Drinking tea may be one of the healthier alternatives to improve your lifestyle. To buy or to be gifted teas is one delightful feeling. But can you maximize the shelf life and flavor of your tea?

Although it may seem complicated, understanding how to properly store loose-leaf tea is an essential and pleasant activity. Your favorite teas may be kept fresh and have their shelf lives significantly extended with proper storage.

This fool-proof guide has all you need to know about how to store loose tea.

What is The Best Way To Store Loose Leaf Tea

The following are some of the best waysto store loose leaf tea.

Keep Tea Dry Until Ready to Brew

Because tea is hygroscopic, it will take up moisture from the surrounding environment. It is common knowledge that tea leaves release flavor when they are in contact with moisture. As a result, you should only steep your tea when you are ready to drink it.

An airtight container is one of the best way  to store tea as it keeps air and moisture out of your tea storage space.

Use an Airtight Container to Store Your Tea

When transferring tea from its original container, your best bet is to use tea tins with an airtight lid. Ceramic containers are also a good option if the lid is airtight. Avoid using plastic food containers in storing your loose-leaf tea since the plastic can allow the tea leaves to absorb scents. 

Another container to steer away from is clear glass containers. If you can’t keep your tea in a cold, dark place, avoid clear glass. Glass jars of various colors would be preferable. Additionally, avoid buying tea marketed in transparent glass or plastic containers because the tea has probably already started to deteriorate.

If you do not own an airtight container, put your tea in a sealable bag and put the bag in your storage container.

Keep Tea Away From Heat

The combination of tea and heat is a no-no. High temperatures stop oxidation, while low temperatures accelerate its occurrence. Tea must always be kept in a cool environment. Don’t let it get below 50 degrees Fahrenheit; try to maintain it at room temperature or even cooler.

Avoid storing your tea in cabinets next to or above your stove or oven to prevent harm from sudden temperature changes. Additionally, keep the packaging for your tea away from steam because the humidity in the air can lead to mold growth.

The best place to store your tea would be in a climate-controlled pantry connected to your heating and cooling system. The next best option would be a kitchen cabinet far from heat sources.

Store your Loose Leaf Tea away from light sources.

Sunlight creates heat, and heat is not suitable for loose-leaf tea. The quality of loose-leaf tea can be negatively impacted by intense lighting, which also significantly reduces the life and freshness of the tea. It is preferable to store your tea in an opaque, light-free container. 

If your tea is sitting next to a window or on top of your refrigerator, move it as soon as possible. Your tea has probably been exposed to too much light if it has started to taste metallic.

Store Tea Away From Strong Scents

Tea leaves absorb scents in the air. Avoid keeping it close to things with overpowering aromas, such as scented candles, spice cupboards, scented soaps, and bathroom closets. Additionally, ensure there is no lingering scent from anything previously in the container you have chosen for your tea. 

Both wooden and plastic containers are capable of long-term odor retention. It is also advised that if your airtight containers have rubber seals, you frequently “smell test” the lids.

Tea Is Best Kept In Large Quantities

An almost empty airtight jar with a small amount of tea at the bottom will degrade more quickly than a filled airtight container. This is not how to store tea.

Fill your storage container as full as you can, shake it to allow the tea to settle, and then fill it again to keep it as fresh as possible. There will be less oxygen in an enclosed location the more tea you can store there. The tea will have a more challenging time absorbing the fragrances of its surroundings if there is less air.

This idea is crucial when maturing Puer and other fermented teas since you don’t want a few teas that smell like your closet but rather a closet that smells like tea.

The Defining Difference Between Loose Tea Storage and other Tea Categories

Loose Tea

Please do your best to shield your loose-leaf tea from temperature changes by placing it in an airtight container at room temperature. Additionally, as teas may absorb odors, keeping them away from strong odors like other teas and cooking areas is best.

Although opaque, light-blocking glass, plastic, stainless steel, and ceramic containers are suggested, the ideal containers are those with tight-fitting lids. If your loose-leaf tea does not come in one of these packaging options, you must repack it into one unless you intend to consume it immediately.

Packaged Tea

Tea not packed in tea bags should be treated as loose-leaf tea and stored in a dark container with a tight-fitting cover. Otherwise, you may keep the tea bags out in a bowl on your countertop as long as the seals haven’t been broken—they’re safe! Even many bagged teas can be mixed in the same container without affecting the others’ flavor.

FAQS