How to Store Tea: Tins, Cupboards and How Long It Lasts
- How do you store tea so it keeps its flavour?
- What actually makes tea go flat?
- Does tea go off, or does it just get stale?
- How long does tea last?
- Which containers work for loose leaf tea?
- Where in the kitchen should tea live?
- Should tea go in the fridge or freezer?
- How can you tell if tea is past its best?
- Is old tea still fine for soaking fruit?
- Sources
How do you store tea so it keeps its flavour?
Store tea in a clean, airtight, opaque container, in a cool, dry cupboard away from the kettle, the hob, sunny windows and anything strong-smelling such as spices or coffee. Light, air, moisture, heat and stray odours are what make tea taste flat. Black and oolong teas keep their character far longer than delicate greens, and dry tea that has simply gone stale is a flavour problem, not a safety one. Damp or mouldy tea goes in the bin.
What actually makes tea go flat?
Five things, and one good spot deals with all of them.
- Light. Harney & Sons puts it plainly: "Light oxidizes tea, weakening its aroma and quality."
- Heat. Teatulia notes that light and heat "can activate enzymes that will start to degrade your tea", and recommends keeping tea at room temperature.
- Air. Every time the lid comes off, the leaves meet fresh air and whatever moisture and smells it carries.
- Moisture. Teatulia warns that any contact with moisture "can drastically shorten the shelf life of tea". Kettle steam and a damp spoon are the usual culprits at home.
- Smells. Tea soaks up other aromas. Dr Sharon Hall, chief executive of the UK Tea & Infusions Association, includes keeping tea in a cool, dry place and away from strongly flavoured or perfumed foods in her tips for a good cuppa.
Harney & Sons adds that "loose-leaf teas absorb moisture and odors more quickly than bagged teas," so the tin matters more for loose leaf.
Does tea go off, or does it just get stale?
Dry tea kept dry goes stale rather than off. Harney & Sons says that "while tea won't spoil it will begin to lose its flavor over time," and that oxidised teas, such as black teas, generally keep their quality longer.
UK government guidance on best before and use-by dates says best before dates "relate to quality", and that after the date "the food is usually safe to eat but may not be of the same quality." It adds that food not stored properly "could reduce in quality before the best before date", which is the real argument for a decent tin.
How long does tea last?
It depends on the type. Teatulia's guide to storing tea gives these figures for tea that is stored properly:
| Tea type | How long it stays fresh (Teatulia) |
|---|---|
| Green, white and herbal | up to a year |
| Flavoured teas | around six months to a year |
| Oolong and black | upwards of two years |
| Pu-erh (a fermented tea) | most can be stored indefinitely |
Japanese green tea is the most delicate. Hibiki-an, a Japanese green tea seller, says its unopened green tea keeps ideal freshness for six months at under 20°C in a dark place, and its unopened matcha (powdered green tea) for about three months. Once a packet is opened, it recommends using the tea "as soon as possible."
Teatulia also says tea is best enjoyed within a few months of purchase, so buy delicate greens and flavoured blends in small amounts.
Which containers work for loose leaf tea?
Teatulia recommends "an airtight, non-plastic, opaque container" and names glass, tin or aluminium as the best materials, adding that plastic "can transfer odors and chemicals into the tea". Harney & Sons advises against clear glass, because it lets light in, and warns that tea kept in a plastic bag near pungent foods can pick up their flavour.
In practice:
- The tin it came in. If your tea arrived in a good, tight-lidded tin, keep it there. Harney & Sons suggests putting the same type of tea back in the tin it was bought in, so a smoky tea does not flavour your next delicate one.
- A small tea caddy (a lidded tea tin). Hibiki-an recommends a container "as small as possible". Less empty space means less air sitting on the leaves.
- Glass only if it lives in the dark. A glass jar is fine inside a closed cupboard, not on the counter.
If you buy in bulk, fill a small caddy for everyday use and leave the main supply sealed. Always use a dry spoon.
Where in the kitchen should tea live?
A closed cupboard away from the cooker, the kettle, the dishwasher vent and any sunny window, and away from the spice rack and the coffee. The shelf right above the kettle is handy, but it is where the steam goes. Teatulia also advises storing flavoured teas, such as Earl Grey, separately from unflavoured ones.
Should tea go in the fridge or freezer?
For everyday tea, no. Teatulia says refrigeration or freezing "is not recommended", and Harney & Sons calls the fridge a "cornucopia of smells" and warns that moisture condensing on the leaves can lower their quality.
The one exception is unopened Japanese green tea. Hibiki-an says an unopened packet kept in the refrigerator "will stay fresh for one year", but it advises refrigerating only unopened packets and, after taking one out, waiting "a few hours to a day" until it reaches room temperature before opening, because condensation builds up on a cold package.
How can you tell if tea is past its best?
Use your nose, then your cup. Fresh tea smells clearly of itself when you open the tin. Tea past its best smells faint or dusty and brews a flat, thin cup with little of the aroma you paid for. Stale tea of this kind is disappointing rather than unsafe.
Damp tea is different. If the leaves have clumped, feel soft, smell musty or show any sign of mould, throw the tea away. Do not brew it and do not bake with it. Check any tea stored next to it, and wash and fully dry the container before refilling.
Is old tea still fine for soaking fruit?
Yes, provided it is only stale and not damp. Soaking dried fruit for a tea loaf mainly needs strength and colour, and a black tea that has lost its top notes still brings both. Brew it a little stronger than you would to drink. If it smells musty or shows any mould, it goes in the bin, not the bowl.
Our guide to brewing tea properly covers times and temperatures by type, and the tea hub collects the rest. Baking alongside? Start with our afternoon tea bakes guide.