When it comes to the more aging, the more flavorful, in the world of tea, drinking aged tea is not only Puerh. The flavor of old white tea after integrating into the time, drinking it once is enough to make you fall in love with it. Therefore, more and more people start to save some white tea, in order to drink, health, wealth…
However, the storage of white tea can not be blind, choose which kind of white tea storage, how to store, how long to store? The most complete knowledge to come.
Which white tea is more suitable for collection?
White teas are generally categorized according to the distribution of buds and leaves into White Hair Silver Needle, Peony and Shou Mei.
White Hair Silver Needle and Peony are fresh and sweet while new, and after storage, they will take on a slight wine aroma and a more pronounced hair flavor.
After Shou Mei is stored, the soup color changes from light yellow to orange to orange-red, and it will have plum, date and medicinal aroma. Shou Mei has fewer buds and more leaves with some tea stalks. The old leaves and tea stalks are richer in contents and very favorable for transformation.
In addition, the tea stalks can also add some gaps to the tea cake, which is good for the breathing of the tea, and the transformation speed will be a little faster. Moreover, relatively speaking, Shou Mei has a high yield, low price and large appreciation space, which is suitable for ordinary consumers to buy for long-term storage.
How long is the best time to store white tea?
Under good storage conditions, white tea has several tasting periods, each with its unique flavor:
The first tasting period: just made out of the new tea is the freshest, aroma with fresh sweet, drink sweet and fresh. At this time the tea, the water faded, coolness is heavy, suitable for shallow taste.
The second drinking period: three to five years or so, at this time the tea in the water taste faded, after the later transformation, its internal quality gradually precipitation, taste tends to stabilize, the sense of thickness, coolness has faded.
The third tasting period: seven to ten years or so, the aroma in the years into an infinite variety of possibilities, the original fragrance into the fragrance of aging, honey, and even the emergence of flowers and fruit, medicinal incense, are possible, and the taste becomes more and more mellow.
Does white tea have a shelf life?
The industry has also been inconclusive about how long tea can actually be stored. But in fact, as long as the white tea is stored under reasonable conditions, there is no problem for decades.
The white tea exported back in the early years, sixty years ago, was found to have a unique flavor when tasted by collectors and experts.
White tea can be stored for a long time, at least twenty years. But this is also for the better quality white tea only makes sense, the key is to pick a good tea, so that the more aged the more fragrant.
In the process of storing white tea, the active enzymes within the tea leaves will continue to work, and after the conversion of the theaflavin and theaflavin by the tea polyphenols, caffeine and theanine in the white tea, the taste and soup color of the white tea will also continue to change.
What should I pay attention to when storing white tea?
▲ Room temperature
White tea does not need to be stored under refrigeration conditions, it can be transformed normally in a room temperature environment. You cannot raise the temperature to accelerate the transformation of white tea, because high temperature will destroy the activity of the tea ingredients and lead to the deterioration of the tea.
▲ Avoid light
Light will oxidize the tea leaves and darken the color, and also decompose the active ingredients in the tea, affecting the taste.
▲ Dryness
Only dry enough tea leaves can be stored for a long period of time without deterioration. Once tea leaves are damp, they are prone to mold and deterioration. Avoid touching the floor and ceiling when storing white tea, otherwise it will easily absorb moisture.
▲ No odor
Tea adsorbs odors easily, so avoid contact with all kinds of smelly items.
▲ Utensils
White tea can be stored in metal cans or ceramic jars, but they need to be well sealed to avoid moisture and absorption of odors.
If stored properly, those insignificant loose tea small bought at the beginning can become valuable gold leaves after a few years.
According to the promulgation of China’s new “White Tea Standard”, white tea can be preserved for a long time with a legal basis.
Recently China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, China Standards Commission issued a notice, the revised new “White Tea Standards” will be formally implemented on May 1, 2018, and its major modifications are the preservation time limit for white tea, the water content increased to 8.5%, and the increase of Shoumei grade standards.
White tea storage conditions should be in accordance with the relevant provisions of GB/T 30375, proper storage, white tea can be preserved for a long time.
As you embark on your white tea collecting journey, remember that choosing the right tea leaves, proper storage methods, and patience are the keys to achieving high quality old white tea. As time passes, carefully preserved white tea not only provides a rich flavor experience, but also becomes a valuable investment. Whether you are looking to enjoy its unique flavor or to increase your wealth in the long run, this knowledge will help you. Let each cup of white tea become a carrier of fond memories, and savor the unique flavor that the years have given it.
