Tama Tea | Sparkling Mint Yerba Maté

While I’ve been drinking coffee since I was 12 years old, I’m always on the hunt for new sources of caffeine. I first came across Tama Tea when we started adding brands to Better Times in 2025, and the concept immediately clicked.

Based in North Carolina, Tama Tea produces a clean, no-B.S. sparkling tea that avoids the three common pitfalls of packaged tea: sourness, being way to dry, and that slightly skunky note you sometimes get over time. Instead, what you get is a tea-forward, lightly carbonated drink in a 12oz can that actually tastes the way it’s supposed to.

The Mint Yerba Mate is one of several yerba mate flavors they make, and it’s easily one of my favorites. The mint pairs really well with the tea notes; subtle, smooth, and refreshing while still delivering a solid 120mg of caffeine.

Having kegged sparkling tea commercially myself, I’m genuinely impressed with how clean this tastes. The tannins are present but balanced and a light punch of lemon ties the whole thing together.

Flip the can around and it’s exactly what you want to see: 10 calories, 1g of sugar, and ingredients limited to water, yerba mate, mint, and lemon juice. That’s it.

This is about as no-nonsense of an energy drink as I’ve come across and one I keep reaching for.