Yerba Mate Pisco Sour

In college, I was obsessed with Yerba Mate. I know it is an odd thing to be jazzed about but I really loved that shit. I didn't drink much coffee back then – I was always a tea gurl. And as much as I love a nice little cup of green tea, sometimes, the caffeine just doesn't cut it. Once I stumbled upon ✨Yerba Mate✨, my life was changed.

Yerba Mate is an herb native to South America and, when brewed, it has the energy kick of coffee with the health benefits of tea. Like, wow, can't get better than that, right?

Even though Yerba Mate is technically not a “tea,” you infuse and brew it like you would a tea by steeping it for a few minutes in hot water or alcohol in this case.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy Yerba Mate is as a "Mate Latte", which is a tea latte made with brewed Yerba Mate, milk, and honey. There was like one place in my college town that would make them so I would trek all across that campus to get my fix. Until I finally decided to just make them myself one day.

This Pisco Sour variation was inspired by my excessive consumption of those Mate Lattes, using Yerba Mate-infused Pisco, honey syrup, and egg white to create a foam reminiscent of the latte foam.

The Recipe

• 1 1/2 oz yerba mate-infused Pisco
• 1 Egg white
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz honey syrup
• Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients and shake without ice to froth egg white. Add ice and shake again to chill the drink. Strain the drink into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass and garnish with a couple of drops of bitters.