Tins or Glass?
Is it really necessary for teas to be put in air-tight and light-tight containers? Can I just put it in glassware?
I use tins but like the idea of glass containers. It would be nice to be able to see all of my teas at a glance when I open the cupboard. But according to this site, exposure to light can deteriorate your tea:
http://teaguardian.com/how-to-make-tea/tea-storage-issue.html#.U1lJ5OZdUYI
“Light changes tea much more dramatically than most people would understand. In farm markets we see farmers spreading out their harvests under the sun to attract buyers. In teashops we see tea displayed in glasses under spotlights. These are all very bad practices but they just have to do it to attract sales.
Light is a powerful reduction agent. It turns all the fragile good tasting elements of tea into either indissolvable matters or bad tasting compounds. Put a batch of tea out to expose it under light for one day and compare its infusion with another batch of the same tea properly stored and you’ll immediately experience what I mean.
Even if you expose it in an airtight container, the aroma and taste will all be dramatically altered. Think what you could have got if you buy it from that big glass display."
It is not recommended to put your teas in a glassware container as sunlight will damage the teas. So keep your teas in an airtight and sunlight-proof container to preserve the freshness much longer
If you have your heart set on using glass containers, you might consider buying a bottle of chalkboard spraypaint to solve the light issue. Bonus, you can label the containers over and over easily. I did this with mason jars when I got into loose leaf last year and of all my storage choices it’s the one that seems to have kept the tea the freshest.
Ifjuly, I tried the chalkboard paint on mason jars love the idea!! But I couldn’t get the smell of the paint to go away. Did you do something special so that wouldn’t happen? Any tips?
What if I keep the glass jars in a cabinet?
As long as they’re not being regularly exposed to light, I don’t think that would be a problem.
If you like glass, you can block light with chalkboard spray paint. Makes for creative labeling too.
These have clear uv-protected tops. http://www.adagio.com/teaware/tins.html
Not nearly as pretty as glass though. I wonder if there’s a UV-protectant spray that can be used on the glass…
How important is storage temperature
Room temperature should be fine. Excessive heat can make a difference in the quality and the taste of the tea. And make sure the tea are stored in a moisture-free place.
Login or sign up to leave a comment.