Recently, aged white Tea has been very popular. Many tea enthusiasts say that they Brew several pots of aged white tea at home every day. After drinking it, they feel warm and comfortable, especially in their throats, which can be particularly soothing when dealing with a persistent cough after being ill.
Why is aged white tea so popular in winter? There are probably three reasons:
First, it has a unique color, aroma, and flavor: Over time, the aroma of aged white tea transforms from the fresh, floral notes of young tea to richer, more mature scents of dates, medicine, and lotus leaves, while its taste becomes more robust;
Second, aged white tea has certain Health benefits, helping to boost our immune system and prevent colds to some extent. This is based on the experiences shared by many tea enthusiasts.
Third, aged white tea can be steeped, brewed, or boiled, making it perfect for the current trend of Stove-top brewing that's sweeping across various platforms.
However, because white tea undergoes transformation during storage, we should pay extra attention to how we store it. Otherwise, the aged white tea we've worked hard to preserve might end up as a pile of flavorless “rotten leaves.”
The following are some key details to keep in mind when storing aged white tea, which I hope will help you better understand how to properly store white tea.
01 Southern Short-Term Transformation Is Faster, While Northern Long-Term Storage Is Better
The climate differences between the north and south of China have a significant impact on white tea. The south tends to be more humid, while the north is relatively dry. Generally speaking, transformation occurs faster in the south, but the north is better suited for long-term storage.
Therefore, a good approach is to store new tea in its place of origin for over three years before moving it to the north for long-term storage.
02 Avoiding Light Exposure Is Important
Many tea enthusiasts might say, isn't this common sense? Of course, tea needs to be stored away from light, as direct exposure can accelerate oxidation and give the tea a sun-baked and dry sensation. However, it's not just the tea itself that should avoid light—the tea room or warehouse should also minimize light exposure.
If cardboard boxes in the room are exposed to sunlight for a long time, their sealability decreases, and the temperature inside the box continues to rise, which can affect the overall quality of the white tea. One common issue is a sun-baked scent.
03 Temperature Should Not Be Too High or Too Low
The ideal temperature range for storing white tea is 10 to 33°C. When storing white tea in northern homes during winter, remember to keep it away from radiators. Excessively high temperatures can cause the loss of biochemical components, while low temperatures can inhibit the activity of enzymes necessary for transformation, hindering the formation of flavonoids.
04 Do Not Store With Other Items
White tea contains palmitic acid and terpenes, giving it a highly porous structure that readily absorbs odors. Therefore, do not store white tea alongside other items with strong odors or with other types of tea. Ideally, it should be stored separately.
05 Ensure Dryness and Prevent Moisture
The most critical aspect of storing white tea is maintaining dryness and ensuring the moisture content is within acceptable levels (the national standard for white tea moisture content is 8.5%, but for long-term storage, Fuding white tea should have less than 6%). Therefore, aged white tea should be double-sealed in aluminum foil bags and plastic bags, then stored in a cool, well-ventilated area with stable temperatures and no strong odors.
Aged white tea is known as “one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure” because its important health component, flavonoids, increases rather than decreases over time. Thus, genuine aged white tea has extremely high value for both drinking and collecting.