This issue offers advice to new or recently initiated Pu'er Tea enthusiasts on how to select and purchase Pu'er teas for daily consumption. The aim is to help these enthusiasts avoid unnecessary pitfalls while gradually improving their understanding of Pu'er tea.
First, try to avoid famous mountain and village teas, especially ancient tree teas. Typically, such teas are not cheap. Of course, there are some very low-priced options in the market, such as Laobanzhang for 88 yuan per cake; you can ignore these, as they are almost certainly fake. Does a high price guarantee authenticity? Not necessarily. If you don't understand the characteristics of these teas and your tasting skills aren't yet capable of distinguishing them, falling into a trap is highly likely. Truly reliable teas are rare. Even if you lower your standards and avoid well-known village ancient tree teas, small or medium-sized tree teas from famous mountains and villages, you should still be familiar with their characteristics before making a move. Otherwise, the likelihood of paying for a lesson is very high.
Second, at the beginning, consider purchasing smaller quantities of moderately priced teas, such as those costing 100 to 200 yuan per cake (357g). These teas are unlikely to be ancient tree teas, unless you have a very reliable direct source. Generally, such teas are not from well-known villages but are more likely to be medium-sized tree teas from secondary villages, or so-called wild-grown or hillside teas. These teas typically have a full-bodied flavor without being bland or watery; the aroma is quite pleasant; the bitterness and astringency are not overly strong, and most can dissipate within one or two minutes, neither sticking to the mouth nor causing throat constriction or numbness; aftertaste is usually noticeable after three infusions; and the texture of the tea soup is mostly smooth, not difficult to swallow.
Third, avoid choosing teas that appear to have many bud tips and look attractive. Such teas are often terrace-grown plantation teas. Their main drawback is a tendency towards heavier bitterness and astringency, particularly the astringency that lingers and sticks to the mouth. The tea's character may improve over long-term storage, but these teas are better suited for making Green Tea or ripe tea.
Fourth, try to avoid raw Pu'er teas with a bean or White Tea aroma, indicative of semi-fermented tea flavors. These teas are often made through heavy withering, heavy fixation, or yellowing processes. They may taste relatively good when new, with sweetness, not overly bitter or astringent, and a pleasant fragrance with distinct floral or bean aromas. However, after several years of storage, their quality tends to decline. If you only intend to Drink them fresh (finish them within a year), this point need not concern you. The leaves of these teas are generally of poor quality, mushy, sticky, brittle, and do not hold up well through multiple infusions.
Fifth, if the tea soup appears cloudy after brewing, and the cloudiness is not caused by very fine suspended particles, it indicates a problem with the production process. This is usually due to delayed fixation after picking or failing to spread out the tea leaves to cool down promptly after fixation.