Chinese Green TGY Storage
how long should I keep TGY and are there any specific storage techniques to keep it fresh longer?
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
You must be talking about loose tea not individually wrapped in 7g packets? I use my wine cooler to store Japanese greens. It cools through a different process than a condenser so there's no humidity. Other than that, try to store in a cool dark place as well sealed as possible, and drink within 6 months.
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
yea loose..sorry for not making it clear earlier. it's tightly rolled balls. wine cooler sounds like a good idea but i dont have one
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
Cool basement? Cabinet low to the ground? Lots of options. The most important thing is to make sure you're storing the tea in an airtight container. A good ziplock style foil pouch should do the trick.
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
Currently I have a 250 gram pack of Imperial TGY from YS, they are in individual 7 gram vacum sealed bags, they keep fresh for a year, just keep it at a constant temperature, I keep it in my cupboard, it is dry, cool, the temperature never goes above 25 C, so it is no problem, no need to buy a wine cooler, I would only buy a wine cooler for japanese greens, but I rarely order more than I can consume in a months time.
May 3rd, '13, 14:54
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Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
Vac seals only keep fresh for a year, huh? I have a ton of 7g TGY packs, so seeing how well they age in there has been inescapably thrust upon me.... Only at a couple years yet tho.
May 3rd, '13, 15:47
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Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
There was a thread a while back discussing how long those vacuum-sealed packs last... IIRC there wasn't a consensus but most agreed that those packs will stay fresh for at least 2 years.
edit: here you go: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15805
edit: here you go: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15805
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
How much it lasts would only matter if I owned a teavendor, because no tea drinker would buy a 2 year old green oolong, everybody wants fresh tea, so I would go out of business if I sold 2011 TGY in 2013. As far as I am concerned I can consume all my tea before that time, I usually need a kilo of green oolong for a year, and only buy ahead for max 2 months.
Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
Well, given proper storage, a year old tea might be better than a fresh one. I think a lot of stuff tastes better after a few months of resting.
But, maybe not for green TGY.
But, maybe not for green TGY.
Last edited by edkrueger on Jun 30th, '13, 23:11, edited 1 time in total.
May 6th, '13, 14:52
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Re: Chinese Green TGY Storage
After removing from a vacuum pack you'd want the tea to acclimate for a while. I generally find that if I dump it into a tin, then about the third time making some is the best -- i.e., after opening the tin a few times with a day or so in between.
If there's any discernible roast, then the tea will go through changes for the first year, and will be better after it has settled.
Also, no vacuum sealer creates 100% vacuum, but some are better than others. If I remember right, the typical home sealer gets about 70% vacuum, and more commercial ones get somewhere between 80%-90%. (That's why some put oxygen absorbers in the package.) So how long a tea stays fresh in a vacuum pack will depend partially on how complete the vacuum is.
Regarding bags vs tins, I don't trust bags because I don't always seal them completely, and I've also had the zip seal separate from the bag and I didn't realize it until it had been like that for some weeks (or longer). However, you can reduce the amount of air in a bag before sealing it, which you obviously can't do with a tin.
If there's any discernible roast, then the tea will go through changes for the first year, and will be better after it has settled.
Also, no vacuum sealer creates 100% vacuum, but some are better than others. If I remember right, the typical home sealer gets about 70% vacuum, and more commercial ones get somewhere between 80%-90%. (That's why some put oxygen absorbers in the package.) So how long a tea stays fresh in a vacuum pack will depend partially on how complete the vacuum is.
Regarding bags vs tins, I don't trust bags because I don't always seal them completely, and I've also had the zip seal separate from the bag and I didn't realize it until it had been like that for some weeks (or longer). However, you can reduce the amount of air in a bag before sealing it, which you obviously can't do with a tin.