Nov 13th, '16, 03:57
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Re: tea storage woes

by andresito » Nov 13th, '16, 03:57

One other suggestion which I picked up from TeaMasters blog, and after considering the good advice in previous replies above, is let your oolong "decant" or rest in a small tea jar or canister for a short period after taking it out of the air-tight storage, just prior to brewing. This simple step really invigorates my oolong. The jar is not sealed, just closed or with the lid placed on. Sometimes I'll put the dry leaves into a dry cup with a gaiwan saucer on top to cover it if I don't have a jar handy. leave it on the counter for 15 minutes until you're ready to brew.

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Dec 14th, '16, 17:31
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Re: tea storage woes

by Emily@Adagio » Dec 14th, '16, 17:31

JAndrews2 wrote: I also have pretty frequent allergy issues.
I think you've hit the nail on the head there! I have terrible sinus issues in the winter, and it completely ruins my ability to detect nuanced flavors and aromas. Not being able to smell can have a huge impact on your ability to taste.

I highly recommend taking a leaf out of traditional Tea Master tasting guidelines and keeping a journal. Every time you have a session, keep a record of the weather, your personal health/allergies, if you've eaten anything unusual, and how you have been storing your tea. Make sure you're also using the same brewing temp and time every time you try a tea. You might notice a pattern or variable that you weren't aware of before.

Dec 14th, '16, 17:55
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Re: tea storage woes

by ethan » Dec 14th, '16, 17:55

+1 to Emily's advice. I also suggest that when one is not able to appreciate subtlety, it may be a good time for the opposite, such as lapsang souchong or flavored teas.

Dec 16th, '16, 18:12
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Re: tea storage woes

by JAndrews2 » Dec 16th, '16, 18:12

Thank you all for your responses. They've been helpful and encouraging.

Allergies definitely have something to do with it. I've had very little problem with the allergies over the past few months due to finding medicine that works, but there may be more going on underneath than I realize.

Looking back, I think I've also been making lots of separate storage mistakes as I've been moving cities and countries over the past few years. Oh well, I keep learning.

Fortunately puerh doesn't seem to be affected by this problem, at least less than other teas, and I'd be happy limiting myself to puerh if it came to that...

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