Today, I continue to discuss several issues to consider when choosing a Tea for everyday consumption. In the previous issue, we covered five points to consider when selecting raw Pu'er tea. Now, let's continue and also cover the points to consider when choosing ripe Pu'er tea.

The sixth point in selecting raw Pu'er tea is to try to avoid buying rainy season tea and instead opt for Spring Tea if possible, or Autumn Tea as an alternative. However, there is a difference in quality between spring and autumn teas, which can reflect in their prices, differing by 3 to 5 times. Rainy season tea has distinct characteristics: thin and long twigs, large inter-leaf spacing, thinner leaves, and larger leaf area compared to spring tea. Most of the leaves are opposite leaves. This might sound abstract, but with more observation and comparison of the leaf base, it's not hard to grasp these differences.
The seventh point is to avoid teas where red twigs and red leaves make up more than 10% of the leaf base. Occasionally having a small number of red twigs and red leaves is normal.

With these seven points, you should be able to select a high-quality and reasonably priced raw Pu'er tea.
Now, let's talk about ripe Pu'er tea. Building on the knowledge of selecting raw Pu'er tea, here are additional points to consider:

First, everyone knows that ripe tea requires artificial pile fermentation. Although this process seems straightforward, it requires significant experience and favorable weather conditions to produce good ripe tea. A misstep can result in off-flavors, which would render the tea unsuitable for consumption. It's important to note that the pile flavor produced during fermentation is different from off-flavors. Pile flavor will dissipate over time, typically within three years. Therefore, I recommend purchasing ripe teas that have been out of the factory for at least three years.

Second, the liquor should be clear and bright, ideally a wine red color or similar to red wine. Avoid those with a soy sauce-like color. After the fermentation process, the liquor of ripe tea is often murky and not clear. The tea needs to be compressed into cakes and stored for a period before the liquor becomes clearer, which usually takes more than three years. Therefore, I still recommend purchasing ripe teas that have been out of the factory for at least three years. If the liquor is still murky after three years, it suggests a problem with the fermentation process, often due to insufficient temperature in the center of the pile. This situation affects the tea's subsequent transformation and results in a musty taste, poor aroma dispersion, and a dull flavor.
Third, the ideal location for fermentation is Menghai in Xishuangbanna. Ripe teas fermented here have distinctive characteristics, such as a proper taste, smoothness, and good sweetness. This description is not comprehensive, as this flavor is difficult to describe in words. The so-called “Menghai flavor” requires some comparison. Once you've tried a few side-by-side tastings, this flavor is easy to remember.

Fourth, the degree of fermentation should be moderate, slightly less rather than excessively fermented. This is because slightly under-fermented ripe tea has greater potential for further transformation, while overly Fermented tea has little room for improvement. Overly fermented tea lacks depth, aroma, and endurance, and the liquor is too dark, significantly reducing its drinking and storage value.