How to store tea? Many people are troubled by this question. Loving tea, they purchase countless quantities of it, originally intending to savor it slowly, only to often find the tea has gone bad due to improper storage, leading to significant waste. So, how exactly should tea be stored?
Four methods for storing tea
1. Refrigerator Storage
Storing tea in the refrigerator is common and simple, but it has its pros and cons. Let's take a look:
Teas that are typically stored in the refrigerator include green tea, black tea, and processed white teas (like Anji White Tea and Tianmu Lake White Tea, not Fuding White Tea). Why can these types of tea be stored in the fridge?
This is because we tend to consume green and black teas quickly, and they are usually packaged in small quantities—ranging from 200 grams to as little as 50 grams. Since the storage volume is small and can be consumed within a month, storing them in the refrigerator for preservation is not an issue.
However, white tea and Pu'er tea are not suitable for refrigerator storage. Instead, they need to be kept in a well-ventilated and dry place. If space is limited, they can also be stored in a cabinet as a temporary solution.
2. Sealed Bag Storage
Sealed bag storage is another common method, although it's a bit more cumbersome. First, use environmentally friendly plastic bags, preferably thicker ones. Seal the bags with tools, ensuring they are tightly closed. If possible, after sealing the bags, store them in boxes that fit well to avoid crushing.
Sealed bag storage is particularly recommended for Anji White Tea and Tianmu Lake White Tea, which are essentially green teas made using white tea processing techniques. These white teas have high Humidity requirements, so it is advisable to use sealed bags for them.
For regular green tea and black tea, there is no need to do this, as they are typically already sold in sealed packaging.
3. Canister Storage
Canister storage is a good method and is recommended. You should try to use this approach as much as possible.
Just buy a few canisters with decent sealability. When you open the tea, pour it directly into the canister and store it anywhere. This is very convenient. I like to keep mine right next to my teapot so that when I want to Brew tea, it's easily accessible. There's no need to worry about air leaks or dampness, though there is one downside: limited storage capacity.
4. Earthenware Pot Storage
Using earthenware pots for storage is something reserved for the truly dedicated, the kind of experts I admire.
I've tried using earthenware pots for storage myself but ultimately gave up. The process was too complicated. Despite all my efforts, one pot still ended up Damp, perhaps due to insufficient lime or incorrect placement.
However, the other pots turned out fine, with the tea remaining quite fresh. While not as fresh as newly harvested tea, it was far better than tea stored in the fridge.
The key points for storing tea in earthenware pots include ensuring the pot does not have any fine cracks (which may have been the cause of my damp pot), placing a packet of lime in the center of the tea to absorb moisture and maintain dryness, and using materials like cotton (but not plastic) for the final layer of insulation to reduce air exchange without completely sealing it off.
What Should Be Avoided When Storing Tea?
1. Avoid High Moisture Content
During tea processing, raw materials need to undergo drying to achieve a certain moisture content in the finished product. When the water content is within a specific range, the various components within the tea will undergo appropriate chemical reactions, enriching the tea's nutritional value. If the moisture content is too high, the reactions among the components become excessive, leading to a decline in the tea's color, aroma, and taste, and increasing the risk of mold.
Therefore, during packaging and storage, it is essential to control the moisture content of the tea. For packaging, this can be achieved through instrument testing and using packaging materials and preservation techniques that ensure the tea remains dry. For storage, a dry environment and appropriate storage containers and methods must be provided.
2. Avoid Contact with Strong Odors
Tea is easily influenced by odors. Industry professionals know that during tea production, the surrounding environment should be free of strong odors such as garlic and onions. Similarly, when storing tea, contact with strong odors should be avoided. On one hand, if tea comes into contact with strong odors, it can absorb these odors, altering its own flavor. On the other hand, these odors can cause the tea to spoil.
Tea has a strong ability to absorb odors, so from Raw material harvesting to production, processing, packaging, and storage, care must be taken to prevent the tea from coming into contact with objects with strong odors.
3. Avoid High Temperatures
The chemical components in tea continue to change even after the tea has been processed into a finished product, albeit at a slower pace. High temperatures accelerate these chemical changes, so temperature control is crucial. The storage temperature for tea should ideally be around 5-10°C, making it suitable for refrigerator storage.
4. Avoid Exposure to Sunlight
Although tea is processed into dried form, it still contains chlorophyll, which continues to oxidize, darkening the tea's color. As we know from photosynthesis, sunlight accelerates the oxidation of chlorophyll. If dry tea