Does black tea expire?

4 responses so far ↓

• 1 xxrosemary2007xx // Jul, 2008

  if it stays dry it will be fine…

• 2 epic_laydown // Jul, 2008

  as long as stored in a cool dry place, it will be fine. I dug up some really old (about 10 years old) oolong tea. I tried it hesitantly, but it turned out to still retain it's flavors. And i didn't get sick which was a bonus.

• 3 sue // Jul, 2008

  all teas should be stored in airtight containers so the light doesn't get to them. That destroys the flavor faster than anything else.

  There is no reason for any dry herb, tea, or anything else to give anyone a problem. Just sometimes they lose their flavor!

• 4 Jan W // Jul, 2008

  Black teas can last for a long time.

  In fact, black tea was developed specifically for having a long shelf-life. The Chinese didn't drink black tea, only green tea and oolong, but none of those would survive the long sea voyage to Europe in the days of sailing ships. But the fully oxidized black tea would.

  That doesn't mean that it lasts forever, and after about a year there's a real risk of the tea in an open package losing its flavor. If the tea is stored in a dark, dry, cool place, and in an airtight container, it can last much longer before the flavor evaporates or is broken down.

  So to answer your question, black tea does expire, but it can take a long time.

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