How to store loose leaf tea - 3 tips from the Two Spoons

Last month I visited the Tea History Collection in Banbury.  For the tea enthusiasts out there, this is a treasure trove of artefacts, books and maps carefully curated in a private collection.  Whilst browsing the archives, I came across a 96 year old sample of Kenyan loose leaf tea from Kerenga Estate in Kericho.  This would have been some of the very first tea produced in Kenya and it looked in remarkable condition.  It got me thinking about tea storage...

My 3 tips for storing loose leaf tea...

1) Keep tea in an airtight container.  Tea is hygroscopic, it wants to absorb moisture from the air. We often keep tea in a cupboard above the kettle and the steam rises to wear the tea is stored.  We are asking for trouble!!!

2) Keep it away from strong smells.  One of the jobs we used to do regularly was taste consumer complaints.  "My tea tastes of soap powder...", was a regular refrain. With a little detective work we would usually discover the tea had been stored near the Persil!  

3)  Direct sunlight can degrade the aroma of the tea, so keep it in a cool dark place (but not near the Persil).  In fact for green tea drinkers, try storing your tea in an airtight container in the fridge.  This can help preserve the delicate flavours and keep them fresh.