"How do I store my matcha to preserve it's freshness?"
This is one of the most commonly asked questions as matcha is a delicate ingredient that requires more care than your typical ingredients.
At Astrid Tea, we focus on small-batch production to ensure that you always have the freshest tea available to you. Generally we recommend that you consume your matcha within opening in the first 3 weeks. After that, the product integrity begins to decline and we can no longer guarantee the same potency in fragrance, taste, and color due to the nature of matcha itself.
Matcha is a delicate ingredient that begins to degrade as soon as it's ground and is exposed to oxygen in the air. Because matcha is a ground form of green tea, it's increased surface area allows for rapid oxidation. After 3 weeks, matcha typically begins to lose some vibrancy and fragrance. After 6 months, much of the health benefits that matcha provides are gone and the flavor of matcha will have dramatically decreased.
How do I know if my matcha has gone bad?
There are few signs to look for:
- Color: the color of your matcha has turned dull and has begun to skew yellow
- Flavor: your matcha has begun to take on a bitter taste and astringency is quite pronounced.
- Fragrance: the smell of your matcha is no longer fresh, vegetal, floral or nutty notes but now smells musty.
How do I store my matcha once I receive it?
We recommend immediate consumption upon arrival and to complete consumption as fast as possible. Be sure to store your matcha in an airtight container in a dark and cool environment. Matcha is highly sensitive to humidity, light, temperature, and odors.
You can optionally store your matcha in a fridge or freezer upon arrival if you don't consume immediately. However, be sure to allow your matcha to come to room temperature. A sudden change in temperature will allow the humidity to rush into your container which will degrade your matcha even faster.
When stored properly, matcha can be preserved up to 6-12 months from the date it was ground. For optimal taste, please consume quickly and buy in smaller quantities more frequently.
