How To Make Brazilian Chimarrão: Aussie Gaúcho's Guide For Gringos

Some friends back home have asked me about the strange looking drink I’ve been pictured drinking a few times, chimarrão, so I thought it was time to write a guide for all the other gringos out there.

What is Chimarrão?

If you’re walking around Porto Alegre or other parts of southern Brazil you’ll notice a lot of the locals are carrying around a strange looking wooden cup. That weird cup is a ‘cuia’ and the drink is a hot beverage known as chimarrão. And gaúchos are obsessed with the stuff. 

Chimarrão is a hot drink made from the green tea like erva leaf. Like tea, erva mate is rich in antioxidants and is also caffeine rich, making it a popular morning or afternoon drink around this part of the world. The plant is native to South America and was consumed by inhabitants of Paraguay for hundreds of years, and spread throughout the rest of the continent after European colonization. Brazil is now the biggest producer of the plant.

Unlike tea, rather than commonly served in bags or a tea pot, chimarrão is served by putting the loose leaves into the cuia after they have been ground down to an almost powder. Hot water is then added and the drink is then consumed through a special metal straw known as a bomba. The bomba has acts as a sieve to filter out the leaves from the straw when the person takes a sip.

Is Chimarrão Similar To Mate In Uruguay And Argentina?

Yes, it is more or less the same thing. Just like coffee is still coffee despite the huge differences in flavour, preparation and serving throughout the world, Chimarrão and mate (sometimes yerba mate) are different ways to do the same thing. It is the same plant, and while the preparation can be different, the end result is very similar. Just don’t tell locals in any of the places that. As with anything in the world, the way it's done in the country you happen to be in now is obviously the ‘correct’ way to do it.

Uruguayan "Yerba Mate" on the left and Brazlian Erva Mate on the right

Interestingly, this is a tradition that the people of the state of Rio Grande Do Sul share with their Spanish speaking neighbors and not other parts of Brazil. 

How To Make Chimarrão

I’ll admit I’m still a novice at this. Gaúchos are very particular about how to make Chimarrão and even after a year I’m struggling to get my head around it.

Obviously you need to start with the right equipment. Cuias come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are more like a bowl, while others are taller and almost cone like. They’re also great for gifts as they come with a huge range of decorations, often symbols of the state’s history or - as is common now - football logos. 

The Bomba is usually made of metal these days (though you can find more ornamental versions with other materials) and will often have a simple decoration near the top.

A Bomba

The first step is to put the leaves into the cuia. This may sound easy, but you actually need to ‘stack’ the leaves to one side. This allows the bomba and the water to have room on the other side of the cuia. This is achieved by filling the cuia two thirds full of erva and then covering it (with a hand or small plate). You then hold the cuia horizontally and shake the leaves on to the bottom side. Once you remove the cover you'll see the leaves stacked on one side (hopefully). 

Once you’ve got the leaves on one side, you add some cold/room temperature water, which helps to keep the erva in place.Then, with your thumb over the end of the bomba, insert it into the cuia with the sieve end at the bottom.  You can then suck out the cold water and your chimarrão is ready to drink by adding the hot water. 

How To Drink Chimarrão

As they are with preparation, Gaúchos are very particular about the rules of drinking chimarrão too. 

One of the best aspects of drinking chimarrão is that it is usually done in a social setting. You’ll see friends in a park with one cuia being passed around and a thermos full of hot water for top ups. The usual way to drink it is for one person to fill the gourd with hot water and then drink until they can no longer suck anything up through the bomba. They then fill it up with hot water again and pass it on to the next person.

This goes on until you run out of hot water, or there isn’t any flavour left in the erva. If you’re with a big group you might only get a chance to drink once, but in a smaller group you may have it passed to you a number of times.

Because of the ‘wall’ of erva on the side, the drink retains flavour for longer than you’d think because you tend to get extra leaves infusing each time water is added. This does tend to result in some of the leaves never actually being part of the drink, which I’ve always thought of as wasteful, but it is just how it is!

Another oddity is that it is normal to not say ‘thank you’ (obrigado/a) to the person passing the drink to you, as that implies that this will be your last one. It is also very important to not try to move the bomba once it is in. At times the bomba can get clogged and you’re not able to suck up any of the water, however it is considered rude to try and adjust it with your hands. I’ve had a few dirty looks!

Where To Drink Chimarrão

The only real downside to chimarrão for a gringo is that,

because of its social nature, it isn’t something that is easy to try. You can’t just go to a cafe and ask for one, you need to make it yourself or hopefully be invited by some locals to join them for some. 

Making it yourself means buying the equipment and the erva and then attempting to follow my amazing instructions. The better option is try to meet locals. If you’re invited to a social gathering during the day in the South of Brazil (or in Uruguay or parts of Argentina) it is almost certain that you’ll be offered some chimarrão. For some people getting over the issue of sharing a cup may take some time, but if you stick around long enough they’ll likely start sharing a glass of caipirinha too and the cachaça in that should kill the germs. 

Recap: How To Make Brazilian Chimarrão

1. Fill the cuia two thirds full of erva
2. Cover the top and while holding the cuia horizontally, shake the erva to one side of the cuia
3. Remove the cover, and while on a 45 degree angle, gently fill the cuia with cold/room temperature water
4.With your thumb over the 'straw' end of the bomba, insert the 'sieve' end into the cuia and move the cuia back to vertical
5. Suck out the cold water and discard
6. Add hot water to the cuia and drink until you cannot get any more
7. Refill the cuia with hot water and pass to the next person
8. Repeat and enjoy! 

Good Beer In Porto Alegre / Boa Cerveja Em Porto Alegre

Anyone who reads my blog will now I like a beer. You'll also know that I'm not a fan of Brazilian beer in general. Luckily, Brazil - and in particular Porto Alegre - is in the middle of a craft beer boom, meaning there are plenty of places where you can get some good beer. Between brewery pubs, and small scale breweries you don't have to go too far to find a good beer.

October is a good time of year to try some new beers too, with seemingly dozens of beer festivals in honour of Germany's original Oktoberfest. Last year I attended the biggest Oktoberfest beer festival in the state down at Sant Cruz Do Sul. While it was a fun day out, the beer on offer wasn't great, which certainly takes a lot of the fun out of things.

This year we'll be staying local, and there are plenty of beer festivals. Already this past weekend there were at least three different beer festivals with plenty more to come.

The one I'm looking forward to the most is at VIDAL Mercearia + Cafe (Rua Mata Bacelar 52) who are hosting Oktoberfest da Vidal. Vidal will be partnering with local brewery Cervejaria Zapata to create a beer especially for the event. The hosts (one of which is an actual German) will also be serving authentic pretzels and sausage, making it a cant miss party.

There are countless other ways to get good beer though. Small breweries like the Veterana Beer Truck seem to be at every food festival, and with the weather getting better you can follow them around Porto Alegre chasing good beer. Other good breweries you often see represented at these food festivals are Cervejaria Elementum, Baldhead, Perro Libre, IrmãosFerraro and Seasons. 

In fact, these food truck festivals that seem to happen every couple of weeks in Porto Alegre seem to have as many craft breweries turning up as food truck - a fact you won't soon have me complaining about. 

When I first wrote about beer in Porto Alegre, I wrote a list of some of the good places to buy beer in the state capital. I'm happy to say that list has expanded. Here's my updated list of places to get good beer in Porto Alegre.

Dirty Old Man Cocktail Pub

Rua Lime e Silva, 956

The moment you walking into this Cidade Baixa favourite you know you are going to get a good beer. Space may be at a premium, but it is worth fighting for. Dirty Old Man has a beer and chopp (draught beer) list that includes Baldhead, Seasons and Whitehead. As you can expect by the name, the bar also servces a wide range of cocktails and has some good food as well – I recommend the batatas rústicas.

Hooroo House

Avenida Nova York, 835

You know that to be considered a good Australian pub/restaurant you're going to need good beer and Hooroo House gets it right. Hooroo serve Imigração beer on top with pilsen, American pale ale (my favourite) and IPA varieties all available by the jug. Hooroo regularly shows sporting events such as Inter and Gremio games, UFC fights and American football, and when combined with regular drink specials meaning its a good place to drink some beer!

A Virgem

Rua Olavo Bilac, 251

When you walk into A Virgem – again in Cidade Baixa - the first thing you notice is how beautiful it is inside. Great artwork is all over the walls, while a very beautiful beer garden awaits out back. The menu is just as beautiful, featuring a large range of craft beers – both bottled and and draught. Regular happy hour specials mean that not only do they have great beer, but also some great value beer. They also have a great range of cocktails (with non alcoholic options) and pizzas making it a great option for a group catch up.

Penz Bier

Rua José do Patrocínio, 366

A Cidade Baixa newcomer, Penz Bier serves a selection of its own specially made craft beers, including the award winning Porter Alegre, as well as some other local brews. The owners work in the establishment and it is clear that they put their love into everything on the menu. As well as the quality beer, Penz Bier serves up some very good food, with the highlight being the Penz Burger.

Great beer goes with great burgers at Penz Bier 

Heilige Brew Pub

Avenida Getúlio Vargas, 1157
Heilige Brew Pub could easily be a bar in my home city of Melbourne. It has a god atmosphere, great beer and very friendly staff. As well as serving their own very tasty brews, they also have a good selection of other craft brews on tap and in bottles, meaning you're sure to find something you like. The night I was there they had an all night happy hour of two for one beers which meant it was also great value.

Locals Only CB

Sarmento Leite, 1086
Yet another Cidade Baixa favourite, Locals Only stocks only local beer from Rio Grande do Sul - hence the name. Serving their beer in jars gives it an inner city Melbourne hipster vibe, and while I generally prefer something bigger than their 300ml serves, it does give you the opportunity to sample a bigger selection of their beers on offer. 

Lagom Brewery & Pub

Rua Bento Figueiredo, 72
Lagom Brewery & Pub have had a couple of different locations, and I hear they'll actually be closing down their pub to concentrate on brewing, so I recommend you check them out while you can. They have a good varied list of beers made in house (many of which are on the strong side!) and a small but tasty food menu, meaning it is great for a night out with your friends. 

Bier Markt Vom Fass

Rua Barão de Santo Angêlo, 497

This German style beer hall, based in Bairro Moinhos de Vento has an enourmous list of beers available, both bottled and on draught. Even stocking one of my all time favourite beers – English ale, Old Speckled Hen – it is virtually impossible to try all of the beer on offer. With regular specials and different offerings there is almost always something different to try each visit to Bier Markt. They have a good range of food options including the exceptional brie burger and have some spicy mustards to add to your dish – just be careful with the extra hot. I learned that from experience.

Duplex 312 Gastro Pub

Rua Comendador Caminha 312
Duplex was opened on the original site of the old Lagom pub. Luckily, they kept up the reputiation of serving good beers. This place is perhaps a little louder than many others on the list, with live gigs and events here regularly. For those of us that like a place where we can just sit, chat and enjoy a beer (ok, us oldies) it may be a bit much to go to regularly. At least it provides a good alternative.

Bairro Anchieta

Sometimes you have to go to the source, and when it comes to craft beer in Porto Alegre, that souce seems to be the Achieta neighbourhood in the north of the city. Within just a few blocks are several small breweries where you can try many different kinds of brews. Baldhead Craft Beer recently celebrated their five year anniversary with an event on their premises featuring music, food trucks – and of course great beer. Other breweries in the area include Seasons, Távola, Tupiniquim and Vintage.

The search continues 

I'm always on the look out for the best place to buy good beer in Porto Alegre, and my friends, I'm very dedicated to this project!

There are still some places on my list that I haven't gotten to yet. Two places have consistently been recomended to me that I haven't yet had a chance to go to. The first is Quentin's, (Rua Gen. Lima e Silva 91) a Tarantino themed bar in Cidade Baixa who are having their own Oktoberfest party this Sunday. The other is is Hidden Brew Pub (Rua Gregório da Fonseca, 680) which I've heard incredible things about, but as it is located in the south of the city, requires some more planning!  

Also still on my list are Malt Store, Apolinario Bar and Mercado do Chopp, so I hope to try them soon. 

If any of you know of another great bar or brewery let me know and I will give them a try.

Cheers! 

10 Struggles For An Australian Living In Porto Alegre, Brazil

A coupe of weeks ago I wrote a piece about the 10 things I love about living here in Porto Alegre. Now, in the interest of balance, I'm writing about the things that I have struggled with over the last 12 months. 

I hope this list doesn't offend anyone as that isn't what I'm here to do. However, any time you live in a different country (or at times just a different city) there are going to be certain differences that take some effort to deal with. It has been true of every country I've lived in. 

When I lived in Canada I couldn’t handle the crazy cold winters (-39 degrees, that is crazy), when I lived in England I struggled with the bars closing at 11pm, while in Ireland I found there was very little to do socially other than drink. 

Meanwhile, even being back in Australia doesn’t make me immune to these issues. The last time I was back in Australia I missed being able to watch Canadian hockey, drink English beer and do whatever it was that I did in Ireland for a year (seriously, I know I had fun, but I can’t quite remember). 

Every country has it’s positive and negatives, and Brazil is no different. 

Some of these are minor inconveniences while others are more serious, but they are all a struggle!

1. Brazil Lacks Food Variety

I’ve mentioned this a few times, but having come from Melbourne it is very difficult to get used to the lack of variety in dining available here. The food that is available here is generally very good - Churrasco being the best example. But if you want to get something that isn’t meat with beans, rice and salad there aren’t many options, especially if you also want something other than burgers, pasta and pizza. I have found a few great restaurants that offer something different, but I miss being able to go around the corner to find Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican, Afghanistani or Polish food

2. Security In Brazil Is A Problem

This is probably the most serious of my struggles here. While, like any other big city in the world Melbourne is not immune to crime, coming to Porto Alegre is a completely different level. In Melbourne I can walk around late at night without more than a passing thought to my safety. Here, when going out at night it has to be the front of your mind. Even going to a place just minutes walk away from your house means you have to think about your travel. The situation here appears to be getting worse too, with funding cuts to the police department, meaning this is going to stay a major concern.

3. Brazilian Beer Is Mostly Terrible

The major beer producers in any country are generally not great (VB in Australia or Budweiser and Miller in the US) but here in Brazil it's even worse. The big brands here such as Skol and Polar are close to undrinkable. Thankfully the local custom is to serve them estupidamente gelado (stupidly cold) which means you can’t really taste anything. If you get a slightly warmer one though, they’re practically undrinkable. 

There is a great craft brewery scene in the country now, and especially in Porto Alegre. Unfortunately though, the costs are relatively high due to the cost of importing the quality ingredients. Life is too short to drink bad beer!

4. Expensive Imported Goods

It isn’t just the cost of quality barley and hops that is expensive here. Due to a combination of being far from the rest of the world and government taxes and fees, importing products into Brazil is an expensive business. If you’re craving a taste of your home country there are import shops here in Porto Alegre, but you’ll definitely be paying a premium for it. A 200ml bottle of maple syrup recently set us back about US25. High import prices are across the board, with electronic goods up to twice the price as they are back in Australia. 

5. Brazilians Like To Keep You Waiting

Getting anything done here takes time. If you’re waiting on some government paperwork that will take some time and usually result in you having to visit two or three (or possibly more) different government agencies to get things sorted. You’ll get used to waiting rooms, lining up and waiting for public transport. Schedules are merely guides rather than rules to be followed. 

This doesn’t just relate to companies or the government either. Your friends will keep you waiting too. There is a different relationship to time here, whereby saying you’ll meet for dinner at 7pm means sometime after then. Possibly even hours after then. They’re no being rude, that is just the way it is. 

I've realised that it is an adjustment that I need to make rather than them (I am in their country) but I do still struggle with it. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve made my wife get ready in a hurry and then been the first people to arrive at a party - including the hosts. 

6. Overly Attentive Shop Assistants

Because a lot of people who work in shops get paid by commission it is almost impossible to look around without workers following you around trying to help. They’ll sometimes give you a shopping basket or bring random things for you to look at, but most of the time they’ll just follow you around the shop hoping you’ll need their help. I find it very creepy and often I’ll leave the store as it makes me feel all kinds of awkward. Again, I know they're just working within the system they've been given, but it doesn't make it much easier to deal with. 

7. Brazilian Communication Is Difficult.

Communicating with Brazilians isn’t easy. Now, don’t get me wrong, a lot of this is on me. If I made a better effort to learn Portuguese it wouldn’t be as much of an issue. I am learning, and I am definitely getting better and more confident, but that still isn’t the only problem.

The more I understand, the more it becomes apparent that Brazilians don’t communicate well to each other. Every single conversation seems to take detours which only serve to confuse the message. 

Rather than asking a direct question, Brazilians first need to chat about the weather or how work is going. Then, when someone finally asks a question, they’ll leave out a crucial piece of information which changes the context of the entire conversation - then they’ll get confused when the answer doesn’t make sense but still not actually question it. 

Meanwhile, directions of “get on that bus and get off after an hour when you see the supermarket” are very difficult for someone expects a street name and number.  

8. Infrastructure

This has a lot to do with the economic issues, but infrastructure problems here - specifically electricity and water - have been a struggle for me here.

This is definitely a “first world issue” for me, but I can’t get used to not having hot water from every tap in the house. For a hot shower you need a “power shower” where you often need to make the choice between water pressure or heat. In the depths of winter that can be tough. And that is assuming your power hasn’t gone out. 

A lot of homes here appear to have had their wiring done in an ad-hoc manner which means you’ve often got all kinds of different sockets and wires all over the same house. Many of which don’t work. This isn’t just in houses either. If you’re walking around the streets you’ll see a mess of power lines tangled up everywhere. It seems as though when lines go out, rather than taking away the old lines the city just adds new ones. This haphazard approach means there are long power outages almost every time there is a storm, or wind or rain...or heat. 

9. Public Affection

What is wrong with a good handshake? Brazilians are very affectionate people, which is great, but I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by it.

If you meet up with someone you know or are meeting for the first time it is expected that you show some affection. If you’re meeting a girl you’ll likely be expected to kiss on the cheek (usually once, but often twice - I still don’t know the rules!) and even with guys there’s an embrace that is somewhere between handshake and hug. I still don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. 

Then, even if you’ve met someone in the street and spoken to them for 30 seconds, you’ll be expected to embrace them again before you walk away! Don’t even get me started on arriving at or leaving parties! 

I often feel I'm being cold or standoffish when I don't fully embrace this part of the culture, but it is difficult to undo 36 years of living!

10. Brazilian Politics Is A Mess

The political and bureaucratic system here in insane. You have politicians who have been convicted of actual crimes acting as innocent patriots during the impeachment of the nation's president. Then other politicians taking kick backs while not paying government workers including police and teachers, and a bureaucracy that features a tangled mess of government agencies (and semi government agencies) who seem to make up the rules as they go along. 

No country is perfect, obviously, and governing 200+ million people is no easy task. Having said that though, it seems as though much of the government system in this country is interested only in keeping the status quo, There are so many real problems facing the country that they could be focused on, and yet self preservation and "what is in it for me?" seem to be the only priorities.