Store Your Spiced Tea Right! Here's How…

How does a regular Indian family start their normal day?

A pot of chai boiling on the stove and bubbles rising above it along with a strong aroma taking over all your senses. “Chai.” It never fails to elate us,with its aroma infusing the air and spreading a refreshingly fragrant message of its arrival.

But as we see it today, chai has undergone a lot of changes in the 5000 years of Indian and Asian civilisation to become our all-time favourite beverage. Many ancient cultures used spices combined with water to create medicinal infusions and treatments. The earliest variant closest to chai was in the form of Kadha. It was only in the 1800s that this all-season beverage was mixed with black tea leaves, milk and sweetener which today is referred to as ‘masala chai.’

Interesting? You can read more about the history of masala chai in an earlier blog.

Why does storing tea matter?

We have all come across cases where our tea has tasted a bit off or stale at times. Though tea doesn’t expire, storing it improperly can easily alter the overall flavour and aroma.

Moreover, the shelf life of every tea is very different. It depends on various aspects like the type of tea and how it was produced and how it is stored. For instance, white or green tea has the shortest lifespan and can be used for up to a year if handled well. On the other hand, flavoured teas with lemon, herbs or spices can last from six months to a year. And darker teas like oolong or black tea can last for 1-2 years or even more.

Now that we know how much spiced tea or any other tea can last, let's understand how to store it properly to make it last longer. You can also buy spiced tea online from our store!

1. Store tea in airtight jars

Tea is hygroscopic meaning it is prone to absorb moisture from the air and release its flavour when exposed to moisture. As the creators of the best online tea in India, we suggest storing tea in a dry environment away from moisture or damp areas.

To restrict exposure, teas should always be stored in an airtight container or bag, flask, metal case and even wooden box. When storing in a bag make sure that it is resealable. When using a jar, tin, stainless steel or ceramic are recommended as materials for the jars. The best containers are usually airtight metal ones.

2. Store tea away from light and heat

Light exposure can degrade your tea and impact its freshness and quality. Light and heat speed up the oxidation process and hence significantly affects the taste and quality of tea. A clear canister may make your tea look pretty but direct exposure to sunlight or heat from stove top and ovens can bleach the tea and even result in a metallic taste.

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Know Your Black Tea, Say Experts at Top Tea Company

A beverage that is healthy and easy to make! A beverage that is refreshing and yet has less caffeine than its cousin coffee…

Make way for this friendly neighbourhood beverage, black tea!

Harvested from the Camellia sinensis plant and made out of actual leaves, it is known for its various health benefits, as reported by independent studies.

Black tea owes its origin to China. Its production was spread to other countries when Scottish and English entrepreneurs and adventurers went to China and “borrowed” tea plants (If you know you know). The only teas believed to be consumed till the 17th century were green and oolong tea. It was only when the Chinese began fermentation of teas to extend their shelf life, that it produced an oxidised and darker version of the leaves which came to be known as ‘black tea.’

While the Europeans did it the hard way, you can get it delivered right at your doorsteps. Buy black tea online from the top tea company in India and enjoy this tea in the comfort of your home.

How black tea becomes ‘black’ tea!

Four steps are put to use in making black tea and transforming fresh, green leaves into a dark and rich infusion to fill your cup. The quality of a finished tea depends on when and for how long the following steps are applied.

Step 1: Withering

Freshly harvested tea leaves are scattered across metal tracks in an even layer, and the air is pulled and pushed across the leaves using fans. Conventionally, this process was conducted outdoors where leaves were dried through air and sunlight. However, nowadays, depending on the ambient conditions, the leaves are processed inside and are kept aside to wilt/wither for 10 to 14 hours. Humidity is carefully supervised and the desired amount of moisture loss is achieved in order to create the desired flavour.

Step 2: Rolling (Orthodox approach)

The main idea behind rolling is to damage the cell walls or the external layer of leaves. This is done to scatter moisture evenly on the walls of the leaves. Juices stored inside the leaves are extracted by twisting and pressing the leaves. This way enzymes inside the leaf are exposed to the outside air, speeding up the next few steps! This process is time-consuming and here leaves remain whole or partially broken.

CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl) approach

Here, the tea leaves are not rolled but cut into fine pieces instead. An array of cylindrical rollers with sharp teeth break the leaves into extremely small pieces. These smaller pieces react quickly with air (more on that later) resulting in a strong and bold black tea. We often find CTC black tea in bags. Not only black tea, but the CTC approach is used to create Wagh Bakri Green Tea as well.

Step 3: Oxidise

Oxidation is a natural method of processing that occurs when leaves are exposed to oxygen to dry and darken them. In this step, enzymes break down the cell walls of leaves turning them brown. Leaves may be left to oxidise for up to eight hours, affecting their colour as well as flavour. Black tea is oxidised up to 80% and has a more earthy, astringent tinge This step also affects the caffeine content in black tea, making it an excellent alternative to coffee for the caffeine.

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