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The ITD Monthly Tea Tasting Club

by Chip » Jan 24th, '08, 22:15

All members of ITD are eligible to participate in the ITD Monthly Tea Tasters' Club! Each month, the "host" will start a new ITD forum topic to enlist participants and discuss his/her offerings as well as shipping information. After the samples are shipped, participants are encouraged to discuss their impressions of that month's offering.

I think that we are all in agreement, anything goes except flavored tea (certain wrapped pu-erh being the exception). It is suggested that hosts keep things fresh by offering a different type of tea (black, oolong green, etc) than the previous or successive month, not a rule, simply a suggestion. This is a great opportunity to host a tea that you really would like to share or something really different that nobody would otherwise order. Have fun with it is the only rule. Please post any other suggestions below.

Each participant is encouraged to step up and host a month. The host can pick the tea, but can also seek feedback in picking their tea. Anyone who picks Lapsang will get the boot.

Of course, the host is also responsible for obtaining the tea for their month and shipping it to that month's participants.

2008
January: Alex, Japanese Black
February: SalsaMan Tom, Imen's DC oolong

March: Bhale, Bhale, Bhale, green pu-erh
April: The TeaFencer, Nilgiri Black
May: Chip the TeaMaan, Japanese shincha Fukamushi Supreme and Miyabi
June: Some TeaNerd Brent, Wuyi Ooolong...SECRET

July: our mother Mary, Georgia black
August: Pen Toxicity, Tencha
September: OY Victoria, Hawaiian...yeah, right!!!???!!!
October: Mr. & MRS. Proinsias, Lui An/Long Jing perhaps...TBA?

November: Chip, Padre, Tom, & Olivier. Comparison, STELLAR Normal and Kuradashi Gyokuro.
December: GeekSquad...TBA?



2009 ROLLCALL

Jan: TIM, Yiwu 400 yrs. old tree 05-06 Raw puerh
Feb: Victoria, Old Bush Dan Cong: '08 Da Wu Ye - Big Dark Leaf & ?TBA?
Mar: scruffmcgruff, The great smoke off, or Lapsang Souchong
Apr: Salsero, new harvest Chinese green
May: Padre, New White
June: Pentox/Chip, Shincha!
July: Olivier/Victoria, Darjeeling comparison.
Aug:
Sept: Space, TGY
Oct: Brandon, TBD
Nov: Marshaln, private stash aged oolong!
Dec:

This topic will be trimmed to keep it current and relevant.
Last edited by Chip on Apr 27th, '09, 15:58, edited 42 times in total.

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by Chip » Dec 1st, '08, 14:59

OK, peeps. We have some openings for 2009.

February-open
November, December are open.

Post here if interested, thanks!
Last edited by Chip on Feb 5th, '09, 08:31, edited 1 time in total.

Jan 27th, '09, 14:15
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by Pentox » Jan 27th, '09, 14:15

Hm, I just realized we don't have anything scheduled for Feb.

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by Chip » Jan 27th, '09, 14:33

Very true.
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!

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by Victoria » Jan 27th, '09, 18:04

I'm willing to co-host if anyone has any good ideas.
:)

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by Pentox » Jan 27th, '09, 19:21

Victoria wrote:I'm willing to co-host if anyone has any good ideas.
:)
Lapsang!

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by Chip » Jan 27th, '09, 19:32

Pentox wrote:
Victoria wrote:I'm willing to co-host if anyone has any good ideas.
:)
Lapsang!
BANNED!!! :twisted:
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!

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by Pentox » Jan 27th, '09, 19:37

In the land of seriousness a matcha tasting might be an interesting venture.

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by Victoria » Jan 27th, '09, 19:58

Pentox wrote:In the land of seriousness a matcha tasting might be an interesting venture.
Actually I was kind of thinking that. Since I bought some matcha at Lupicia.
Or Korean teas.

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by Sydney » Jan 27th, '09, 19:59

Doesn't matcha require some special hardware?

Jan 27th, '09, 20:19
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by Pentox » Jan 27th, '09, 20:19

el padre wrote:Doesn't matcha require some special hardware?
Yeah, but I think a good portion of us have the hardware for it. Although it is possible to make do with other stuff, it's just harder and probably not quite up to snuff.

I've heard of kitchen whisks, milk frothers, and forks.

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by Victoria » Jan 27th, '09, 20:29

The first time I made matcha, before I got my chasen, I used a wire kitchen whisk - it was fine. Most cereal bowls will do.

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by Space Samurai » Jan 27th, '09, 20:31

Ive often thought of a matcha tasting, but have always came to the same thoughts that Padre mentioned. But perhaps pentox is right.

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by chamekke » Jan 27th, '09, 23:03

Matcha? Depends on how many people have ever/never tried it.

If most people have tried matcha for usucha ("thin tea"), I'd be tempted to suggest buying the more expensive matcha for koicha ("thick tea"), and parcelling out just enough for one serving per person, along with preparation instructions - in particular, the exact amount of water to add.

However, (and I say this as someone who loves koicha), I do think that it might be a little weird for some.
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Jan 27th, '09, 23:09
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by Victoria » Jan 27th, '09, 23:09

I'm open to other suggestions too like whites maybe?

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