Pu'er Tea‘s quality can be directly discerned from its infusion color. The processing quality and superiority of the tea are directly reflected in the hue of the tea infusion.

The colors of Pu'er raw tea infusions include:

1-3 years (new tea): During this period, Pu'er raw tea is relatively cold and has a strong stimulating effect; in terms of infusion color, it commonly appears as light yellow or yellowish green. At this new tea stage, Pu'er raw tea contains abundant substances, higher levels of polyphenols, and a larger proportion of chlorophyll, so the color of the infusion more closely resembles that of the fresh leaves at the time of picking. For these types of teas, as the raw tea continues to age, the greenish hue fades and gradually evolves into a bright apricot yellow color.

3-8 years (aged raw tea): After three years of storage, Pu'er raw tea enters a stable aging phase. During this period, polyphenols, Caffeine, pigments, and other substances continuously oxidize upon contact with air, and their proportions keep changing. As a result, the common hues of the tea infusion are light yellow, deep yellow, and golden yellow. Generally speaking, the longer the age of Pu'er raw tea, the deeper the yellow hue becomes, gradually progressing into an orange-red phase.

Over 10 years (aged raw tea): People have discovered that when stored properly, Pu'er raw tea aged for over ten years undergoes a qualitative leap in quality and begins to exhibit a captivating flavor. At this stage, the oxidation level of polyphenols in Pu'er raw tea is high, along with changes in other substances, causing the infusion color to turn primarily orange-red and dark red. Good aged raw tea will show a red infusion that is crystal clear and is a rare treat. Enthusiasts of old teas often refer to such teas as “red-infused aged teas.”

The colors of Pu'er ripe tea infusions include:

Red and bright: The infusion is red but lacks brightness. This indicates that the Fermented tea leaves are relatively tender. Observing the leaf base, they mostly appear short, fine, blackish-red, and rich in content.

Red and luminous: The tea infusion is not very concentrated, but it is transparent and glossy, referred to as “red and luminous.” If the gloss is weaker, it is called “red and bright.” Observing the leaf base, it is mostly dark red with a hint of yellow, and the taste is quite full-bodied. Six-year-old Pu'er teas commonly display this infusion color.

Red and thick: The infusion is red and somewhat dark, slightly blackish, lacking brightness. Observing the leaf base, it is mostly reddish-brown and soft, with a milder taste. Seven-year-old Pu'er teas commonly display this infusion color.

Red and brown: The infusion is red and thick, with a purple-black hue. It is uniform and bright, with a fresh feel. Observing the leaf base, it is mostly brown and less soft, with a milder taste. Eight-year-old Pu'er teas commonly display this infusion color.

Brown: The tea infusion is black with a purplish hue, red and bright, with a fresh feel. Observing the leaf base, the color is mostly dark brown and hard, with a milder taste. Nine-year-old Pu'er teas commonly display this infusion color.

A good tea infusion has certain common characteristics, regardless of specific color. A good tea infusion should be clear and glossy, lucid and substantial, pleasing to the eye. In contrast, an inferior tea infusion would be murky and dull, turbid and thin, disgusting and unappealing. These qualities correspond to the quality of the tea itself: if the tea contains a high amount of gelatinous substance and is rich in content, clean, and pure, the infusion will appear glossy, substantial, and clear. If the tea contains a low amount of gelatinous substance, is less rich in content, impure, and filled with impurities, the infusion will appear murky and dull, turbid and thin. These qualities are unrelated to the color or depth of the infusion but only to the quality of the tea.

The reasons for poor-quality tea include the following aspects:

Tea tree variety, unclean production environment, excessive kneading, fermentation issues, incomplete draining, inadequate fire processing, over-processing by fire, dampness and re-greening, coloring and additives, excessively high temperature during fixation, improper brewing, and improper storage.

Chilling-induced cloudiness is unavoidable, but reheating will restore clarity and brightness, and further control can be achieved by improving the tea tree variety. Most floating particles in the tea infusion are still downy hair and external pollutants. The clarity and brightness of the tea infusion better reflect the quality of the tea.