Whether you are a tea enthusiast with a large collection of teas at home or you have just purchased a special kind of tea for the first time, knowledge of how to store tea is important. Depending on its form (powder or leaves), type (green, black, oolong, etc.) and quality, the shelf life of each tea is different. However, all teas should be handled with care if you want the color, scent and flavor to last and be as rich as possible. Read on to find out important tips for tea storage and find the tea caddy that's right for you.
Tea Is Vulnerable
Tea leaves and powders are extremely delicate, and in order to preserve their texture, flavor and appearance, they must be handled and stored with care. A number of factors must be taken into account to properly preserve tea.
Moisture: Tea releases its flavor when exposed to moisture, as we know from brewing tea. However, moisture does not only mean the process of making tea in water. The moisture in the air can also affect tea when it is stored. Once the moisture in the air makes contact with the tea, it will release the flavor as well.
Light: Light can degrade the quality of tea, changing its flavor and color. The flavor changes to a metallic taste for many teas and color is especially effected for matcha, which is a delicate tea rich in chlorophyll.
Oxygen: Oxidation deteriorates the tea’s antioxidant vitamins, and also negatively affects color and flavor.
Heat: Storing tea in a warm place means risking speeding up the oxidation process.
Odor: Tea leaves absorb the scent of their surroundings, so storing tea too close to spices or other strongly scented things can affect its scent and flavor.
Shelf Life of Tea
How Long Does Tea Last?
Matcha is among the most sensitive teas, making it extremely important to look after how it is stored. It should be used within one month after opening and if you plan to drink it every day, avoid storing it in the refrigerator as the precipitation can affect the tea. However, if the tea is only drunk 2-3 times per week or less, it is not damaging to store the tea in the refrigerator, but make sure to move the tea to room temperature about an hour before opening to prevent precipitation.
As for other green teas, they can last for about one to two months once they have been opened and if stored at room temperature. Luckily, the shelf life of green tea can double when stored in a tea caddy at room temperature and can be used for 4-5 months when stored in a caddy in the refrigerator.
Take note, however, that if you keep the tea in the refrigerator, it is also important to let it sit at room temperature before opening due to the precipitation.
White, oolong and black teas tend to have a longer shelf life overall as they are less sensitive than green teas, lasting up to a year if unopened. However, it is still best to drink the tea once opened, as oxidation begins once it is exposed to air.
General Rules for Tea Storage
It may seem like there are a lot of specifics for storing tea the right way, and in some ways, that is true. But these are more basic rules that you should follow to preserve your tea as best you can: tea should be kept in an airtight container in a dark, cool and odor-neutral environment.
As mentioned, you do not want things like light, oxidation and odors to affect the tea. For example, keeping your tea somewhere near a trashcan could affect the aroma.
Additionally, keeping it near heat sources like the microwave or oven, as well as exposing the tea to light can speed up the oxidation process.
Ideal Tea Containers
Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremonies
If you are familiar with the Japanese Tea Ceremony, you’ll see these popular items are often used:
Natsume: a traditional Japanese container lacquered and used for the tea ceremony. Most Natsume are not air-tight and only suitable to store the matcha for one day (they are usually only used for the duration of the tea ceremony), but some new versions have an extra plastic lid inside to make them air-tight, making them suitable to store matcha in them.
Chaire: a type of tea jar for thick tea storage (right picture: porcelain Chaire from Kyoto).
These types of containers are usually also not made for long-term storage as they are not air-tight containers, but should only be used if the tea is to be consumed on the same day.
For both of these tea containers it is best to only place the exact amount of matcha that is planned to be used, for ceremony or making tea for a bigger group. One of the main reason they are used for ceremonies is that the tea powder is sifted in them before the ceremony starts, this way they do not have to sift during the ceremony.
Long-term Storage
For long-term storage, there are many types of containers available, made from different materials, the most common being wood, stainless steel and aluminum.
To protect the tea and maintain all its flavors, investing in good packaging and choosing high-quality product is crucial, as each material has its weaknesses. For example, low-quality steel rusts over time, and wood can be affected by humidity, which allows air and moisture to reach the inside of the container and affect the tea.
In some cases, sifting matcha in advance is very useful, as it makes things quicker when making the matcha later; for example, if someone drinks matcha daily, it is nice to have a few days portion pre-sifted. However, it is important to only sift the amount that will be used within 3 days, for after 3 days the matcha will stick back together and will need to be re-sifted. If the matcha is drunk less frequently (2-3 times a week or less) it is best to store it in their original can or an air-tight container, and only sift it into the tea bowl right before use.
Tea Caddies
Here are a few examples of the different types of high quality airtight, double-layered tea containers you can find on Sazen Tea:
This container is designed with decorative paper featuring a tiger motif in traditional Japanese art style. It is air-tight, made of aluminum and has a capacity of 100 grams.
A classic Japanese container, this traditional tea caddy is handmade from cherry bark and has a capacity of 80 grams.
This tea caddy is a classy, stylish container made of stainless steel with a copper exterior. The large size of this container style can hold up to 200 grams of tea.
For more high quality Japanese tea caddies, browse Sazen Tea containers here.
Enjoy Your Tea
Keep your tea stored in the right place at the right temperature for the right amount of time to maintain its color, scent and taste. Following the storage rules will ensure that there are no surprises when you drink the tea yourself or serve it to others. If you're interested in other types of high-quality Japanese tea and the utensils and containers to serve it well, check the Sazen Tea website.
