How are the IPOT Samplers? I'm particularly interested in the White and
Oolong. Would this be in general a step up from SpecialTeas? Seems a
bit more expensive.. Also looking at their 15 oz ceramic teapot.
Anyone have this? seems rather convenient for work, where we have an
old percolator that heats water... I think that temp would be about
right for most oolongs..

Steve

Steve Hayq_zmd.6799$m36.5499@trnddc0211/16/04


How are the IPOT Samplers? I'm particularly interested in the White and
Oolong. Would this be in general a step up from SpecialTeas? Seems a
bit more expensive.. Also looking at their 15 oz ceramic teapot.
Anyone have this? seems rather convenient for work, where we have an
old percolator that heats water... I think that temp would be about
right for most oolongs..

Steve

Steve,

In my opinion, it would indeed be a step up. And, the IPOT owners know each
and every one of their teas quite well and can speak intelligently about
them. This cannot be said of Specialteas. As for the teapot, seems a bit big
for oolongs, but why not?

Michael

Steve Hayq_zmd.6799$m36.5499@trnddc0211/16/04


How are the IPOT Samplers? I'm particularly interested in the White and
Oolong. Would this be in general a step up from SpecialTeas? Seems a
bit more expensive.. Also looking at their 15 oz ceramic teapot.
Anyone have this? seems rather convenient for work, where we have an
old percolator that heats water... I think that temp would be about
right for most oolongs..

Steve

Steve,

In my opinion, it would indeed be a step up. And, the IPOT owners know each
and every one of their teas quite well and can speak intelligently about
them. This cannot be said of Specialteas. As for the teapot, seems a bit big
for oolongs, but why not?

Michael

Steve,

I'd be careful about that old percolator for heating water. That is, if you
can smell any coffee residue in it. Wouldn't work well for tea.

As for the samplers, as Michael said, I think they'd all be good. Depends on
what individual tastes you're looking for.

What kinds of oolong do you drink?
On the IPOT website, the oolong sampler lists Nantou, Phoenix and Bai Hao.

For the Whites, there's Yinzhen Silver Needles and Drum Mountain.

If you're not familiar with these, I could post something about their
characteristics.

Most of the above are pretty distinctive in their flavor profiles. Note that
there's not a typical dark oolong or a Bai Mu Dan white in the list.

Joe Kubera

Joseph,

I've tended to lean to the green side of Oolong, although I admit I also
liked the Bai Mu Dan I tried. Good point about the percolator.. I will
run a test tomorrow on it. People use it for tea (cheap tea) at work
though, so there is hope for it. Then again the work coffee machine is
a wreck.

My goal with this purchase of tea is to try something maybe a bit better
than the special teas I've been drinking, and focus in on some areas I
liked, namely Oolongs and Whites.. The samplers looked like they would
be a nice way for me to get some tea without the danger of making too
terrible of a mistake. (The only one I've made so far is SpecialTea's
Pu Erh Tuo Cha. It tasted somewhere between a tire and dirt.) I'm also
thinking of asking the owners if I could somehow sample their $80 White
Pu Erh brick. Might throw in some Chai too.

Steve

Joseph Kubera wrote:
Steve,

I'd be careful about that old percolator for heating water. That is, if you
can smell any coffee residue in it. Wouldn't work well for tea.

As for the samplers, as Michael said, I think they'd all be good. Depends on
what individual tastes you're looking for.

What kinds of oolong do you drink?
On the IPOT website, the oolong sampler lists Nantou, Phoenix and Bai Hao.

For the Whites, there's Yinzhen Silver Needles and Drum Mountain.

If you're not familiar with these, I could post something about their
characteristics.

Most of the above are pretty distinctive in their flavor profiles. Note that
there's not a typical dark oolong or a Bai Mu Dan white in the list.

Joe Kubera

Michael Plant wrote:
Steve,

In my opinion, it would indeed be a step up. And, the IPOT owners know each
and every one of their teas quite well and can speak intelligently about
them. This cannot be said of Specialteas. As for the teapot, seems a bit big
for oolongs, but why not?

Sadly, their email appears to be over quota, and it wouldn't deliver.
I'll have to give them a call during the day tomorrow, I guess. I want
to see if I can get a sample of that Silver Needle Pu-Erh they have.
I've heard good things about it. Probably very different from the
specialteas.com Tuo Cha.

Steve

Michael Plant wrote:
Steve,

In my opinion, it would indeed be a step up. And, the IPOT owners know each
and every one of their teas quite well and can speak intelligently about
them. This cannot be said of Specialteas. As for the teapot, seems a bit big
for oolongs, but why not?

Sadly, their email appears to be over quota, and it wouldn't deliver.
I'll have to give them a call during the day tomorrow, I guess. I want
to see if I can get a sample of that Silver Needle Pu-Erh they have.
I've heard good things about it. Probably very different from the
specialteas.com Tuo Cha.

Steve

I want
to see if I can get a sample of that Silver Needle Pu-Erh they have.
I've heard good things about it.

Yes, indeed, it's a big favorite 'round here with my NYC drinkin' buddies.
However I doubt you could get a sample from them as it's a whole cake that they
then couldn't sell -- unless they keep one cut up for samples. However, no
harm in calling them up and asking.

If you like, let me know and I can send you a bit of what's left of mine. Not
as fresh-tasting as at first (I don't think my storage is the best) but you
could get an idea.

Yes, very different from any tuo cha I've had.

Joe Kubera

I want
to see if I can get a sample of that Silver Needle Pu-Erh they have.
I've heard good things about it.

Yes, indeed, it's a big favorite 'round here with my NYC drinkin' buddies.
However I doubt you could get a sample from them as it's a whole cake that they
then couldn't sell -- unless they keep one cut up for samples. However, no
harm in calling them up and asking.

If you like, let me know and I can send you a bit of what's left of mine. Not
as fresh-tasting as at first (I don't think my storage is the best) but you
could get an idea.

Yes, very different from any tuo cha I've had.

Joe Kubera