tea.
You can find out more about this tea here.