How does a regular Indian family start their normal day?
A pot of chai boiling on the stove and bubbles rising above it along with a strong aroma taking over all your senses “Chai”. It never fails to elate us, with its aroma and fumes infusing the air and spreading a refreshingly fragrant message of its arrival.
But as we see it today, chai has undergone a lot of changes in the 5000 years of Indian and Asian civilisation to become our all-time favourite beverage. Many ancient cultures used spices combined with water to create medicinal infusions and treatments. The earliest variant closest to chai was in the form of Kadha. It was only in the 1800s that this all-season beverage was mixed with black tea leaves, milk and sweetener which today is referred to as ‘masala chai’.
Interesting? You can read more about the history of masala chai in an earlier blog.
Why does storing tea matter?
We have all come across cases where our tea has tasted a bit off or stale at times. Though tea doesn’t expire, storing it improperly can easily alter the overall flavour and aroma.
Moreover, the shelf life of every tea is very different. It depends on various aspects like the type of tea and how it was produced and how it is stored. For instance, green or white tea has the shortest lifespan and can be used for up to a year if handled well. On the other hand flavoured teas with lemon, herbs or spices can last from six months to a year. And darker teas like oolong or black tea can last for 1-2 years or even more.
Now that we know how much spiced tea or any other tea can last, let's understand how to store it properly to make it last longer. You can also buy spiced tea online from our store!
Tea is hygroscopic meaning it is prone to absorb moisture from the air and release its flavour when exposed to moisture. As the creators of the best online tea in India, we suggest storing tea in a dry environment away from moisture or damp areas.
To restrict exposure, teas should always be stored in an airtight container or bag, flask, metal case and even wooden box. When storing in a bag make sure that it is resealable. When using a jar, tin, stainless steel or ceramic are recommended as materials for the jars. The best containers are usually airtight metal ones.
2) Store tea away from light and heatLight exposure can degrade your tea and impact its freshness and quality. Light and heat speed up the oxidation process and hence significantly affects the taste and quality of tea. A clear canister may make your tea look pretty but direct exposure to sunlight or heat from stove top and ovens can bleach the tea and even result in a metallic taste.
The best possible place to store tea is in a closed cupboard or closet. If you are unable to keep your tea in a closed cabinet, think about using opaque containers. If aesthetics are your concern, there are numerous wooden tea boxes and metal cases available in the market that will not only help with the storage but also will make your pantry look good.
3) Store tea away from strong odoursA closet is a good place to store your tea away from light but another thing to keep in mind is that the closed space should not contain things that have a strong odour. Tea will take on the scent of anything stored nearby. It's a great quality that is put to use in the production of scented teas. However, this makes storing teas in plastic containers or near other spices and strongly-scented eatables a bad idea.
Sort your tea collection to keep blended or scented teas and pure teas apart. Though matcha and some other types of tea powders are an exception, they should still be kept separate from other things that have overpowering smells. It is also important to make sure that your storage container doesn’t have a strong smell.
4) Store tea in bulkIn comparison to an airtight vessel that is completely filled with tea, a nearly empty one that has a small amount of tea in the bottom will decay more quickly. The more tea you can store in a small area, the less oxygen will be present there. So, fill your storage container with as much tea as you can. Shake it to let the tea settle, and then add more tea to protect it from losing any of its freshness. It will be more difficult for the tea to absorb the smells of its surroundings if there is less air.
Moreover, if you are facing difficulty in selecting tea packs with the right amount of required tea, then you can simply buy tea bags online in bulk or even customise the number of smaller packs according to your preference just with a click on our buytea.com website.
Pretty simple right?
So, next time you buy spiced tea, remember all these points to make the most of your all-time favourite beverage. Tea storage is not complicated and learning how to organise your tea collection will help it remain fresher for a longer period of time, helping save you money.
