Old Keemun

A pity indeed.

AP

Isn't that always the way of things.

:-(

AP

Undoubtedly so - for long keeping of tea the keys to success are:

1. A well made tea - it has to be good quality at the start to end up good quality after storing!
2. Correctly dried tea - to between 2 and 3% moisture content - must incorporate a high temperature stage as all residual enzymes must be "killed"
3. Absence of light - even well dried tea is still photochemically active and will produce taints when illuminated.
4. An air tight container (tin or poly foil laminate - the container must not leak (check - most storage tins made for tea are not airtight at the seams; laminates can be pinholed and while they may not let water through will allow air (inevitably damp) through)
5. Densely packed tea with minimal headspace (minimal amount of free air - even tea without enzymes can continue chemical oxidation - leave some green tea liquor overnight to see the color change). There's no need for nitrogen or vac packing however, tea will soon scavenge a small amount of oxygen in a minimal headspace.
6. Hermetically sealed (that means a complete and absolute barrier to air exchange - if you wouldn't risk storing the pack under water then you haven't got an hermetic seal)
7. Store cool in an even temperature (temperature change can induce free water inside the container if the temperature drops - inside the container tea equilibrates with the air and at 3% tea moisture the air will have a dew point, albeit low, below which free water condenses).

I have not tried this on a 35 year test basis but recently was looking for some old "tired" tea for a manufacturing faults class I was teaching. Seeking this in my oldest tea samples I opened up a pouch of black tea I had made in Pakistan in 1992. This had been processed and dried under precise conditions in our miniature tea factory and packed the same day in a heat sealed polyfoil pouch. Far from being tired from long storage and despite being 15 years old it proved to be as fresh, colory and flavorful as the day it was made.

Maybe we should set up Tea Banks - storing examples of our best teas for the benefit of future generations of tea freaks in the same way that seed banks are kept against loss of genetic material?

Nigel at Teacraft

I've always maintained that well stored teas are a snapshot of tea taste frozen in time including the fermented teas. I think time has taken more of a toll on my tastebuds than my teas.

Jim

PS I enjoy my old teas for the memories as much as the taste.

Nigel wrote: