Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

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Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Dec 17th 09 8:08 pm

NEW! Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide: Ippodo Tea Consider this a perennial topic for Japanese teas from Ippodo.

https://shop.ippodo-tea.co.jp/shop/en/

Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide. Let's see what happens with this wild and crazy idea. You can view the main Japanese TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11556 and the main TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=60

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by AdamMY » Dec 19th 09 12:36 am

I'm having the Obukcha now, Its a great tea for the price. I guess its technically a Genmaicha, but theres limited toasted rice pieces compared too the amount of leaves.

Its a very pleasant tea to drink, and as the price I'd highly consider it for a casual drink at any time tea. Basically I'm saying its an every day tea thats good and won't break the bank.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by edkrueger » Dec 19th 09 6:39 am

I'm a big fan of the Obukucha. I have bought 700g so far...

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by clareandromeda » Dec 31st 09 11:09 pm

Ippodo is the 3rd vendor I have tried. I love love the Kanro gyokuru. I have tenka-ichi in the fridge...I report back but I'm expecting it to be good. I found the website well designed and I'm pleased with the product.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by edkrueger » Jan 1st 10 9:30 pm

The tenka-ichi is amazing. Use a high leaf to water ratio. It should resteep many times.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jan 1st 10 9:57 pm

In my dealings with Ippodo, they certainly seem to follow the their own path compared to many other vendors of Japanese teas.

They appear content to follow traditions when it comes to their sencha offerings. First they appear to focus on Uji Asamushi exclusively. They do a lot of blending in an attempt to offer a consistent sencha product month after month, year after year, paying much less attention to Shincha, although they do offer a single Shincha beginning in May +/-. So in theory, it does not matter when you buy their sencha, it should be a consistent product. Brand name taste and quality in Uji Asamushi regardless of time of purchase.

Their nonshincha sencha does not fully switch to the most recent harvest until early Autumn. This is consistent with their brand name consistency.

Last I heard, they do not nitro flush their sencha, correct me if this has changed. So, when buying sencha from Ippodo, be prepared to use it more rapidly.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by edkrueger » Jan 2nd 10 1:14 am

First, their one shincha was far, far, far superior to any other uji shincha I had last year. I had some that compared from honyama. Second, they are very traditional. No swamp water here. :lol: Third, I don't think they switch over entirely to the years crop in Autumn. I know that this year they did not start blending this years Gyokuro and Matcha crop until, at least, after November. Sencha needs to mature as well as Gyokuro. So you might be correct regarding Sencha. Fourth, for the nitro flushing, I don't think that they flush the lower grades, but I'm pretty sure that they flush the higher grades. I could be wrong, I'll send them an email asking soon.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jan 2nd 10 5:41 am

edkrueger wrote:I don't think they switch over entirely to the years crop in Autumn. I know that this year they did not start blending this years Gyokuro and Matcha crop until, at least, after November. Sencha needs to mature as well as Gyokuro. So you might be correct regarding Sencha.
Yeah, I was discussing their sencha only in my post. Autumn was the complete or final switch over to the most recent harvest for their sencha products.

I think the point of this was Shincha used across their entire sencha product line up would contradict their consistent product year round approach.

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Re: "Official" Ippodo Japanese tea topic

by Seeker » Jan 4th 10 6:41 am

Ippodo sells by far my most favorite matchas to date - Wakamatsu and Horai. I wonder if I'd like the others as much?

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by LauraW » Feb 5th 10 7:40 pm

Seeker wrote:Ippodo sells by far my most favorite matchas to date - Wakamatsu and Horai. I wonder if I'd like the others as much?
I was wondering about this.. I've been wanting to get matcha, and noticed their prices seem pretty darn reasonable - good to know! Can't afford to order any until my next paycheck, but when I can... Ippodo's at the top of the list.

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Feb 5th 10 7:51 pm

LauraW wrote:
Seeker wrote:Ippodo sells by far my most favorite matchas to date - Wakamatsu and Horai. I wonder if I'd like the others as much?
I was wondering about this.. I've been wanting to get matcha, and noticed their prices seem pretty darn reasonable - good to know! Can't afford to order any until my next paycheck, but when I can... Ippodo's at the top of the list.
The key to ordering from Ippodo is seriously planning your order based on weight. Their minimum shipping charge is high by most standards, so you want to order right up to the first weight limit increment.

So, you can order several items, and the shipping charge per item becomes reasonable .. and the cost per item with shipping figured in is still quite reasonable.

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by LauraW » Feb 5th 10 8:15 pm

Chip wrote:Their minimum shipping charge is high by most standards, so you want to order right up to the first weight limit increment.
Yea, I'd noticed that... I'm assuming their shipping rate page is in yen, making up to about 1 lb $15 for shipping... yikes!

Any suggestions on other things to order? I think I'm going to try some of their Sencha,but not quite sure, as I'm still fairly new to green tea. Most of my experience with Japanese green has been the genmaicha at the restaurant where I work, but it's way too bitter/astringent for my taste. Don't know if that's just the water temp being too high, or if I just don't care for it (at this stage anyway, who knows where my tastes will evolve!)

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by olivierco » Feb 5th 10 8:35 pm

LauraW wrote: Any suggestions on other things to order? I think I'm going to try some of their Sencha,but not quite sure, as I'm still fairly new to green tea. Most of my experience with Japanese green has been the genmaicha at the restaurant where I work, but it's way too bitter/astringent for my taste. Don't know if that's just the water temp being too high, or if I just don't care for it (at this stage anyway, who knows where my tastes will evolve!)
If you are new to Japanese greens I would say some matcha, one bag of sencha (Hosen or upper grade), one of gyokuro (Kanro or upper grade) and one of houjicha.
My typical Ippodo order: six 50gr packages of Kaboku sencha, four 50gr package of Ippoen or Kanro gyokuro, four wakamatsu no mukashi matcha tins, one ummon no mukashi and one bag of houjicha.

By the way, some changes at Ippodo:

Image

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by LauraW » Feb 5th 10 9:23 pm

olivierco wrote:If you are new to Japanese greens I would say some matcha, one bag of sencha (Hosen or upper grade), one of gyokuro (Kanro or upper grade) and one of houjicha.
Definitely getting matcha, probably a couple different kinds, looking at their variety. It was more an issue of everything else. Also, since their shipping prices go by weight, does their packaging make a significant difference in weight (to say it a different way: should I account for a certain weight for packaging so I can get the most out of the shipping cost)?

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Re: Ippodo "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Feb 5th 10 10:08 pm

You can compute it as you go from your cart. Then add or subtract as needed.

Packaging can double the weight, especially if you buy sencha in tins, etc.

Bottom line, you can get a lot of Matcha and still not exceed the weight for minimum shipping charge.