Amazonian Guayusa Tea
Guayusa
Leaves of an Amazonian holly, brewed in the dark before dawn: smooth, earthy and faintly sweet.
Guayusa is made from the dried leaves of Ilex guayusa, a holly tree of the upper Amazon and a close relative of yerba mate. The Kichwa people of Ecuador grow it in forest gardens and drink it before sunrise.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 90 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Teapot or Mug with Strainer |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:60 |
| Dose & yield | 4g → 240g |
| Grind size | Cut Leaves |
| Water temperature | 203°F / 95°C |
| Target brew time | 5-7 minutes |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 4 g dried guayusa leaves, cut
- 240 g filtered water at 95°C
- Honey, lemon or lime to finish, optional
Required gear
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm the pot or mug with hot water and pour it away.
- 0:10Add 4 g of guayusa leaves and pour in 240 g of water at 95°C. Cover and start the timer.
- 5:00Taste. Five minutes gives a gentle cup; leave it up to seven for a stronger one.
- 7:00Strain the leaves out, or lift the infuser, and serve plain or with honey, lemon or lime. The same leaves will give a second, slightly lighter cup.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 90 mg for an 8 oz cup brewed from 4 g of leaf. Guayusa leaf is roughly 1.7 to 3.5 percent caffeine by dry weight, so a real cup can run well above or below that figure depending on the leaf, the dose and the steep. The leaf also contains theobromine, a milder relative of caffeine.
A second steep
Good leaves will give a second cup. Pour fresh hot water over the same leaves and steep a little longer; the taste is slightly lighter than the first.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
Guayusa is made from the dried leaves of Ilex guayusa, a holly tree of the upper Amazon and a close relative of yerba mate. The Kichwa people of Ecuador grow it in forest gardens and drink it before sunrise. Steeped in water just off the boil for five to seven minutes, it tastes earthy, grassy and gently sweet.
Origin & Story
Before dawn in the Kichwa villages of Ecuador's Napo province, someone puts a pot of leaves on the fire. By the time it is boiling, the family has gathered around it for the guayusada, called wayusa upina in Kichwa. They drink, talk over the day ahead and tell each other the dreams they had in the night. Dreams count as signs, to be weighed before the day's work begins.
The leaf is Ilex guayusa, a holly in the same genus as yerba mate and yaupon. It is native to the upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru and southern Colombia, between roughly 200 and 2,000 meters, yet it is known almost only as a cultivated plant, grown above all in Ecuador's Napo and Pastaza provinces. The Kichwa grow it in their chakras, mixed agroforestry gardens, and families traditionally dry the leaves near the kitchen fire before brewing.
How old is the habit? A bundle of guayusa leaves about 1,500 years old was found in a medicine man's tomb in the Bolivian Andes, far outside the tree's natural range, which suggests the leaf was already being carried and traded between the lowlands and the highlands. In 1683 Father Juan Lorenzo Lucero wrote that the Jivaroan peoples drank it in infusions every day, and the custom is still alive among the Kichwa.
The cup is gentle. Expect an earthy, grassy tea with a trace of sweetness and only a little bitterness, usually described as softer than yerba mate. Like mate, the leaf carries caffeine, roughly 1.7 to 3.5 percent of its dry weight, along with theobromine, the milder relative of caffeine that cocoa is known for.
Steep 4 g of guayusa leaves in 240 ml of water at 95°C for five to seven minutes, strain, and drink it plain or with a little honey.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 70/100 |
| Acidity | 20/100 |
| Bitterness | 15/100 |
| Body | 60/100 |
| Aroma | 75/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Amazonian Guayusa Tea?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 90 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Amazonian Guayusa Tea?
Target 95°C (203°F).
How long should Amazonian Guayusa Tea be extracted?
Timing: 5-7 minutes. Method: Teapot or Mug with Strainer. Ratio: 4g per 240ml water. Grind or leaf format: Cut Leaves.
Is guayusa the same as yerba mate?
No, but they are close relatives. Both are hollies in the genus Ilex, and both contain caffeine and theobromine. Mate comes from Ilex paraguariensis, grown in the south of the continent, and is traditionally sipped from a gourd; guayusa comes from Ilex guayusa, grown in the upper Amazon, and is usually brewed like tea. Most people describe guayusa as the softer of the two.
What is a guayusada?
A guayusada, or wayusa upina in Kichwa, is the gathering in the small hours before dawn at which a Kichwa family drinks guayusa from a pot kept on the fire. People share the dreams they had in the night and talk over the day ahead, and dreams are treated as signs to weigh before the day's work.
Can I drink guayusa cold?
Yes. Brew it as usual, let it cool, and pour it over ice, with lemon or lime and a little sugar if you like.
Who should avoid Amazonian Guayusa Tea?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Borosilicate Glass Teapot with Infuser
In this recipe: Teapot or mug with a lid
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