🍃 Dani's Tea Rules 🍃

How you store your tea is actually quite important. Proper tea storage will allow you to keep your tea fresher longer, something we all want.

Here are a few ideas for you. I actually call them my rules because I think they're that important.

Tea rule #1: Everything that touches your tea needs to be clean and dry.

Moisture is not your tea's friend until you brew your tea. Tea leaves absorb moisture from the air. So, you want to keep water and moisture away from your leaves until you are ready to steep your tea.

A common mistake people make is to store unbrewed teas in the refrigerator or freezer, which is a big no-no!

If the tea is exposed to moisture or heat before steeping, it will create condensation once it is returned to room temperature, leading to spoilage or mold. Plus, it may absorb unpleasant odors from your refrigerator. Please don't do this. You also need to be careful when touching loose-leaf tea with wet hands or utensils. Just a little bit of water or moisture from your hands or a spoon can cause mold and ruin all your tea.

Tea rule #2: Use non-see-through, airtight canisters to store your tea.

My teas go home in non-see-through resealable bags with a food-safe lining. You can leave your teas in these if you want, but I really like to use my silver and white 3-oz airtight canisters to store my tea at home. You can use them individually or stack them up to save space. They will hold up to 3 ounces of tea per canister.

Also back in stock after a long hiatus are my 3-tiered airtight canisters. They interlock to stack, come in silver and white like their stackable counterparts, and hold 1 to 2 ounces of tea per section.

If you prefer something with color, my floral airtight canisters are beautiful. These are larger and will hold up to 5 ounces of tea. In the store, I use large ceramic, airtight, non-see-through canisters.

Tea rule #3: Store your tea away from heat or cold.

Heat and tea are a bad combination (before brewing, of course). Your tea leaves like it cool, not cold; think room temperature.

Sudden temperature changes can cause damage to your tea leaves.

Avoid storing your tea above your stove, oven, or refrigerator. Your pantry would be a perfect place to house your tea collection.

Tea rule #4: Store your tea away from sunlight.

Once your tea has been processed, continued exposure to sunlight is another no-no. Sunlight causes tea leaves to start degrading or breaking down, which shortens the freshness and lifespan of your tea — and no one wants that, right? So, if you have your tea near a window, you want to move it to your pantry or a cupboard.

Tea rule #5: Store your tea away from strong odors.

Your loose-leaf teas will absorb odors if given a chance.

You want to make sure the place where you store your tea isn't near anything with strong smells.

Avoid your spice cabinet. Scented candles, potpourri, or other lingering odors can also be problematic. Store those items far away from your tea. You may also want to separate your flavored tea from your non-flavored teas. If the flavored tea isn't properly sealed, it will mix with the non-flavored tea, and soon you'll have all flavored tea.

The good news is when stored correctly, your tea can have a shelf life of up to 2 years.

Although tea rarely goes bad, its flavor and antioxidant levels will weaken over time. That's why enjoying your tea sooner rather than later is best.

If you follow Dani's 5 simple rules, you'll always have fresh, great-tasting loose-leaf tea. Now that you know how to store your tea properly, you can buy tea with confidence, knowing it will stay fresh.

Do you have any questions or need a tea suggestion? Feel free to reply to this email, call, or text. We're here to assist you every step of the way!

~Dani

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. It is not to replace the advice of a qualified healthcare or medical professional.