Club-Mate

Club-Mate (German pronunciation: [ˈklʊp ˈmaːtə]) is a caffeinated carbonated mate-extract beverage made by the Loscher Brewery (Brauerei Loscher) in Münchsteinach, Germany, which originated in 1924.^[1] Club-Mate has 20 mg of caffeine per 100 ml, sugar content of 5 g per 100 ml, and 20 kcal per 100 ml, which is lower than most energy drinks. Club-Mate is available in 0.33-litre and 0.5-litre bottles.

Club-Mate

Country of origin	Germany
Introduced	1924
Website	club-mate.de/en

Some Club-Mate bottles include the slogan "man gewöhnt sich daran", which roughly translates as "you'll get used to it".

Examples of Club-Mate-based mixed drinks are: vodka-mate; Tschunk,^[2][3] a combination of rum and Club-Mate; Jaeger-Mate, a mix of Jägermeister and Club-Mate; and the Joey special, a mix of Whiskey and Club-Mate.

History

Geola Beverages of Dietenhofen, Germany originally formulated and marketed Club-Mate under the name Sekt-Bronte in 1924.^[4] The drink was only known regionally until acquired by Loscher and marketed under the name Club-Mate in 1994.^[5]

In December 2007, Loscher marketed a Club-Mate winter edition. The limited-edition Club-Mate consists of the original formula mixed with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and citrus extract. It is since sold regularly for a limited time during winter.

In 2009, a Club-Mate-styled cola variety was introduced. Unlike other colas, its recipe includes mate-extract.

In 2013, Club-Mate Granat, a Club-Mate variety with additional pomegranate flavor, was introduced.

Club-Mate Zero, a sugar free version of Club-Mate is available since April 2022.^[6]

As of July 2010, the company listed distributors in 60 countries,^[7] for example, the United Kingdom,^[8] Belgium,^[9] Bulgaria,^[10] Luxembourg, the United States,^[11] Canada,^[12] Australia, Hong Kong, Costa Rica and Taiwan.^[13]

Culture

Club-Mate has developed a following in computer hacker culture and tech start-ups, especially in Europe. Bruce Sterling wrote in Wired magazine that it is the favorite beverage of Germany's Chaos Computer Club.^[14] It is also popular at Noisebridge^[15] and HOPE^[16] in the United States, Electromagnetic Field in the UK, the Hack-Tic events in the Netherlands and the FOSDEM in Belgium. Club-Mate appeared in numerous leading media websites like Al-Jazeera,^[17] TechCrunch^[18] and Vice.^[19]

For similar reasons, the drink is also popular among ravers in cities across Europe such as Berlin.^[20]

Ingredients and variations

• Water
• Inverted sugar syrup
• Sugar
• Mate tea extract
• Citric acid
• Caffeine
• Natural flavors
• Caramel color
• Carbonic acid

There are several variations on the original recipe available: Club-Mate IceT Kraftstoff (an iced-tea variant with slightly higher caffeine content (220 mg per L) and more sugar), Club-Mate Granat (with added pomegranate for a more fruity taste) and Club-Mate Winter Edition (with spices giving it a gingerbread-like taste - this edition is only available during the winter months).^[6] The latest variation is Club-Mate Zero, a sugar free version.^[6]

Tschunk

Tschunk

Cocktail
Type	Highball
Base spirit	Rum
Commonly used ingredients	4–6 cl golden rum or dark rum limes Club-Mate (if desired): brown sugar ice
Preparation	Dice limes, put them together with the brown sugar into a high glass and crush both. Add crushed ice and pour the rum and the Club-Mate over it. Add a straw

Tschunk [ˈtʃʊnk] is a German highball consisting of Club-Mate and white or brown rum. It is usually served with limes and cane or brown sugar.^[21][22]

Like Club-Mate, the Tschunk is a typical drink within European hacker culture^[23][24] and can often be found at scene typical events or locations like the Chaos Communication Congress.^[22][25]

Bloomberg journalist Vernon Silver noted 'It tastes a lot better than it sounds.'^[26]

See also

• Materva, a Cuban carbonated mate-based beverage
• Nativa, a carbonated mate-based beverage created by the Coca-Cola Company