Pre Rain Organic Anji Bai Cha
We were recently given a pack of Anji Bai Cha from another tea supplier. It really highlighted for us a problem that we see as regrettably widespread, the issue of packing and correct storage. When packed and stored correctly, teas retain their flavour, colour and quality for longer. When care is not taken to package and store tea well, it’s immediately clear from the look and taste of the end product – what ends up in your cup.
When it comes to taste, poorly stored tea will taste flat. There will be hints of the flavours that the fresh leaf contained but they will be muted. The liveliness and freshness of taste of properly stored tea will be in contrast to the flatness of badly stored tea. When it comes to the appearance of the dry leaf, it will be very clear, especially with green teas, that badly stored tea has deteriorated in terms of freshness.
Anji Bai Cha Storage
The photo above shows a poorly stored Anji Bai Cha on the left and our Anji Bai Cha green tea on the right. Both teas were picked in the same year and there has been no photoshopping on the colouring of these leaves. The effect on the colour and freshness of the leaves of bad storage really is that visible in the dry leaf. The left hand sample has lost almost all the fresh spring green leaf colours it must have had at some point.
We package our teas at source as soon after production as possible and wherever possible we use vacuum packing to ensure the tea is kept at its best for longest.
With care and proper storage, tea can be kept as fresh as possible for a long time. Our customers will testify that the Anji Bai Cha they order, receive and drink really does have the same bright colour as the above photos. It’s definitely something to keep an eye out for when buying loose leaf teas.
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June 23, 2009 at 11:58 am
Yuxuan
The flavour, smell and colour of most green teas deteriorate quickly if stored in a warm, humid place, or are explored to sunlight. So storing tea in a kitchen cupboard is definitely a no-no to me. In china, many tea dealers and tea drinkers store their premier green teas in a fridge due to the extreme summer weather there. Also, tea is a vigorous odor absorbent. So correct packaging is essential to keep all teas smell great.
Looking at the two Anji BaiCha on the photo, I have an impression that the tea on the left were pressed much less during its production. Also the one on the left was possibly picked slightly early then the one on the right, judged on the size and the number of leaves. It is a disappointment that it hasn’t been correctly stored, and now has the appearance and likely, the taste, of an old, bitter green tea.