As a Tea lover, you certainly don't want your precious teas to be ruined. However, with spring's arrival, rainy and humid weather is back to cause trouble! Many tea lovers in the southern regions have already felt the dampness.

Moisture is the greatest enemy of tea. If not careful, tea can easily become damp, affecting its aroma, taste, and even leading to mold. So, as a tea enthusiast, how should you save your beloved teas?

### Storing Tea in Humid Weather

#### Tea Storage Environment

The storage of tea should follow the principle of being “off the ground and away from walls.” To avoid the tea absorbing unwanted odors, odorless desiccants such as bamboo charcoal can be placed in the storage space.

Families with the means can designate a room specifically for tea storage. This room should not be located in a basement or on the first floor, and it's best not to lay tiles in the room to prevent excessive humidity. Alternatively, one can choose to store tea in a tea warehouse, with windows preferably facing east or north.

#### Sealing and Ventilation

Some teas can be stored in a sealed environment. For example, green tea, Yellow Tea, and new white tea, which have lower fermentation levels, need to be kept in a low-temperature environment to maintain their fresh and brisk taste. They can be stored in a refrigerator, with the temperature ideally controlled between 0°C and 5°C, while also avoiding the absorption of unwanted odors.

On the other hand, teas like Pu'er and dark tea require exposure to air to undergo better transformation and should thus avoid being sealed.

If the tea storage room is relatively cool and dry, keep doors and windows closed during humid weather. If the room is quite damp, ventilation is needed to make the environment relatively drier. It's best to expose the tea or open windows when the outdoor humidity is below 65%.

The ideal humidity level for storing tea is between 30% and 40%. If possible, equip the tea storage room with a hygrometer and dehumidifier to monitor the humidity and dehumidify when necessary.

• Dehumidify when the relative humidity in the warehouse exceeds 80%.
• For green tea, yellow tea, black tea, Oolong tea, and white tea: Maintain humidity below 50%.
• For dark tea: Maintain humidity between 40% and 60%.
• For Pu'er tea: Maintain humidity below 65%.

#### Packaging of Tea

After opening, tea cakes should be properly wrapped in kraft paper and checked for airtightness before being stored indoors.

Loose tea, due to its loose form and larger surface area exposed to air and moisture, should be stored in Ceramic containers. Otherwise, using a purple clay jar could lead to the tea becoming damp.

Avoid frequent opening of containers to prevent moisture from entering.

### How to Identify If Tea Has Become Damp

First, observe the appearance of the tea. If severely damp, white mold spots may appear on the surface of the tea, indicating that it should be discarded.

Second, smell the tea and judge by touch. Slightly damp tea will have a slight off-Odor and feel softer, making it difficult to break. In contrast, undampened tea feels dry and crisp.

Third, taste the tea. Some dampened teas may not show obvious signs, but experienced tea drinkers or those with sensitive palates can detect differences through tasting.

### Can Dampened Tea Be Salvaged?

If the tea has molded, it must be discarded. However, if the tea is only slightly damp without any moldy smell or spots, it can still be salvaged, although the taste will differ from undampened tea.

When tea becomes damp, it should be handled promptly. Place the tea in an iron sieve or wok and gently warm it over a low flame, keeping the temperature between 40°C and 60°C. Stir frequently while drying. After removing the dampness, spread the tea out on a table or board to cool before storing. Avoid using newspaper as a base for drying, as the tea might absorb the ink and lead from the paper.

Alternatively, the tea can be sun-dried or dried in a microwave, but do not overdo the drying time to prevent excessive loss of moisture, which can affect the quality of the tea.

After salvaging the tea or when storing well-dried tea, avoid placing it near damp or moldy items.

Storing tea seems simple but requires attention to detail. To ensure no mistakes are made and no inconvenience is spared, good tea can retain its original state. May the rich aroma of tea remain after the passage of time.

Do you have any other good tips for storing tea in humid weather? Feel free to share them in the comments section!

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