Pu'er Tea storage

While there have always been advocates stating that Pu'er tea is meant for drinking, and should not be subject to speculation or investment collection, the reality that Pu'er tea can be stored long-term and increase in value has made it a commodity worth investing in and collecting. High-quality and well-known Pu'er teas from 2005 have appreciated more than 20 times in value by now, with the best ones increasing over 100 times. There is significant potential for appreciation in Pu'er tea investment and collection, but this is predicated on having good storage conditions. If stored improperly, even after many years, the tea may not be enjoyable to drink, and thus will not have much room for appreciation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Storage Methods for Pu'er Tea

The main storage methods for Pu'er tea include: natural storage, humid storage, sealed humidity-controlled storage, and sealed constant temperature and humidity storage.

Humid storage refers to artificially creating a high-temperature and high-humidity storage environment, providing favorable temperature and humidity conditions for microbial activity, allowing the tea to ferment faster (usually within 2 to 5 years). For example, using tin-roofed buildings, watering the warehouse floor, or storing the tea in air-raid shelters. Humid storage fermentation is similar to the fermentation process used for ripe tea, primarily relying on microorganisms to break down the substances within the tea, reducing bitterness and astringency, and turning the infusion color red. The degree of fermentation in humid storage is generally lower than that of ripe tea.

The disadvantages of humid-stored tea: Freshly processed humid-stored tea often displays obvious white mold and has a noticeable musty Odor. Drinking it can easily cause dryness and bitterness in the throat. If harmful bacteria appear during the fermentation process, the tea is unsuitable for consumption. The advantage of humid-stored tea is that it can quickly change the bitterness, astringency, and infusion color of Pu'er tea. Since the fermentation level is usually lower than that of ripe tea made through pile fermentation, if the tea is stored for an adequate period (over ten years) and successfully transitions out of humid storage, the sensation of constriction in the throat disappears, the infusion becomes bright red, sweet and smooth, with a returning Sweetness, and exhibits more vitality compared to ripe tea.

Natural storage refers to storing Pu'er tea under natural conditions without artificially creating or altering the storage conditions. Since the 1990s, influenced by the fermentation theory, natural storage became the most popular method. It was believed that for post-fermentation to occur in tea, it needed oxygen and a certain level of humidity, and also that “there are no barriers to storing tea, as long as a place is suitable for humans, it's suitable for storing Pu'er tea.” Influenced by these views, a large number of households began storing tea themselves. Natural storage, to avoid mold growth on the tea, is sometimes referred to as “dry storage.” However, natural storage without artificial humidity control cannot be called dry storage.

The advantage of natural storage: The biggest advantage of natural storage is its low cost. No dedicated warehouse or storage equipment is required, and any location or room can be used to store tea.

The disadvantages of natural storage: The quality of tea stored naturally is entirely determined by the climatic conditions of the storage location. In places with high temperatures and high humidity, the tea can easily ferment, lose aroma, and even become spoiled. Places with high temperatures and low humidity are better. In locations with low temperatures and low humidity, changes in the tea will be slower. In most places, when the rainy season arrives, the air humidity increases, and the tea absorbs moisture, causing mild spoilage; it can also develop odors, which some people refer to as transformation flavors, believing they are normal flavors that should appear during the storage process of tea.

In truth, truly dry-stored tea does not have such transformation flavors. Another issue with natural storage is the rapid loss of aroma, with the tea losing most of its fragrance after two to three years. A third problem is the rapid degradation of active enzymes in the tea, robbing it of the driving force for further changes. Take any so-called naturally dry-stored tea that is 10 to 20 years old, and although the infusion turns red due to oxidation, the bitterness and astringency remain persistent for a long time. Common characteristics include red infusion, no aroma, and bitterness and astringency.

Sealed constant temperature and humidity storage refers to storage where the temperature and humidity in the warehouse are controlled at the desired levels through artificial means. The disadvantages of sealed constant temperature and humidity storage: First, the storage costs are high, and second, as a plant product, tea should be stored under conditions with certain variations in temperature and humidity. Whether completely constant temperature and humidity storage is beneficial for the changes in tea remains to be observed. The advantages are: It can better preserve the aroma and active enzymes in the tea, ensuring that the tea can continue to change while preserving its aroma. Additionally, there will be no off-flavors like transformation flavors.

Sealed humidity-controlled storage refers to storage where the seal tightness and humidity are controlled artificially. The tea is stored in a sealed, light-proof, and humidity-controlled environment. The tea body is sealed, the warehouse is sealed, and dehumidifiers are used. When the humidity inside the warehouse reaches 70%, dehumidification begins, keeping the humidity below 70%.

The disadvantage of sealed humidity-controlled storage: The warehouse must be dedicated and requires certain equipment and management costs.

The advantage is that the aroma of the tea stored this way can be preserved for a longer time. Within a certain timeframe, the tea will become more fragrant the longer it is stored. Due to the preservation of active enzymes, the tea can continue to change, and the bitterness and astringency will diminish. The infusion color will turn red, and there will be no off-flavors like transformation flavors in the tea.

Excerpted from Pu'er magazine

“Comparison Experiment between Sealed and Ventilated Storage for Pu'er Tea”

Author | Yang Zhongyue

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