Tea storage issue revisited, new idea

I've made some good finds of glass jars with screw-on lids at my nearby dollar store: a dozen 1-liter jars for $1.00-USD each. I cleaned them out by hand and ran them through the dishwasher, and now they hold most of my newer teas.

I also have some 2-liter mason jars (much better seals) that I got at World Market for $5.00-USD each:

They spend all of their leisure time > Things are starting to reach a critical mass now that I have my tea

I actually bought a few glass jars with seals that have the clasp type closure from a local dollar store, but the seals were fairly loose and ended up being junk. here is a link to the same type of jar I was talking about (not the site I ordered from, but better photo):

4

I ended up just ordering them, I got 24 of them for $15. And mine too are destined for a life behind a closed cupboard door. I think they should work fine, and at a touch over $0.50 each it is no big deal. We shall see how they work for tea.

- Dominic

Why would you need to change lids?

Gavin

snipped-for-privacy@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com7/19/06

01: snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

Hi Gavin,

I once hit upon the brilliant idea of using baby food jars to transport teas about. The smell of the baby food permiated the lids and would not be removed regardless of all the antics I applied including the baking soda trick. Thus, new lids a must.

Michael

There is never enough storage for tea. You'll end up fighting your wife for shelf space. My everyday drinking teas I keep organized to impress the occasional guest who has a clue and long term storage is whatever works.

Jim

Dom> Things are starting to reach a critical mass now that I have my tea

The funny thing is, that it actually bothers me and not just my fiance. Many of my teas are in the wax/paper bags that you buy loose tea in and they don't stack, are difficult to tell what is in them, and are just generally unruly - plus some of the more fragrant teas can taint the others surrounding it. I can't stand the rose tea and the licorice tea that my fiance likes even in the same cupboard as my greens. I figure the Glass Salve jars make it easy to identify the tea, stack nicely, don't involve metal touching my tea (my own phobia), and provide a fairly airtight seal and will not allow fragrant teas to infect the more delicate ones.

I'm hoping this works well, nothing so far has. I may still buy a set of really nice tea canisters for on my counter with some of my more common daily used teas that will be more for show. No one stopping by my house knows or cares about the difference between Lipton and a Maofeng anyhow.

- Dominic Drinking: Sencha

I got Ceramic Canisters from Bed Bath & Beyond, price was good for set of 7 with airtight seal but has similar problem with plastic airtight seal as it seems to keep aroma from the previous tea. I left the seal in water for several days and then in the open air for several days that reduced aroma significantly, haven't tried baking soda yet.

Oleg

Michael Plant wrote:

Seals of any type are always the killer with tea, plastic, rubber, cardboard, etc. they are all pretty much impossible to clense of scents. I am pretty finicky about stuff like this so I either need to ensure I can buy replacement seals or lids before I even consider a container for tea.

Ceramic canisters are nice, but I needed something that stacked, so that was mainly the reason they had been off my list. It is amazing how hard it is to find a good storage device for tea, I know I've been trying for the better part of 6 years to find the perfect solution. I think glass may be the way to go, now I am just going to have to explore a bunch of different options. The seams on tins bother me and hold small bits of tea and rust. Ceramic jars need seals and are generally large and heavy. Plastic is right out. Stainless has been on my list but any good solutions are expensive. Where is the 4oz. glass jar that can be vaccume sealed and nitrogen filled system that blocks UV rays and stacks nicely? Jeez, you'd think I'm asking for too much...

- Dominic

Dominic, Look at a place called Specialty bottles

I found containers there very cheap and in many glass tine ect Amber bottle cobalt. I store tea in tight fitting cobalt blue jars that do not let light in. Ck out the place , You may find something there. I have no connection but have purchased from them before. Jenn

Yes, actually I was between three wholesalers that don't require minimum orders, Specialtybottle, ebottle, and sunshine bottle. I went with sunshine because their shipping was cheaper, and I saw the amber and blue containers but I like the idea of being able to see the tea in the jar through clear glass since they will be in a closed cupboard. I have a strange personal dislike for amber glass (don't ask, I have no idea why) and the blue just clashed with my kitchen... other than that they would be fine choices too.

Thanks for the concern though!

- Dominic

I actually just ordered some of their aluminum tea tins. They'll be delivered next Tuesday. I figured that at 98 cents a piece, I couldn't lose much.

Unfortunately, we're tight for cabinet space and need to keep our teas in the open. Otherwise, I'd opt for glass.

snipped-for-privacy@nyc.rr. snipped-for-privacy@75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com7/1

9/06 15:10oleg snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

It has been said that those rubbery gasket seals of which you speak not only absorb smells, but exude their own into your tea, and worse. I use them anyway, adding prayer to my tea storage arsenal. I don't recommend this. BTW, you can get replacement rubberish thingies at The Container Store on 6th Ave. near 18th St, or thereabouts. Seriously, life's a tradeoff, and most options, I've come to discover, are bad.

Oleg, contact me off-group to talk about Tuesday. Sorry. Too damned hot to move.

Michael

snipped-for-privacy@gwinn.us/19/06 19: snipped-for-privacy@gwinn.us

I am reading these tea storage issue posts with great and personal interest. Recently, so overwhelmed did I become by my ever growing tea and tea stuff collections that I had another kitchen built. Those who know me can attest to the veracity of this. And now you all know. I slink away in shame. Michael

Doesn't sound too bad to me.

My aunt and uncle's house is huge - and has a wet bar off the family room. I've long thought that it'd be a great place to store and prepare tea, completely removed from the heat and odors of the kitchen.

snipped-for-privacy@gwinn.us/20/06 06: snipped-for-privacy@gwinn.us

Hoho. By way of disclosure, I frequent two abodes, mine and that of my significant other. Her kitchen is fine. Mine was old and ugly, so I redid it. Tea will be its new dominant theme, but it is not a second kitchen in a huge house; rather the first kitchen in a small apartment.

Michael

i will reuse them too, after several days in water and in the open air there still is some slight scent in seals but it should be ok especially to keep similar teas and as long as the canister hasn't been used to store lapsang souchong from Ten Ren.

I will check for replacement seals, thanks.

OTH did somebody try to experiment by keeping tea in ceramic container with a seal and without seal, as there is locking clamp, maybe it is not such a big difference after all.

Oleg

Michael Plant wrote:

I have been using the small and large containers from Imperial Tea Court- surprisingly these cannisters are the biggest bargains on their site-

joanne

btw my sons' comment on wuiyu teas- his comment was referring to who has set up standards for how teas taste-who is to say something is bitter, Tea tasting is subjective and not a science.

What's the web page for Sunshine Bottle? I've googled it, but I can't seem to find it.

Thanks! Heather

Dom>

Doh! Sorry, my bad, it is Sunburstbottle.com

Sunshine/Sunburst, I almost had it right ;) And shipping was very reasonable (that was why I ended up with them over specialtybottle and ebottle) only $9 for a case of 24 glass jars and 4 EPMD containers.

- Dominic