Tea is a pastime that many people partake in. Getting new flavors of tea can be fun and exciting, but storing teas incorrectly may lead to stale or unusable tea leaves. Here are some ways to store tea so that the quality remains intact and you can enjoy fresh tea as often as you like.
Avoid Air and Light
Make sure that tea is stored in containers that prevent light and air exposure. Storing your loose teas and tea bags in a box or chest placed in a cupboard or drawer typically helps extend the lifetime of your teas. Keeping your looseleaf tea in an airtight container will help preserve freshness.
Avoid Heat
Storing tea in a hot space can make your tea stale and unusable. For a quality tea-drinking experience, store your tea and tea leaves in a cool space. Examples of perfect places to store tea include kitchen drawers and cool, dark pantries.
Check Best By Dates
Part of storing tea is actively monitoring the “best by” dates. As a general rule of thumb, most teas are good for a year, and some teas are good for two years if stored properly. While some teas will definitely tell you they’re expired—an off taste or a weak flavor might give it away—some teas will age a little more slowly and be good for a longer period of time.
Keep It Dry
This probably sounds like common sense, but making sure that your tea is stored in a dry spot will also help extend the quality and freshness of your tea. If placed in a spot where it might absorb moisture, your tea can grow mold or sour. Plus if your tea leaves get wet, they will brew weak tea.
Store It Tightly
Whenever possible, store loose tea as tightly as you can. Sealed canisters and sealed packaging (like how your tea arrives from us) are great for loose tea, as they seal out as much air as possible and are dark spaces. These are perfect conditions for keeping tea as fresh as possible for as long as possible.
Tea drinking is an enjoyable hobby, made even more enjoyable with the help of proper storage. If you are looking for tea storage options or high-quality tea, check out Culinary Teas. Culinary Teas carries a range of quality products meant to keep your tea as fresh as possible so that you get a great cup every time. Visit our website to explore our products.
