Why is it that some Pu'er Tea should not be bought? It's not because of the grade, but rather due to the presence of imposters in the Pu'er market. As lovers of Pu'er tea who want to drink with peace of mind, we must also learn to discern whether a particular Pu'er tea is worth buying or not.

For those of us who simply enjoy drinking Pu'er tea, storing tea is for our own consumption. We can buy tea according to our taste and preferences, with appreciation being a secondary consideration. If it happens, great; if not, no big deal—it's not the main objective. Therefore, it's best for tea enthusiasts to stay away from Pu'er teas that are excessively hyped and speculated upon.

Pu'er Tea Priced Far Below Market Value Should Not Be Bought
We often mock others for being duped and even counting the money for the swindler. But if we're not careful, we can make the same mistake ourselves. A prime example is the 9.9 yuan per package Laobanzhang tea with shipping included. Those who know even a little about Laobanzhang understand that its raw tea is very expensive. Yet, why do people still buy tea for 9.9 yuan with shipping? The adage “you get what you pay for” holds true; don't let greed lead to significant losses. I hope some tea lovers won't be deceived.

Bitterness and Astringency That Lingers
There might be some debate regarding the bitterness and astringency in Pu'er tea. However, all tea inherently contains these flavors. The key is whether the bitterness and astringency dissipate quickly after entering the mouth. If they linger, then this Pu'er tea is likely not a successful one. Bitterness mainly results from young leaves, insufficient sun-drying, improper processing, or summer tea. The bitterness in tea primarily comes from Caffeine, around 80% of which dissolves during the brewing process. Astringency is caused by polyphenols in the tea. Therefore, the appropriateness of fermentation is the most significant variable affecting tea quality.

Pu'er Tea Contradicting Historical Facts Should Not Be Bought
Whether raw or ripe, Pu'er tea requires appropriate storage and aging to develop better flavor, often referred to as “getting better with age.” Ripe and raw Pu'er teas have different optimal aging periods due to differences in processing methods, but their quality generally improves over time. Therefore, the length of aging is an important factor in evaluating the value of a Pu'er tea. This has led to aging fraud, i.e., fake aged teas. Some so-called “aged teas” completely contradict historical facts. For instance, if someone claims to have a ripe tea from the “1960s” or “70-year-old ripe tea,” such teas should not be purchased.

Ripe tea officially began production in 1973, and the sprinkling and pile fermentation technique was successfully tested in 1975. Thus, widespread production of ripe tea started. From 1973 to 2016, there were only 43 years, so any ripe tea claiming to be older than this period is questionable. Additionally, the oldest recognized Pu'er tea is the century-old Jinguagong tea from the Forbidden City. Therefore, encountering “150-year-old tea” or other implausible claims, it's best to steer clear.

Avoid purchasing the above types of Pu'er tea. Today's tea market is relatively mixed, lacking a unified standard. Newcomers buying Pu'er tea are typically looking forward to experiencing the wonderful process, unlike other tea types where the focus is primarily on taste. Due to the “better with age” characteristic of Pu'er tea, there are many historically renowned and high-priced teas, making the way we purchase Pu'er tea quite nuanced. Drinking Tea should ultimately be based on personal preference, constantly trying different teas. Pu'er tea has various origins, mountains, and villages, each offering distinct tastes and prices. Therefore, newcomers can try purchasing different mountain-origin Pu'er teas to find the style they prefer. (Source: Shangtingfang Pu'er Tea, Image Source: ChaYou Network Image Library)