I recently came into possession of 12 boxes of Tazo “Awake” black tea: 288 teabags in all. I’d love to share it with my co-workers but it’s over a year past its stamped sell-by date (02 June 2008). It tastes OK to me, though my tea-palate is nothing special. Would it be impolite to offer it to others? Offered with a disclaimer? “Here take my expired castoff tea?”
What do you think? If I offered you some of this tea, would you take it?
Thanks in advance,
E.
Yes, I’d take it. It’s tea, after all, not hamburger. I’d think the worst that would happen would be that the flavor isn’t as good.
I’m not familiar with that brand, but don’t tea bags usually contain “tea dust” (i.e., tasty but not the highest-quality stuff)? In any case, I would give them a try.
Also, is the date marked as a “sell-by” date or an “expiration” date? In my experience, a “sell-by” date is used to ensure fresh stock on the shelves, and doesn’t necessarily indicate a point at which the product will go bad.
I have teabags that go back to the Boston Tea Party days (ha-ha), stored in a tin, and the tea tastes fine to me. Maybe to an expert they taste ‘stale’? but they can’t spoil or turn rancid if kept dry.
My mother has some Twinings Earl Grey that dates back to before they changed their packaging a few years ago. In fact they now have a sell by date on the packages but her box does not. The tea seems to be less flavorfull than new tea but not too bad. I think you are fine.
I’m not a tea drinker, but if you put anything in it like sugar or milk, then if it is stale that would mask it.
Tea, like coffee and spices and dried herbs, have better flavor the fresher they are. Unless they grow mold or something, however, they don’t go bad. Sell-by dates on pantry items like this are helpful in rotating stock on shelves, and for prompting consumers to throw out unspoiled product and buy more. The food industry has made a mint since everything produced now has a “sell by” or “best by” date stamped on it.
If you made a cup of tea with the Tazo you have, and a cup with some Tazo straight off the production line, the newer tea might have a stronger, fresher flavor. But, if the tea you have on hand tastes OK, then it *is *OK. Maybe not optimal, but OK.
What Claire said.
I would love to take some off the hands of someone who offered it. I drink a lot of tea.
Thanks, everyone. I’ll offer the tea (disclosing the date) guilt-free.