Sipping tea is one of life’s most enjoyable simple pleasures. And if you want to make it even better, it’s important to understand how to properly store your tea leaves. This is especially true if you like to indulge in higher-quality teas. Why? Because the nuances in taste tend to be more varied when it comes to finer teas.
Proper tea storage ensures your tea leaves never spoil before you have a chance to enjoy them. Storage also protects your tea from mixing with impurities that alter the aroma and flavor. Remember: Tea leaves tend to soak up everything they are exposed to — thus, to brew the best possible cup, you want only the tea leaves and the purified water coming together to create the perfect blend.
What’s Important in Tea Storage?
Here are the five factors put your tea at the greatest risk:
- Air
- Light
- Heat
- Moisture
- Odor
The great news is that it really doesn’t take much time or effort to preserve your tea’s flavor. For example, just by moving your tea from your kitchen countertop to a cool, dark location can help without having to invest in any special containers.
How to Choose the Best Tea Storage
When choosing a storage container for your tea, avoid glass jars because they allow the UV rays in light to hit your tea, which can harm it. If you must use glass, move your tea collection into a dark pantry or drawer and make sure the temperature stays on the cooler side.
Also, make sure any container you choose is airtight — this prevents moisture from reaching your tea leaves and ensures the leaves don’t absorb unpleasant odors. Porous containers, however, allow leaves to soak up everything in its vicinity including the aromas of other teas! Worse, aromas are linked with flavor and you’ll never know how your tea might end up tasting.
Next, keep your tea leaves away from heat, which could completely alter its flavor notes. Store your tea away from warm spots in your kitchen like near your oven or stove.
Finally, avoid moisture. (This could be the worst enemy of tea.) Obviously you don’t want to get the leaves wet, but even exposing your tea to the moisture in the air can promote mold. Use a container that locks humidity out.
Finding The Right Way To Store Your Tea
There are plenty of great tea containers that make it easy to store your tea and protect its quality. When you purchase tea at Art of Tea, for example, our packaging helps ensure the freshness and stability of the leaves.
You can also try investing in general storage containers that are specifically designed to be airtight and prevent exposure to the elements. If you buy tea in bulk, it might be a good idea to stock up on these containers to prevent tea from spoiling.
Ultimately, if you love the delicious taste of tea and use it to relax and enjoy life, it’s vital to take proper care of your favorite teas — the leaves you protect today will ensure an amazing experience tomorrow.
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