How do you store your samples?

35 Replies
Dr Jim said

I’ve got to confess mine are just all jumbled together in a big cardboard box. I pull a few out every few days to take to work or the kitchen where I can access them better.

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yssah said

ziplocked (sometimes doubled if strongly scented), paperbagged (to keep light out and for labeling) by swapper for now coz i havent organized by kinds of tea

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Niko said

I store them in minigrip-bags, which are airtight resealable bags. Its one of best inventions ever!

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sandra said

i store them in mini zip bags and keep them in plastic containers.

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Artp said

My mentor gave me 2 beautiful black faux leather tea chests from Amanzi that has 9 separated boxes. So I sort my samples and swaps in them- I’d be willing to post pics if I knew how

yssah said

upload it to an onine photo album and post the link here. or post the amanzi website link :)

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I store mine double bagged in a couple “Whitman’s sampler” chocolate boxes. I take a crumbled up newspaper and put it in the box for about a week to get rid of the Chocolate smell. Then it works fine for my samples. Now my aunt has a couple “Whitman sampler” tins. I’m not sure if they make those anymore, but I’m going to keep my eyes open for a few, I would love to have some.

Lynxiebrat said

Check antique stores, though they might be outrageously priced. Ebay, Craigslist and Etsy all might yield some interesting finds.

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Lynxiebrat said

I just sorted my samples all into a bigger box, as the one I had them in…..was getting really full. This one is the size of a shoe box. For the most part I keep them in whatever container they came in. All of the teas I have gotten in swaps are also together so I can better remember to review them.

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yssah said

i was just wondering…for those tins that do leak water (meaning they may not be too airtight) would it be good to put a cloth on top to kinda tighten the seal somewhat?

Barbara said

I don’t think that would really help. Think about how goretex works for example: holes that are tiny enough to bar water from coming through, but large enough to let water vapour pass. Even goretex isn’t airtight (and not meant to be) although it is watertight.

Btw: is it really necessary to store tea airtight? I don’t suppose it was stored airtight in past centuries. Cool, dark and dry seem more important.

cteresa said

I think for flavoured teas yes, airtight is very important and also for green tea in general – and particularly flavoured greens.

The traditional tea which handled long trips and less than ideal shipping conditions (camel caravans, year long trips in ship holds) was black tea (or pu-ehr of course) which is also the tea which handles ageing and non ideal conditions better. And the traditional flavours for black tea (bergamot, lychee, smoke) were very strong indeed and to help overcome other smells. Maybe the reason why black tea became the most popular tea in the west is just because of that, it handled ageing and moisture better than green tea.

Barbara said

Now that you say it, I remember reading something like that! :-)

Have you ever wondered what a ‘fresh’ orange tasted like in the 18th century, after having been underway for months, lol…??

yssah said

ah, Barbara, that is a very scientific answer! not at all what i was expecting but cool nevertheless :D

i think i would settle for watertight = airtight enough for tea.

so…other thoughts on how to remedy “airtight” but non-watertight containers?

Barbara said

On a less scientific level … :-) …. Perhaps you could tape the seams/edges?

Barbara said

Yesterday I rinsed a tin and encountered the same problem; water trickling slowly out of one corner. The place of the leak is such that you wouldn’t be able to tape it without serious esthetic ‘damage’ :-) Perhaps however that a dot of colourless liquid glue would close the seam. After drying it should be hardly visible I’d think.
Btw: I won’t be trying this myself, as I think the air tightness is still adequate.

@barb. I am considering using wax on the inside of tins that “leak” such as this.

Barbara said

Hey Kasumi, my first thought was that that would be even better. On second thought however I doubt that wax will ‘stick’ to the tin tight enough… But that’s only a thought. If you try it out, I’d like to hear how it went…

sure. I’ll be using beeswax when I do. I’ll try to remember to post it. :)

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T.C. said

looks good, just wondering if the seals may pick up some aromas…

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Make sure you separate out teas with Cinnamon.. They’ll make all of your samples taste of cinnamon unless they are double or triple bagged.

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