Mate (drink)
All of this careful settling of the yerba ensures that each sip contains as little particulate matter as possible, creating a smooth-running mate. The finest particles will then be as distant as possible from the filtering end of the bombilla.  With each draw, the smaller particles would inevitably move toward the bombilla, but the larger particles and stems filter much of this out.  A sloped arrangement provides consistent concentration and flavor with each filling of the mate.