Generally speaking, Pu'er tea that is boiled tends to be aged tea. So, can young raw Pu'er (stored for a relatively short period) be boiled and drunk?
In fact, the ethnic minorities on Yunnan's tea mountains have had the habit of boiling tea for centuries. Back then, what they boiled was not necessarily aged tea. The tea leaves the farmers boiled may not have been in the strict sense of sun-dried green tea, perhaps semi-dried old Pakka, or even fresh leaves. What is certain is: they were not kneaded, making it difficult for the inner qualities of the leaves to seep out. To get a strong flavor, boiling was the most practical and effective method.
Boiling raw Pu'er has at least the following benefits:
1. For most people learning to Drink Pu'er, it helps distinguish whether it is genuine ancient tree tea.
The taste of Pu'er tea is relatively strong. New learners drinking raw Pu'er might simply perceive bitterness. Experts have mentioned many methods for discernment, but they can still be difficult to apply. It's not that what the experts say is incorrect. Rather, for the leaves, finding similarities is easy. For example, some plantation tea leaves have very attractive appearances, making it hard to distinguish. Boiling tea is a local Yunnan tradition, and many locals commonly boil their tea. Later, specialized tea sets emerged (not unscientific), which I only started using in 2005 (mainly due to trends). Farmers have also forgotten about boiling tea if not for drinking purposes. If you want to appraise whether it is good raw Pu'er, you can boil it stronger (or steep it stronger). A strong raw Pu'er amplifies the basic flavors of the tea, allowing you to taste various flavors within, from which you can determine its quality. (It's not recommended to drink too much, just for appraisal.) Generally, good raw Pu'er tastes bitter with a cooling sensation (this is what experts refer to as ‘essence'). It is not the bitterness of bile; after tasting the bitterness, you don't find the flavor unpleasant. This sensation is more pronounced in ancient tree tea, and it has a unique aroma. Regular drinkers will feel a sweet, fragrant taste. Inferior raw Pu'er has the bitterness of bile, meaning it is bitter and doesn't transform, and is also astringent. Or it may have other miscellaneous flavors. Therefore, genuine ancient tree tea does not have any other miscellaneous flavors. The cooler the bitterness, and the heavier the sweet, fragrant taste, the older the tea tree. 
2. Learning to boil Pu'er is truly drinking Pu'er. Raw and ripe Pu'er are different. Ripe Pu'er releases its inner qualities more easily under the same water temperature, while raw Pu'er is more stubborn. This is why Pu'er tea can withstand multiple infusions.
Therefore, boiling Pu'er fully displays its inner qualities. Menghai tea is considered relatively bold, while Yiwu tea is gentler. Some teas have a strong flavor from the first Infusion, while others have little flavor in the first few infusions, with their true character only revealed later in the brewing process. Why do we form such impressions? This is primarily related to the tea tree varieties of different mountain areas, the growing environment, the initial processing of the raw tea, etc. After these factors are fixed, it relates to our brewing methods. Under different brewing methods, the amount of substances released by raw Pu'er varies, resulting in different flavors, increasing the difficulty of appraising and identifying raw tea.
If we all boil it, would the variables decrease, allowing us to infer the thickness, flavor, and essence of the tea!
3. Solving the issue of which teas are suitable for storage. Many experts say that bitterness and astringency are not standards for storing raw Pu'er, but rather its inner qualities. With general brewing, it is difficult for beginners to define what inner qualities mean. Can't taste it? Try boiling it.
4. How to boil regularly. When drinking regularly, there can be issues with overloading or underloading tea. Ethnic minorities in Yunnan previously had their own methods. For us, after solving the problem of distinguishing between good tea and average tea, we can boil the good tea we like.
Generally, the amount of tea to use depends on your preference for strength or mildness. Most tea enthusiasts use 5 grams of tea for a 500cc Teapot. Be careful not to drink immediately after boiling, as it will be very hot. Wait until the water temperature is comfortable before drinking. Adjust according to your own drinking habits. If possible, Roasting the tea at high temperatures (without burning) enhances the flavor. (Source: Pu'er Tea Bar; Images: Tea Friend Network)