How to Buy and Store Tea

Buying and Storing fine Tea

Have you ever experienced that frustrating feeling, when walking into a wine store or receiving a wine catalog, of being overwhelmed by the selection of wines and prices? The same situation can easily happen with teas.

The variety of fine teas is huge. There are over 2,000 different types of teas available, making it one of the most difficult tasks for tea merchants to select an assortment and present it to the customer in a understandable way.

The best recommendation we can give to newcomers to fine tea is to try different kinds of teas and to experiment with their preparation. An excellent way to do that is with tea samplers. Such samplers should come with advice on how to prepare the tea as well as enough tea to brew a few pots. Once you have brewed the second or third pot of your favorite tea from the sampler, you will be on your way to becoming "hooked" on the pleasures fine teas provide.

Storing of Fine Tea

After the purchase of a valued tea, the first thing to take into consideration is proper storage. Tea is vulnerable to four spoilers: air, light, heat and moisture. It will lose its flavor and aroma quickly if stored improperly. Even some merchants make the mistake of using unsuitable storage by keeping tea in clear glass containers for reasons of aesthetics, but light alone can steal the freshness. Also, don’t count on some of the fancy, single-top covered tins which might look great but do not seal tightly enough to be effective. Tea kept in such tins will run the risk of getting stale and losing its aroma, or absorbing odors from spices, cooking - even other teas.

Unless you plan on using up your tea quickly after purchasing, we recommend investing in a good, fully-protective container. The best ones we have found are sturdy ceramic canisters with rubber-trimmed latches. They close airtight, are odorless, functional and if made well, will last a long time. The next best solution is double-lid or pry-top tins.

Stored properly, your carefully selected collection of fine black teas and oolongs will keep their character for well over a year. Green teas lose their qualities faster and should be served within 6 to 12 months after they are produced (with the exception of tightly rolled green teas such as Gunpowder).