Puer Tea · Storage
If starting to drink Puer tea and incorporating it as an essential part of daily drinking habits marks the beginning of understanding Puer tea, then with the deepening of our affection for Puer tea, we cannot avoid facing the issue of Puer tea storage. This is because the concept of “the older, the more fragrant” always tantalizes the hearts of tea enthusiasts, and the allure of aged teas in the legends of the Puer tea world is mysteriously enchanting.
In the eyes of experienced tea expert Mr. Huang Gang, “Puer tea storage is the key to understanding Puer tea.” This detailed long article aims to answer questions such as “What is the ‘storage' of Puer tea? What is good ‘storage'? For Puer tea enthusiasts, solving this problem can save them from taking many detours in their journey to understand Puer tea.
How do we understand the “storage” of Puer tea? Puer tea is a post-Fermented tea, and both raw and ripe teas go through a process of storage and aging after being pressed into shape (even if they are loose). Therefore, we can say that the “storage” of Puer tea is produced during the later stages of storage and aging. What is “storage”? “Storage” refers to the warehouse where tea is stored, which has been extended to mean the environment and method of storing tea.
What is good Puer tea storage?
The storage of Puer tea is an important part of its production process and can also be considered as a further processing step after initial processing. Whether natural or traditional storage, dry or humid storage, these can all be seen as different characteristics of various Puer tea products. Traditional or humid storage can be viewed as a production method primarily based on microbial fermentation, while natural or dry storage can be seen as a combination of partial microbial fermentation and partial oxidation of tea polyphenols.
What constitutes good storage? A specific storage method represents the ratio between microbial fermentation and tea polyphenol oxidation. Different ratios produce different sensory experiences, tastes, and aromas. Judging whether a tea has been stored well or not expresses consumers' preferences for different storage products and their recognition of the ratio of microbial fermentation to tea polyphenol oxidation in a tea.
What are the main factors that determine the quality of Puer tea storage? We can simply summarize them into six aspects: 1) tea raw materials, 2) degree of compression of the tea, 3) humidity of storage, 4) temperature of storage, 5) beneficial microorganisms in the storage environment, and 6) time.
1. Regarding tea raw materials. In the same environment, different raw materials have different conversion speeds (when making ripe tea, the amount of Water added and temperature and humidity control differ for different raw materials), so adjustments must be made to the storage environment based on different types of tea.
2. Regarding the degree of compression of the tea. Generally speaking, looser-pressed tea will be more conducive to post-fermentation, while tighter-pressed tea will be less conducive to post-fermentation. Common cakes, bricks, and tuocha are usually pressed to a moderate tightness and limited thickness, so the post-fermentation of raw tea can be expected. However, newer types like Iron cakes, heart-shaped compressed teas, bamboo tube teas, and “thousand liang” teas are pressed very tightly and thickly. If not specially treated, I estimate that even after fifty years, they would not be very pleasant to drink.
3. Regarding the temperature of storage. The empirical data suggests an average temperature range of 26°C to 30°C. If the temperature is too high, it may accelerate the aging of the tea; if it is too high, carbonization can occur; if it is too low, the aging process will slow down, reducing economic efficiency.
4. Regarding the humidity of storage. Empirical data suggests a humidity range of 60% to 80%. Higher humidity can easily cause deterioration of the tea, while lower humidity will also slow down the aging process.
5. Regarding beneficial microorganisms in the storage environment. Often overlooked is the necessity of having sufficient beneficial microorganisms in the storage environment, which is why I believe “without proper storage, there is no complete Puer tea.” Puer tea is a post-fermented tea, and tea that has not undergone post-fermentation processing can only be called sun-dried green tea. Although green tea is not undrinkable, in the eyes of experienced Hong Kong tea enthusiasts, raw tea with strong tea energy should not be consumed frequently, as it can stimulate the digestive system. Raw tea should be stored in an old warehouse for at least ten years before tasting. The transformation of the tea liquor color to red and the development of a mellow taste may be signs of conversion and suitability for long-term consumption. The post-fermentation process (aging process) of Puer tea essentially involves the breakdown of non-water-soluble substances in the tea into water-soluble substances by beneficial microorganisms. Puer tea is produced in Yunnan but is mostly stored in places like Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some people believe that old warehouses in Hong Kong and Taiwan are crucial for storing good tea, similar to how fine Wine must age in old cellars.
6. Regarding time. Does mastering the above five aspects guarantee the creation of good tea? Not necessarily. More challenging is that temperature, humidity, and the types and quantities of beneficial microorganisms are all established over time. It is unclear what temperature, humidity, and beneficial microorganisms are needed at what point in time for a good tea. If we were to draw a curve for the formation of a good tea, it would be a curve spanning across multiple dimensions including temperature, humidity, microorganisms, and time. Compared to the formation of good tea, even with advanced technological means, it is difficult to completely replicate a good tea in the real world.
From the above analysis, we might draw the following insights: good tea is rare and hard to replicate.
How can one most conveniently judge the storage conditions of a tea?
Generally speaking, distinguishing between humid and dry storage methods can be done through “one look, two smells, three checks.”
One is to observe whether the surface of the dry tea is whitish. If large areas are whitish or there are numerous continuous small white spots, it is likely that the tea has been stored in humid conditions. If the surface of the dry tea appears glossy and oily, it is more likely to have been stored in dry conditions.
Two is to smell the public fairness cup after brewing. Different storage conditions and different storage years will result in different aroma characteristics.
Ripe tea:
If there is a “wall skin” scent (sometimes accompanied by a weak ginseng fragrance), it can generally be judged as tea that has been stored for ten to twenty years under humid conditions. If there is a relatively pure ginseng fragrance in the aroma with a noticeable transformation, it can generally be judged as tea that has been stored for over twenty years under humid conditions. The only type of ripe tea that produces a distinct medicinal fragrance is the series of Cultural Revolution bricks, specifically the 1973 thick bricks.
Raw tea:
A pronounced camphor fragrance without any significant fruity aroma after six or seven infusions can generally indicate humid storage. If there is a light camphor fragrance in the first few infusions followed by a noticeable fruity aroma, it can generally indicate slightly damp southern dry storage. If there is a grassy flavor in the first few infusions followed by a fruity aroma, it can generally indicate southern dry storage with an age of under twenty years. If there is a direct fruity aroma in the first few infusions with a heavy tea quality, it can generally indicate dry storage with an age of over fifteen years. If there is a medicinal fragrance in the first few