Pu'er Tea isn't necessarily better with age; its optimal shelf life is around 10 years. There are limits to how long Pu'er tea can be stored, and if it exceeds the maximum storage time, its drinking value significantly decreases. The aging process of Pu'er tea depends on factors such as raw materials, processing methods, and storage conditions, which are influenced by elements like time, light, temperature, and humidity. The storage duration should be determined based on personal taste: after about three months, the flavor is still quite astringent; after one year, the tea has a strong character and potent aroma; Pu'er tea that has been stored for over six years is richly fragrant with complex layers.

Is Pu'er Tea Really Better the Older It Gets?

The longer Pu'er tea is aged, the better it tastes, with 50-year-old tea being better than 30-year-old tea, 100-year-old tea better than 50-year-old tea, and 1000-year-old tea better than 100-year-old tea. Is this really true?

In fact, the historical notion that Pu'er tea “improves with age” primarily refers to raw Pu'er (sheng pu). This is because ripe Pu'er (shou pu) was not invented until 1973.

The raw material for raw Pu'er is large-Leaf sun-dried Green Tea, and during its production, the intrinsic enzymes within the tea are not entirely deactivated, leaving room for subsequent transformation. During the storage period, the tea's components react with moisture and oxygen in the air, while the internal enzymes also undergo changes, leading to a slow fermentation and transformation process. Within a certain timeframe, the tea's quality improves.

On the other hand, ripe Pu'er, due to undergoing several weeks of piling fermentation during its production, has already largely consumed the internal substances present in the tea through post-piling fermentation. As such, the length of storage time does not significantly impact the tea's quality or cause substantial changes.

Regardless of whether it's raw or ripe Pu'er, during the storage period, the substances within the tea will change – some increase, while others decrease. However, quality does not continuously improve indefinitely. When all the internal substances have completed their transformations, the tea reaches its peak quality, after which it gradually declines.

Studies have shown that during the storage period, the levels of catechins, Caffeine, amino acids, and other components in raw Pu'er tea decrease, reducing the presence of stimulating substances while sugars increase, making the tea increasingly fragrant and mellow over time.

The duration of storage plays a role in improving and enhancing the quality of Pu'er tea, but it doesn't mean that the longer it's stored, the better the quality becomes. Generally speaking, ripe Pu'er reaches its peak quality within ten years, while raw Pu'er takes longer, but it doesn't continually improve indefinitely.

So, don't be overly obsessed with old teas! Nowadays, many tea enthusiasts buy new Pu'er teas, storing them while also enjoying them periodically. This is the safest approach. If done correctly, you can experience different flavors at different times, returning to a rational and balanced state, staying true to the original intention of enjoying tea.