Club-mate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Club-Mate is a caffeinated carbonated Mate-extract beverage made by the Loscher Brewery near Münchsteinach, Germany. It is popular in the Hacker scene in German-speaking Europe. Club-Mate is popular for its relatively high caffeine content (20 mg per 100 ml) and relatively low sugar content compared to other beverages such as Cola, Coffee and other Energy Drinks.

Club-Mate is available in 0.33 and 0.5 liter bottles.

Contents

[edit] History

Geola Beverages of Dietenhofen, Germany originally formulated and marketed Club-Mate under the name Sekt-Bronte. The drink was only known regionally until acquired by Loscher and marketed under the name Club-Mate.

Club-Mate became well known in the Berlin club scene during the 90s as an alternative to more expensive energy drinks. Two examples of Club-Mate based mixed drinks are Vodka-Mate and Chunk, a combination of Rum and Club-Mate.

In Summer of 2007, Loscher changed the formula for Club Mate to make it sweeter and less tea-flavored. This change was not publicly announced. Both formulas are still available on the market, distinguished by the color of their bottle cap. Blue bottle caps indicate the original formula and gold bottle caps indicate the newer, sweeter formula.

In December of 2007, Loscher marketed a Club-Mate-"Winter-Edition". The limited-edition Club-Mate consisted of the original formula mixed with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and citrus extract.

[edit] Flavor Profile

Club-Mate has an astringent flavor due to its relatively low sugar content and high Catechin and Flavonoid content. Club-Mate is, by the manufacturer's admission, an acquired taste. The drink's motto, "Man gewöhnt sich daran" translates roughly as "You get used to it!"

[edit] Ingredients

[edit] Availability

Club-Mate is available through beverage dealers in Germany. It is available through importers in Austria, Switzerland and Poland.

club-mate.us was recently registered by Mike Castleman, one of the organizers of 2600 magazine's The Last Hope conference in New York.

[edit] Weblinks