What container should be used to store tea

Tea cans play an important role in preserving tea leaves. Good preservation can keep the tea leaves for longer and keep them in a dry state. There are many types of tea cans, including purple clay cans, metal cans, etc. Purple clay cans are more high-end tea sets for storing tea, and are more suitable for black tea and dark tea, as they have better air permeability. Let’s take a look at this aspect.

What container should tea be stored in?

1. Purple clay pot

Tea suitable for preservation: black tea and dark tea.

Advantages: high breathability and beautiful shape.

Disadvantages: fragile, takes up space, and relatively expensive.

Suggestion: Since purple clay pots are fired and often have a burnt smell, it is recommended to process them first. Wash the newly bought purple clay pot inside and out with clean water, soak it in clean water for a week (the water needs to be changed), then expose it to the sun until it is completely dry, and finally let it cool for 2 days. After this treatment, there is basically no odor and it can be used to store tea.

If there is still an odor after treatment, you need to consider whether there is a problem with the purple clay jar, such as it has been chemically treated or is not made of pure purple clay.

Ceramic jars can also be used to store black tea and dark tea. They have average sealing properties and are good at preventing light and moisture. But its biggest disadvantage is that it is not durable and fragile, and is more suitable for playing with and viewing.

2. Metal cans

Tea suitable for preservation: If it is a tin can, it is mostly used to store green tea, oolong tea, and yellow tea, but it is easy to deform; if it is an iron can, basically all kinds of tea are suitable. The sealing is average and the light protection performance is good, but the moisture resistance is poor, and there is a risk of rust over time. It is not recommended to store precious tea in iron cans.

Advantages: Good sealing, easy to carry, a good choice for storing small amounts of drinking tea at home and for use when going out.

Disadvantages: It is greatly affected by the external environment and has poor heat insulation, which can easily cause high temperature to damage the tea without being noticed. Sealing is not conducive to the aging of post-fermented tea (Pu'er tea, etc.).

Recommendation: Iron cans, tin cans, etc. are all metal cans. Since they contain oil stains during manufacturing, it is recommended to wash them thoroughly and dry them.

3. Pottery jars

Tea suitable for preservation: black tea and dark tea.

Advantages: breathable, cheap.

Disadvantages: fragile and takes up space.

Recommendation: It is best not to choose one with glazed inner wall, because the glaze on the inner wall is not conducive to air permeability. The processing method is the same as that of purple clay pots.

4. Porcelain jar

Tea suitable for preservation: green tea, oolong tea, and yellow tea.

Advantages: beautiful shape, exquisite style, good sealing, freshness preservation and environmental protection. It is a good choice for storing small amounts of tea.

Disadvantages: fragile, expensive, condensation easily forms on the tank wall. Sealing is not conducive to the aging of post-fermented tea.

Recommendation: Porcelain jars usually have rubber sealing rings. Do not expose them directly to the sun to avoid aging of the rubber rings. Generally, it can be cleaned with water. If there are oil stains, just use detergent to clean it, and then put it in a cool place to air dry.

5. Plastic cans

Tea suitable for preservation: Except for post-fermented black tea, all other teas are acceptable. Tea is not suitable for long-term preservation.

Advantages: good sealing, easy to carry, cheap, suitable for short-term storage.

Disadvantages: It has a plastic smell and will produce odor due to sealing and temperature.

Recommendation: Mainly consider the length of the tea storage period. Short-term storage is acceptable, but long-term storage is not recommended.