Proper Storage Keeps Your Tea Tip-Top

Unlike fine wine, tea doesn’t age gracefully (with the one exception to this being
puerh tea, which gets better with age).  This is one reason I always advise buy-
ing small amounts of tea, or only what you know you’ll use in a given time.
Even though the time between
tea production, and shipping and
receiving by tea sellers has been
greatly reduced by air freight, most any tea you
buy in the U.S. will have been stored for a time
before sale.
Luckily tea has a fairly low moisture content, so
with proper storage it can stay fresh for up to a
year in most cases.  So, with a few storage tips
you can preserve the flavor and quality of your tea
until you’re ready to sit down and enjoy a fresh
cup.

The freshness of tea begins at the plantation, and
depends on how well it’s stored from manufacture
to packaging, through shipping, and on to the tea
seller.

                                                   When buying tea, make certain the packaging is airtight and
properly sealed.  Once home, it’s a good idea to transfer either
loose tea or 
tea bags from a paper or cardboard package and
into a tea caddy or airtight container.  It’s okay to use metal,
ceramic, or wood containers, as long as  the lid is tight-fitting.
You can also use clear glass containers with tight fitting lids, as
long as they’re stored in a dark cupboard, as light can damage
the leaves and affect quality.  Some tea bags are sealed in foil packets which are fine if stored in
a cool place, away from heat.

Don’t refrigerate tea, as there’s always a
chance of water vapor getting into the con-
tainer.  Also, make certain the spoon or
scoop used to

measure tea is absolutely dry,
because even one small drop of moisture
can cause humidity to form on the inside of
a package or container, and will ruin both
tea quality and flavor.
Never store

flavored or scented teas togeth-
er or near other foods, as tea readily ab-
sorbs other flavors and odors.  Separate
each type of tea, storing black, green, herb-
al, or scented teas separately, in their own
air-tight containers.
For the best quality and flavor, tea experts recomm-
end that tea be used within six months to one year.

Green teaswhite, and yellow teas lose their fresh-
ness faster than 
black or oolong teas.
 

So, just by following a few simple steps and storing your tea properly, you can always have a
fresh, flavorful, quality cup of tea waiting for you. 
 Enjoy.

Adblock
detector