Introducing Pu-er Tea: How Much to Store_Tea News

Pu'er Tea is characterized by its improvement with age, making storage a common practice. Newcomers to Pu'er tea can easily fall into the trap of thinking they must store some and look forward to enjoying aged tea that's “better with time” in a few years. However, storing tea as a new enthusiast is often an unwise decision.

Introducing Pu'er Tea: How Much to Store-1

Firstly, newcomers should understand that not all Pu'er teas improve with age. Only certain high-quality teas gain better taste and quality after undergoing transformation. New enthusiasts often lack the ability to judge whether a particular tea has potential for future transformation, which can lead to misguided storage choices. Furthermore, those just starting with Pu'er tea may not have a fully developed understanding of its taste profile. They might later find the stored tea unsuitable, leading to a dilemma about what to do with it.

Therefore, I do not recommend storing large quantities of tea for newcomers. So, how much should one store? In my opinion, it should be enough to meet current drinking needs, which involves a few considerations:

Introducing Pu'er Tea: How Much to Store-2

1. **Meeting Raw and Ripe Tea Needs**: Some new enthusiasts may initially have a preference for either raw or ripe tea. You should store more of the type you prefer but also keep a small amount of the other. During the initial stage, both types should be sampled.

2. **Satisfying Taste Preferences**: Generally, we tend to favor a particular flavor profile. However, during actual tasting sessions, several teas might appeal. In such cases, store a few favorites to rotate through. If your taste preferences are more flexible, I suggest keeping a small quantity of various flavors for comparison. A couple of cakes of each should suffice.

Introducing Pu'er Tea: How Much to Store-3

3. **Quantity Based on Consumption**: The amount stored should align with your drinking habits. If you consume tea daily, store a bit more; otherwise, keep quantities minimal.

In summary, during the initial stages of drinking Pu'er tea, the focus should be on familiarizing oneself with the tea rather than storing large quantities. Once you're more experienced and have a solid understanding, you can consider storing more. Of course, if you come across a tea you truly love and receive reliable advice, you can store a small amount early on.