The drying method for Pu'er Tea raw material processing is primarily “sun-drying,” also known as sun-dried Green Tea. Almost all types of tea have a “drying” step in their production process, and according to the national standards, the drying method for Pu'er tea should be “sun-drying.”

The “sun-drying” process is a physical reaction that involves using solar heat and air circulation to quickly evaporate most of the moisture from the fresh tea leaves, serving as a drying process.

This procedure is the primary source of the name “sun-dried green tea.” In the production of Pu'er tea, sun-drying follows the initial steaming (kill-green) step and is the final process in forming sun-dried green tea. Sun-drying is an essential process in the production of Pu'er tea, green tea, and White Tea.

What drying method is used after Pu'er tea has been pressed into cakes?

There are typically three drying methods: first, air-drying; second, sun-drying; and third, low-temperature oven drying. These different drying methods can affect the tea's development over time.

Air-drying. Air-drying requires a relatively ventilated and dry environment and takes a long time, occupying a lot of space. The center of the tea cake, which is compressed tightly, may not dry easily and could develop what people refer to as “golden flowers.” However, these golden flowers may not be the beneficial fungus Crown Sporocarpus but could be other microorganisms. Additionally, air-drying takes a relatively long time. If the tea is properly air-dried, there shouldn't be any issues with its storage later on.

Sun-drying. If the tea cakes are sun-dried, since the tea needs to be steamed to soften it before pressing, this reintroduces moisture. After pressing, if the cakes are placed under the sun, the surface layer of the tea cake will quickly oxidize. This oxidation can lead to a sour taste after some time in storage. Therefore, we currently opt for low-temperature oven drying.

Low-temperature oven drying. The temperature for low-temperature oven drying should generally not exceed 50 degrees Celsius, usually around 42-45 degrees Celsius. This is a good drying method that does not significantly impact the tea's long-term storage.