Tea
must be kept dry. The best container is a metal box with a double
lid, or a glass bottle with a tight cover. Better yet, one that is
lightproof. In a store, loose tea keeps better than that packed in
tins or boxes because it has a larger bulk. Some tea comes wrapped
in tinfoil and boxed. If you expect to use it all in a month or two,
it is all right to leave it in the original bag. Oolong tea (with
2-3 percent moisture compared to 5-7 percent in others) keeps
longer. if tea gets damp you can spread it out in a pan and dry it
in the oven.
Store tea in a cool, dry place, preferably well-ventilated. Tea
absorbs other odors easily, so never keep it in a closet with
mothballs or other strong-smelling substances. Once tea is tainted
by an outside odor, it cannot be salvaged. One Guangdong tea shop
owner is so particular about odors that he will not allow his
employees to eat scallions or wear perfume in his establishment.
