Tea leaves should be kept away from humidity and high temperature, and should not be stored with detergents, spices, soaps, etc. to maintain the purity of tea leaves. It is best to store them in a tea can and move them to a dark and dry place. It is best to drink the tea leaves after opening as soon as possible, otherwise the taste and fragrance will be lost. Different tea leaves should not be mixed to drink, so as not to appreciate the original taste of the tea.
Specific storage method
- Storage method of tin cans: Use tinplate double lids and colored tea containers available on the market. Before storage, check whether the tank body and lid are airtight and cannot leak air. When storing, put dry tea leaves in cans, and the cans should be tightly packed. This method is convenient to use, but it is not suitable for long-term storage. [11]
- Hot water bottle storage method: Use a hot water bottle with good warmth retention as a container. Put the dry tea leaves into the bottle and pack them fully to reduce the amount of air retained in the bottle. Cover the mouth of the bottle tightly with a cork, seal the stopper with white wax, and then wrap it with tape. Due to the lack of air in the bottle and the stable temperature, this method has a better maintenance effect and is simple and easy to implement.
- Ceramic jar storage method: choose a dry and odor-free, airtight ceramic jar, wrap the tea leaves in kraft paper, place them around the jar, insert a lime bag in the middle, and then put the tea bag on it. After filling the jar, cover it tightly with a cotton bag. Replace the lime every 1-2 months. This method uses the moisture absorption properties of quicklime to keep the tea leaves from moisture, and the effect is better. It can maintain the quality of tea leaves for a long time, especially some precious tea leaves such as Longjing Banner Guang Dafang. This method is particularly suitable.
- Packaging bag storage method: first wrap the tea leaves in clean and odorless white paper, then wrap them in a piece of kraft paper, then put them into a non-porous plastic food bag, gently squeeze, squeeze out the air in the bag, then tie the bag tightly with a soft rope to take a plastic food bag, put it on the outside of the first bag, and then gently squeeze the air in the bag and then tie the bag tightly with a rope; finally put it into a dry and odorless iron tube. [11]
- Low temperature storage method: The method is the same as the “food bag storage method”, and then the tea leaves tied tightly in the bag are placed in the refrigerator. The internal temperature can be controlled below 5 degrees Celsius and can be stored for more than one year. This method is especially suitable for storing famous tea and jasmine tea, but it is necessary to prevent the tea leaves from getting damp.
- Charcoal sealed storage method: Use the characteristics of charcoal to absorb moisture to store tea leaves. First burn the charcoal, immediately cover it with a brazier or iron pot to extinguish it. After drying, wrap the charcoal with a clean cloth and put it in the middle of the tile tank containing tea leaves. The charcoal in the tank should be replaced in time according to the situation of Hu tide.