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Step 1
Choose your green teas locally if possible. If you have a local tea or coffee store in your area, visit and spend some time breathing in the scent of fresh green tea leaves to determine their odor. Another place to find loose leaf, fresh green tea leaves is at some natural food markets.
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Step 2
Smell green tea leaves before buying them. The best way to do this is to close your eyes and take a deep breath to inhale the full aroma of the tea leaves. You should be able to characterize the aroma as sweet or grassy in nature. If you detect no aroma at all, chances are the tea leaves are old and you'll want to avoid buying them. You nose can be an excellent indicator as to the freshness of green tea leaves.
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Step 3
An even better indicator of whether you're dealing with fresh green tea leaves is taste. If you're buying your tea from a tea or coffee store, you may be given the chance to sample the tea before purchasing. If you're allowed a sample, check the color of the tea before tasting. Higher quality green teas tend to be a light green in color. If the tea you're considering brews up golden or brown in color, you know you're dealing with a lower quality green tea. But don't rule it out based on color. Some people enjoy the more robust flavor of green teas of lesser quality.
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Step 4
When you taste a green tea sample, the tea should taste clean. The best green teas usually strike a balance between grassy green undertones and astringent qualities. Higher quality green teas should taste light and clear, not bitter. The more green teas you sample, the more skilled you'll become at detecting their quality and freshness.
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Step 5
Buy green tea leaves in small quantities. Most green tea leaves have a shelf life of around six months and once opened, the shelf life can be as short as three months. Don't get stuck with less than fresh green tea leaves.
