Long time storage: fridge or freezer?

[Ritva]

How do you store tea for a longer time? I've read in many places that fridge is good for storing unopened packages. However, if I keep garlic or onion containing food in my fridge, there can be some odour lingering around. It feels risky to put high grade tea to fridge, even though it would be in unopened packages. Maiko recommends freezing tea. My freezer is more odour-free than my fridge, but what do you think about freezing tea? Would it be better to store tea in the fridge with the risk of occasional strong odours or use the freezer?

[Chip]

However, if I keep garlic or onion containing food in my fridge, there can be some odour lingering around. It feels risky to put high grade tea to fridge, even though it would be in unopened packages. Maiko recommends freezing tea. My freezer is more odour-free than my fridge, but what do you think about freezing tea? Would it be better to store tea in the fridge with the risk of occasional strong odours or use the freezer?

Dude...you need a TeaFridge... All kool kats have one.

Freezing freaks me out a bit, but Zencha also supposedly recommends long term freezing of shincha to maintain better freshness vs just refridgerating.

I never tried it, and I am not planning on adding a TeaFreezer.

[olivierco]

Dude...you need a TeaFridge...

I store my unopened packages in hermetic plastic boxes in my fridge and no problem of odor transfered (even if I very often eat some cheeses as Maroilles).

[Chip]

Dude...you need a TeaFridge...

I store my unopened packages in hermetic plastic boxes in my fridge and no problem of odor transfered (even if I very often eat some cheeses as Maroilles).

And this is why one should avoid buying sencha from a Frenchman, all their tea smells like smelly cheese.

[olivierco]

Dude...you need a TeaFridge...

I store my unopened packages in hermetic plastic boxes in my fridge and no problem of odor transfered (even if I very often eat some cheeses as Maroilles).

And this is why one should avoid buying sencha from a Frenchman, all their tea smells like smelly cheese.

Don't you want to try some cheesamushi sencha?

[Chip]

Don't you want to try some cheesamushi sencha?

Is that cheese flavored, or tradtionally/naturally cheese scented by layering Maroilles with fresh picked sencha leaves 12 consecutive nights!

[Ritva]

Dude...you need a TeaFridge...

I store my unopened packages in hermetic plastic boxes in my fridge and no problem of odor transfered (even if I very often eat some cheeses as Maroilles).

And this is why one should avoid buying sencha from a Frenchman, all their tea smells like smelly cheese.

Oh dear, and I was going to visit Mariage Freres when I go to Paris in July... Must reconsider that

And yes, I've read about the famous TeaFridge...

[Chip]

Oh dear, and I was going to visit Mariage Freres when I go to Paris in July... Must reconsider that

And yes, I've read about the famous TeaFridge...

...infamous TeaFridge!!!

Yes, avoid french tea shops and cafes...

[battra]

An unopened package shouldn't let a single oxygen molecule pass through, much less odors (which are far bigger molecules) - I think it is safe to store the packages in the fridge. But it would of course be more or less smelly on the outside, so it might be most safe to transfer the tea from the package to a canister when opened...

I would be more concerned about what might happen to tea in a freezer (since tea leaves does contain water), though I haven't tried either of these methods.