How to store tea properly
At last you have bought your favourite tea, opened it, brewed, enjoyed, treated guests. A nice evening. And what to do next with tea so that the evening could be so nice in a week/month/year?
There are several rules for storing tea one should know. Some of these rules are general for all tea types, others – specific. Let’s have a look at general rules, first.
Avoid glass containers. Storing tea in a glass jar – is the worst option for storing tea. Some grocery stores have a section with "high quality" tea, where tea is displayed in large glass or plastic jars. It creates an impression that tea must be stored in this way. This is not the case. Light is the biggest enemy of the tea. Tea stored in a translucent container will lose most of its aroma in a matter of days.
You will also often see tea sold in bags with a plastic transparent window. Such packages allow both light and air through. By the time you purchase such tea - it has already been spoiled.
Light – is the worst enemy of tea. Placing tea into a clear container you destine it to lose all its aromatic and flavour properties in about a week. Make sure to store the tea in opaque containers.
Avoid storing spices and coffee next to the tea. The rich aroma of spices can get through most packaging and will tint the tea.
Airtight containers. Not every tea requires an airtight container, but most do. This is especially important for green tea, matcha, and yellow tea – oxygen will spoil them in a matter of weeks. Most other teas can be exposed to oxygen for a little while, but it is better to avoid it. There are a few exceptions, primarily compressed teas like pu-erh, some oolong and some red teas. They can be exposed to air for many months without a negative effect.
Material for storing tea. Many plastic containers release fumes that can ruin the tea. Metal containers are acceptable for most teas, as long as they do not oxidize. Usually, metal containers are airtight, but some are not. You can still use them for storing pu-erh, oolong or red teas. Ceramic containers are the best for storing tea since they are airtight, opaque, and do not oxidize or release fumes.
Some teas require cold storage. Green tea and matcha are not fermented teas. Uncontrolled fermentation is what spoils these teas. If you freeze the tea - you can store it for years and it will be as good as the day you buy it. Storing it under 7°C or 44°F is enough to keep it fresh for a year. Freezing or keeping it cold does not have any negative effect on the tea itself. Make sure to not move the container between hot and cold environments though, so you can avoid condensation forming inside. It's best to keep the container cold all the time and just transfer the amount of tea you want to brew.
If you plan to drink up your green or yellow tea within a couple of months, then storing in a fridge is not needed, especially if it is well packed. Matcha tea is acidified instantly, that is why it should be stored with care. Other tea types can be kept in a warm place.
One should realize that the only thing cold promotes - is the slowdown in the process of post-fermentation. For low fermentable tea kinds, cold makes sense, but if the tea is fermented by more than 15% it makes no sense.
Packed green and yellow teas preserved in a warm place are in good condition within 180 days. In a freezer compartment they “live” forever. A packed jar of matcha tea is also stored in a refrigerator practically forever, but as soon as the jar is opened it will be spoilt in half a year even being stored in a freezer. Compressed teas, with a few exceptions, are in good condition at any temperature. Other tea types can be stored on the shelves over the course of 2-3 years. Light-roasted tea doesn't last as long as deep-roasted. Fluffy (fur) tea types are preserved far less than their “bald tea bedfellows”.
Alright, I just bought tea. How do I store it?
Option 1: Don't sweat. Has your tea been delivered in an opaque package with a zip lock? Great, that's all you really need. Such a package is airtight, does not allow light, and suppresses any kind of odours coming from other sources. This will be enough for a tea long-storage. If the bag has a layer of foil - that's even better. It helps to amortize any temperature swings.
Option 2: Transfer the tea into a ceramic jar and store the tea in it. Ceramic does not distort the tea flavour regardless of the room temperature. Good-quality tea jars are rather airtight, so they will slow down oxidation. Need to store tea for even longer? Then, lightly warm up the tea in the oven, put it in the jar, and close the lid before it cools off.
A dark place – is another plus for storing tea. Cold for low fermentable teas – is also a plus. Hermeticity – is a plus. Ceramics is good for all tea types. Compressed teas are usually kept in a paper or a cloth what is really suitable for them, despite non-hermeticity of these materials. Nevertheless, if you place such a tea into a ceramic teabox, it will never spoil its properties as well.
Now you know everything it takes so that your tea could bring you pleasure for years.
Author: Hasan Al-Ammori
Translation: Juliia Klishch