Tea Forms, Grades & Storage

## Loose Leaf vs. Bagged/Sachet\n\nWhen stocking tea for service, the first practical choice is the format:\n\n- **Loose leaf** — whole or broken leaves sold by weight. Leaves have more room to expand and release flavor, generally giving a fuller, more nuanced cup.

Requires an infuser, basket, or teapot, and a scale or measuring spoon for consistent dosing. Higher perceived value, but slower to prep and portion.\n- **Bagged tea** — pre-portioned leaf (often fannings or dust, the smaller leaf grades) sealed in a paper or mesh bag. Fast, consistent, and low-waste for high-volume service, but the smaller particle size can extract faster and turn bitter if oversteeped.\n- **Sachets/pyramid bags** — a middle ground: whole or large-leaf pieces in a larger mesh pyramid, giving leaves more room to unfurl than a flat bag while keeping the convenience of a single-serve format.

Priced and perceived closer to loose leaf.\n\nFor a coffee-and-tea program, a common approach is loose leaf for a signature or premium tea menu, and pyramid sachets for standard by-the-cup service.\n\n## Common Grading Language\n\nGrading terms describe leaf size and appearance, not flavor quality on their own — they mainly help you predict brew strength, speed, and consistency when buying or reordering:\n\n- **Whole leaf** — largest, most intact leaves; slower, gentler extraction.\n- **Broken leaf (BOP and similar broken grades)** — smaller pieces than whole leaf; brews faster and stronger, common in many black teas.\n- **Fannings** — small leaf fragments left after sorting whole/broken leaf; used in most standard bagged tea for quick, strong, consistent extraction.\n- **Dust** — the finest particles; very fast, strong extraction, typically used in economy bagged tea.\n\nWhen comparing suppliers or reordering, matching the grade (not just the tea name) helps keep brew strength and steep times consistent across batches.\n\n## Storage for Freshness\n\nTea absorbs moisture and odors readily and its flavor compounds degrade with light and heat, so proper storage protects the investment:\n\n- **Away from light** — store in opaque, airtight containers; sunlight and even bright kitchen light fade flavor and color over time.\n- **Away from heat** — keep away from ovens, espresso machines, and direct sun exposure near windows; heat accelerates flavor loss.\n- **Away from moisture** — humidity causes clumping, mold risk, and flavor dilution; keep containers sealed and away from steam sources (dishwashers, brewing stations).\n- **Away from strong odors** — tea readily absorbs surrounding smells; never store near coffee, spices, or cleaning chemicals.\n\n## Freshness Window\n\nAs a general stocking guideline (adjust per supplier specs):\n\n- **Green and white teas** — best within about 6–12 months of production; more delicate and quicker to fade.\n- **Black and oolong teas** — generally hold well for 1–2 years when stored properly.\n- **Pu-erh and other aged/fermented teas** — designed to improve with age over years when stored correctly; an exception to the «use it fresh» rule.\n\nPractical stocking tip: label opened containers with the date opened, rotate stock first-in-first-out, and buy loose leaf in quantities your bar will use within a few months rather than bulk quantities that will sit and fade.