Pu'er Tea has very high collection value, especially the tea cakes, which are collected by many people. Like other collectibles, its value increases with time. However, Pu'er tea has a special phenomenon known as “white frost,” which is extremely similar to mold. If one cannot distinguish between the two, it can be a significant obstacle for tea enthusiasts. So, how can one determine if Pu'er tea has molded?

Here are some methods to identify whether Pu'er tea has become moist:

1. Observe the Tea Cake Strands

To determine if a Pu'er tea cake has become moist, the most basic method is to observe the tea cake strands. Generally, Pu'er tea cakes that have naturally aged in storage will have a dark, lustrous appearance with clear and distinct strands.

A moistened Pu'er tea cake will lose its luster and may even develop mold spots. The strands can become soft and mushy due to moisture, losing their clear, glossy appearance. The color of the buds will also appear unnatural and dull, lacking vitality.

2. Feel the Dry Tea with Your Hands

Pu'er tea is a Compressed tea with thick strands. If the tea is sufficiently dry, pressing it with your hands will cause the strands to crumble; breaking it will produce a crisp sound, indicating low water content and minimal moisture.

If the strands feel soft when pressed and retain their original shape without breaking easily, the tea has likely become moist. This tactile sensation is quite noticeable and easy to judge.

3. Smell the Dry Tea Aroma

Smelling the aroma is an important method to identify the storage conditions of Pu'er tea. Normally stored Pu'er tea has a faint, pleasant fragrance with a slightly aged scent. For teas from unique regions such as the Bulang Mountain area, the wild, floral, or honey-like aromas are particularly evident, uplifting the spirit.

If the tea cake has become moist, its natural aroma will be suppressed. Due to prolonged exposure to high temperature and humidity, the tea's fragrance is restrained. If the moisture level is severe, there may be a musty smell that is difficult to tolerate.

4. Infuse and Taste the Tea

If the first three points do not provide enough information about the storage conditions of the Pu'er tea, you must rely on the taste of the infusion. Typically, well-stored Pu'er tea has a rich and full-bodied infusion with quick saliva generation and a lingering sweetness, the infusion is vibrant and complex.

Moistened Pu'er tea will have fragments suspended in the infusion, which appears dull and murky. After being steeped at high temperatures, any moldy odor is more pronounced, almost masking the tea's natural aroma. The taste is bland, the texture is rough, bitterness and astringency linger, and the throat feels dry, tight, and irritated.

What to Do If a Pu'er Tea Cake Becomes Moist

1. Dry it with fire. Place paper on the stove and spread out the tea cakes evenly. Use gentle heat to dry them, but be careful not to expose them to heavy smoke or moisture. For large quantities, consider using solar drying.

2. Air-dry in a well-ventilated area. Do not directly expose moistened Pu'er tea cakes to sunlight; instead, place them in a well-ventilated area to allow natural wind to dissipate the mustiness.

3. Increase air circulation in the tea room. On humid days, lay newspapers on the floor, turn on a dehumidifier, fan, or air conditioner to increase air circulation and provide a well-ventilated environment for the tea cakes.

4. Classify and dry moistened tea cakes. After a tea cake becomes moist, assess the degree of moisture immediately. Categorize the cakes based on whether they are slightly moist or severely moldy. For slightly moist cakes, increasing air circulation is sufficient. For severely moist cakes, promptly use heat to dry them. For cakes with visible mold, gently tap them with a dry cloth to remove the mold before drying.

5. Maintain a well-ventilated and illuminated environment in the tea room. At all times, the environment in the tea storage room should be well-ventilated and illuminated. Pu'er tea cakes should be kept separately rather than bundled together to prevent mold growth.

6. Discard excessively moist tea cakes. If a Pu'er tea cake has become severely moist with green or black mold, it should be discarded immediately. Severely moist and spoiled Pu'er tea cakes can harm human health and spread mold to other cakes, so they should be discarded promptly.