Netizen inquiry: How long can brewed tea be kept? I’m used to brewing a large pitcher at a time and usually finish it over the course of a week. I heard this isn’t good—is that true? Exactly how long can brewed tea be stored?
Chang Hsing’s reply: It depends on whether you keep it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. In the fridge, brewed tea can easily last for up to three days. At room temperature in the summer, however, it’s best to finish it within 2 to 3 hours.
A week is definitely too long. Tea left sitting for too long tends to get cloudy, lose its flavor, and eventually spoil and turn sour.
Brew the tea leaves with hot water, remove the leaves after one hour, and store the tea in the refrigerator. If left at room temperature, brewed tea is prone to spoiling, turning sour, and going bad, so it’s best to finish it as quickly as possible. Taking my method of brewing a large pitcher as an example, I brew the tea at night, take out the leaves after a one-hour steep, and then place the tea in the fridge. This way, I can enjoy a great cup of tea the next day—and finishing it the very next day ensures the best quality.
Some people also steep the tea leaves overnight, commonly known as overnight tea. Just remember that it must be refrigerated, and the leaves should be taken out the next day. Leaving the leaves to steep indefinitely not only makes the tea bitter and unpalatable, but prolonged soaking also causes the leaves to decay, giving the tea a spoiled, sour odor.