Treat the Tea in storage as if you were educating it, nurturing and guiding it. So, conceptually, building on a decade of Puer tea “concealment” or “storage,” we need to introduce a new understanding – that of “nurturing.” It's not just about putting Puer tea away somewhere and leaving it there. We need to update our thinking and apply the principles of conceal, nurture, guide, control.

For over a decade, Puer tea has been a focus for consumers, its influence spreading from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to the rest of the world. The volume of Puer tea stored domestically and internationally is substantial, with enthusiasts and collectors, professional and amateur alike, all holding stocks, whether intentionally or not. The active domestic inventory of Puer tea may have already exceeded 600,000 tons. The sheer scale of this inventory, and its impact on quality and value, will have far-reaching consequences for the health of the tea industry.

Guided by the belief that Puer tea improves with age and that storing it can increase its value, we have been collecting Puer tea for over a decade, pursuing it with high expectations. Many enthusiasts dream of “one storage to rule them all.” This mindset has led the development of Puer tea towards the concepts of “conceal” or “store,” like a small stream swelling into a lake.

The ideas of conceal and store, without deeper reflection, can be problematic. Long-term storage inevitably involves periods of extreme dryness or humidity. Along the Belt and Road, from the coast of South Korea to Malaysia, marine climates significantly affect storage conditions. As Puer tea spreads further west, it faces particularly dry conditions that can impact the transformation of its quality.

This makes me think of our forefather, Lu Yu. How did Lu Yu store his tea?

In the “Tea Classic,” under the sections “Two: Implements” and “Four: Utensils,” Lu Yu designed an item for storing tea called “Nurture,” also known as a “Basket.” It was a square bamboo basket divided into two layers, with a lower section for placing a brazier to dry out damp tea. Lu Yu referred to it as “nurture,” not “conceal” or “store.” What did he mean by “nurture?”

Studying Lu Yu's thoughts, it's clear that the Sage of Tea saw tea as a living entity. Just like a person's life, tea in storage can take a good or bad turn. Treat the tea in storage as if you were educating it, nurturing and guiding it. So, conceptually, building on a decade of Puer tea “concealment” or “storage,” we need to introduce a new understanding – that of “nurturing.” It's not just about putting Puer tea away somewhere and leaving it there. We need to update our thinking and apply the principles of conceal, nurture, guide, control.

Guide – what to guide and how?

There are three main paths of transformation in Puer tea storage: one path involves microbial activity; the second path involves oxidation when exposed to oxygen; the third is auto-degradation or auto-oxidation without oxygen. For example, sealing the tea creates an anaerobic or low-oxygen environment; exposing the tea to air allows for aerobic reactions. If microorganisms appear, it means mold has formed, so microbial involvement in the transformation of Puer tea during storage is not common.

We know that the transformation of tea in storage is very slow if its moisture content does not exceed 10%, which is known as “pure dry storage.” When the moisture content is between 10% and 14%, and there is some moisture, the transformation accelerates. This indicates that a certain level of humidity is necessary for the transformation of tea. However, if the air humidity is too high and increases the tea's own moisture content, it can accelerate the transformation but also easily cause mold. Therefore, how to “guide” the air humidity and moisture content of the stored tea, as well as provide the appropriate temperature, is a critical issue in Puer tea storage.

Within what range of temperature and humidity should the quality changes of the tea be guided, and what ideal environmental conditions should be created? These are key technical issues in professional storage that need to be focused on. Should the moisture content be 10%, 12%, 13%, or 14%? In which direction should the tea be “nurtured”? At what moisture content do specific flavors stabilize? How long is appropriate? These are questions we need to address urgently.

Different regions, different storage conditions, and different goals require different approaches. Conceal, nurture, guide, control are the unchanging principles of Puer tea quality enhancement.

The color of tea is primarily determined by four types of pigments: chlorophyll, theaflavins, thearubigins, and theabrownins. The color change process in Puer tea, to some extent, involves making the green component disappear more quickly by providing conditions for dampness and oxidation, which accelerates the color change. But what effect does this have on the aroma and taste? Will they be lost? When drinking raw Puer tea and ripe Puer tea, we often find that the ripe tea is not astringent but has a “bitter base.” This suggests that the transformation speed of polyphenols, which contribute to astringency, is faster than that of alkaloids, meaning the transformation rate of polyphenolic compounds exceeds that of alkaloids in the tea.

In the taste components of tea, alkaloids produce bitterness, so ripe teas are not astringent but can be bitter. To what extent should the stored Puer tea be nurtured and guided before stopping the process? Through regulation and control, the most delightful flavor can be achieved… This is a vast subject and a profound science!

Therefore, I believe that the storage of Puer tea is not a simple act of concealment or storage, but rather the comprehensive application of conceal, nurture, guide, control techniques.

Guide – in which direction? What goal do you want to achieve? In which direction do you want to obtain your desired quality? How can you effectively regulate quality changes? I hope that everyone, whether with the means or without, even individual tea stashes, will consider these questions. If you want to guide the color change of the tea, you might lose its aroma; if you solely pursue the taste, you may lose the thickness and clarity of the infusion. Using the principle of “wet heat action” slightly, by dampening the tea, the Sweetness of the infusion increases… Stored tea is a living entity, with various quality indicators interacting and influencing each other. It should be guided, nurtured, and controlled with an educational heart.

I propose the four-word principle of “conceal, nurture, guide, control” for all lovers and collectors of Puer tea to ponder. There is no fixed formula, only excellence. I believe it can lead to a diverse and vibrant new garden of Puer teas. May all those who love Puer tea nurture great tea, guide great tea, and control great tea.

Originally published in Puer Magazine

February 2025 Issue

Author | Xu Yahan Images | Duan Zhaoshun, Li Yibo

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