We all know that the best part of the morning, as you sleepily make your way into the office, is the promise of a freshly brewed, piping hot coffee, or tea. From the mouthwatering scent of the coffee beans grinding, or the daily dilemma of whether to opt for herbal or black tea, there truly is nothing better than moseying back to your desk with your mug as you prepare to begin your day.
However, you wouldn’t want this daily ritual ruined by your coffee or tea wrongfully stored, as this can lead to such issues as a lacklustre flavour, or sped up expiration dates. We talk you through how to keep your coffee and tea flavourful and long-lasting via proper storage inside your office, to ensure nothing gets between you and your daily cuppa.
Don’t Mix With Moisture And Keep To The Shadows
The number one rule when it comes to keeping your coffee and teas fresh is to keep them away from moisture. When they come into contact with it, an unpleasant result is produced, mould. This is why it’s vital to store your tea, whether it’s loose-leaf or bagged, in an airtight container such as Tupperware. Don’t confuse keeping your tea cool, with keeping it cold, a teabag’s worst nightmare is being placed in the fridge.
However, whilst the fridge is a firm no for tea storage, you can store them inside the freezer for as l0ng as a month to keep fresh; just as long as they are kept as airtight as possible. So, if you’re off for your end of year break, you’ll have fresh tea awaiting you when you return back for a new year of spreadsheets and emails.
The same goes for your beans, when they’re not being ground in the coffee machine for your morning cup of joe, they should be kept away from anything damp. Your beans should be stored in an airtight container with an opaque colour, as even though beans can provide some chic decor to your office kitchen, a clear canister will let in too much light and lead to a spoilt flavour. Coffee and tea should be placed inside your office kitchens cupboard storage, away from the dangers of light and heat.
Away With Odors
It may be an exciting day when you get to bring last night’s bolognese leftovers into the office for today’s lunch, or perhaps a colleague has brought in the famous curry that they’re always raving about, but unless you want your tea having notes of camomile, vanilla, and stewed lamb, it’s important to keep the two separate.
Coffee and tea are both hygroscopic, meaning they retain moisture and scents easily. So if you store your beans and teabags with highly odorous meals, you’ll find that your office refreshments retain some of those flavours. Ensuring that your office has a separate room temperature storage option to keep your coffee and tea flavours fresh and untouched by outside elements is imperative. It will ensure the entire office stays happier for longer and you won’t be at risk of bringing your boss a coffee with the lingering taste of your mushroom risotto.
Don’t Over Purchase
Whilst it can be tempting to request an abundance of coffee beans and fresh tea varieties during the monthly office essentials purchase, ensuring you only acquire an amount you can feasibly drink is imperative. Having a plethora of coffee and tea options may sound incredible in theory, but it just leads to waste. As the refreshments wain, a new purchase will be made, leaving you inevitably with old beans and teabags with an ageing flavour, forever at the bottom of the container, never being picked, or even sullying the flavour of the fresher counterparts. Keep your coffee beans and tea bags fresh, and your colleagues happy by purchasing in moderation.
Your daily cuppa is an integral part of your daily life in the office. It keeps you moving, motivated, and alert, but most importantly, keeps everyone happy. So, no matter what your pick is, whether it’s a deep Columbian roast or light and fresh peppermint flavour, knowing how to properly store your coffee and tea inside your workplace is essential.
