How long can the different tea leaves be kept? What are the magical effects of expired tea? Next, let's take a look.
How to understand the "shelf life" of tea?
Tea, essentially an agricultural product, also has a shelf life. The so-called "shelf life" can be understood as the best period of consumption (drinking) and the period of safety under the premise of correct storage.
What is the shelf life of different teas?
Generally, the shelf life of some sealed-package teas except post-fermented tea ranges from 12 months to 24 months; the shelf life of bulk tea is even shorter, because the process of placing them in bulk will absorb moisture and smell, not only The tea leaves lose the original tea flavor and become more prone to deterioration.
Green tea is generally better if it is fresh. In the low temperature (3-5) sealed state, the quality of green tea usually does not change much in about one and a half years;
Oolong tea is generally 2-3 years. Wuyi rock tea, the next year's old tea, on the contrary, has a rich aroma and mellow taste, but the longest shelf life is only three years;
Hunan dark tea, Hubei Qingzhuan tea, Guangxi Liubao tea, Yunnan Pu'er tea, etc., if stored properly, not only will not deteriorate, but can improve the quality of tea. The best quality of black tea is about ten years, and its shelf life can reach several decades.
Drinking green tea is mainly based on the word "fresh", so new tea can be drunk after half a month or a month after it is placed.
Green tea is not fermented and requires higher preservation. It will turn yellow if stored improperly, and the aroma and taste will be greatly reduced when it turns yellow.
Green tea has the shortest shelf life, because it has not undergone fermentation, it requires higher preservation requirements.
Generally speaking, the shelf life is about 1 year at room temperature. If it is improperly stored, it may start to turn yellow after 8 or 9 months, and the smell will change a little.
Of course, if you are rich and have a refrigerator dedicated to storing green tea, the shelf life can be extended to about 18 months.