2018年5月24日 星期四

How To Preserve Tea After Opening?


In Taiwan's humid environment, if tea is not stored in correct way after opening, it will be damp and absorb many other materials in the air.

We believe many people have drank damp tea that are tea-drenched and have sour taste. Because the dried tea has strong characteristics such as absorption of moisture and taste, after buying the good tea, you must know how to preserve, so as not to make tea’s taste and aroma deterioration.















Characteristics of tea:

Before we talk about the preservation of tea, we should first understand the characteristics of tea.

1. Tea leaves are afraid of light. Irradiation of any source of light for a long time (including fluorescent lamps) will degrade tea.
2. Tea leaves are afraid of moisture. They will lost their flavor and have a sour taste.
3. Tea leaves are afraid of heat. High temperatures will degrade tea.
4. Tea leaves can easily absorb odors.
5. When tea leaves are exposed to air, oxidation will continue.

So why are tea leaves wrapped in aluminum foil bags? It is an important factor that effectively prevents the above five points from deteriorating tea.

▲Aluminum foil bags

Tea preservation methods:

1. Moisture
The primary condition for proper preservation of tea leaves is the control of the moisture. The air contains a lot of moisture, and the tea leaves are affected by moisture, which in turn leads to deterioration of the taste.

[Suggestions] 
After taking the tea leaves, the air inside the aluminum foil bag must be squeezed out. Besides, in order to isolated the tea leaves from air, moisture, and odor, the the aluminum foil bag should be folded back several times, clamped with two long tail clips, and finally placed in a double-layered can. Try to keep the tea in its best condition during storage.

Important reminder: When taking tea, try not to grab it directly by hand. Because the hand itself will produce heat and moisture, it will easily make the tea spoil.


2. Light
Tea is very sensitive to light. Long-term exposure will accelerate various chemical reactions in the tea and change its quality.

[Suggestions] 
The package of tea leaves is packed in opaque aluminum foil bags to prevent direct light from causing deterioration of the tea. However, in spite of aluminum foil bag packaging, it is still necessary to store the tea in a cool place.

3. Temperature
The temperature will cause the volatilization of tea aroma, and the high temperature will accelerate the deterioration of tea quality.

[Suggestions] 
It is recommended to store tea leaves in a cool place without direct sunlight. After unsealing, please squeeze out the air from the aluminum foil bag, seal it in the correct way, and store it in a double-layered can.

Important reminder: Please be sure to use double-layered can to have better air-tight effect. In addition, do not pour tea directly into cans for storage. It must be packed in aluminum foil bags and then put into cans.

▲Double-layered can

4. Oxygen
If tea leaves are exposed to air, it will cause oxidation of the substances in the tea leaves, resulting in deterioration of the tea.

[Suggestions] 
The common methods of tea packaging are vacuum, nitrogen-filled or deoxidizer packaging. According to each tea’s production method and appearance, the applicable packaging methods are also different. Ball-shaped tea can be vacuum-packed. However, the strip-shaped tea is more fluffy, and the vacuum is easy to break the tea. Thus, the deoxidizer must be put in and then sealed. This way is used to exclude the internal air. Therefore, the correct packaging ways can effectively preserve the shape, color, aroma, and taste of tea. If combined with temperature and humidity control, it will prevent tea deterioration better.

Ball-shaped tea

▲Strip-shaped tea

Based on the above reasons, we have summarized several suggestions:

1. Tea should be placed in a cool place, not in a place where it is light or wet. That is, kitchen is extremely unsuitable.

2. For heavily fermented and highly roasted teas, such as Dong Ding, Tie Guan Yin, Honey Oolong, and Oriental Beauty, the direct pouring into tea cans after opening is regarded as a requirement for "arousing tea." Pots will be the best choice for tea storage. Then, place non-phosphorous paper in the mouth and seal it. For mildly fermented teas, such as Pouchong Tea and fragrant High Mountain Tea, it should not be poured into pots after opening. It is better to drink as soon as possible.




About Renaissance of Tea

The Renaissance of Tea team visits tea plantations every year to discuss with their owners
and tea artisans the desired level of fermentation and roasting based on the season and climate.
Renaissance of Tea tasters then evaluate and select the finest teas so to make sure that
every cup offered will bring guests a heart-touching moment.


DRYWTEA homepage:https://drywtea.com/





Just 5 Steps, Brew Tea Like A Master !(Instructional Video Inside)


After learning about “the six ways to select a good tea”, we are now going to make tea. The flavor of tea can be enhanced when it is made in proper and correct methods. The details of making tea is therefore considered to be very important.

In the following paragraphs, we will show you every single step of making tea in details and something you should pay special attention to.
       
Step 1: Select Teawares

The market is flooded with various kinds of teawares. Moreover, different kinds of tea have their own suitable ones.

Oolong tea, as everyone knows, can be roughly divided into two types: scented and aromatic. Scented oolong tea is suitable for steeping with a traditional Yixing teapot or glazed teapot; Aromatic oolong tea is suitable for Zisha teapot or glazed teapot to brew. Black tea, green tea, and oriental beauty that we often hear about are suitable for porcelain, glass and other materials that are without pores and high temperature resistant. Choosing the right teawares can make the tea soup more smooth and tasty.


Step 2: Warm Teapot / Warm Cup

After preparing the teawares, pour the boiling water into the teapot and cover the lid. Wait for a few seconds, and then pour the water from the teapot into the tea serving pot till the teapot gets warm. Then, divide the hot water in the tea serving pot into each cup to warm cup.


Step 3: Place Tea

It is best to use tea spoon when taking tea to avoid contaminating the tea with your hands. The amount of tea is about the a layer on the bottom of the teapot. After the teapot is warmed, place the tea and cover it with a lid. Wait for a few seconds until the tea leaves are warm, and you can smell the fragrance of hot tea from the vapour.


Step 4: Start Tea Steeping

Fill the kettle with hot water in the appropriate temperature and cover the lid. Steep the tea according to the appropriate steeping time of each kind of tea. When the time is up, the tea soup should be scooped up, and so on, the steeping time can be adjusted according to personal preference and the current condition. You can also find some detailed guidelines about water temperature and steeping time on our official website: https://drywtea.en.taiwantrade.com/


Step 5: Pour Tea (Evening Cup)

The tea soup is distributed from tea serving pot to each small cup. The amount of tea soup in each cup should be equal.

Finally, you should keep in mind that the suitable condition differs in different kinds of tea, such as water temperature, amount of tea, brewing time, and even the material of the teapot. The preferences also vary from person to person, so please treat this article as a reference. Find out your own best way through long time practice and experience. This is the greatest part of making tea that you will have lots of fun!

Instructional Video:








About Renaissance of Tea

The Renaissance of Tea team visits tea plantations every year to discuss with their owners
and tea artisans the desired level of fermentation and roasting based on the season and climate.
Renaissance of Tea tasters then evaluate and select the finest teas so to make sure that
every cup offered will bring guests a heart-touching moment.


DRYWTEA homepage:https://drywtea.com/