As a post-Fermented tea, Puer Tea's rich internal components change over time. Many Puer tea enthusiasts store substantial quantities at home. How long Puer tea can be stored depends on its storage conditions; it could be as little as a few years or as much as several decades.
When storing Puer tea, it is essential to note:
1. Avoid direct sunlight exposure, as it can impart an unpleasant sour taste.
2. Prevent any external water intrusion, as this can lead to too rapid maturation and possibly microbial fermentation, causing undesirable changes in quality.
3. Keep the tea away from any foreign odors that might taint its flavor.
4. Store single varieties together to avoid complicating the monitoring of their condition.
5. When removing tea for use, take enough for your needs to minimize disturbance and make it easier to monitor the tea's condition.
Puer tea is a post-fermented tea that becomes more fragrant with age when stored under suitable conditions. However, those who have stored loose Puer tea for a while may notice that the originally enjoyable flavor changes over time, becoming bland or even acquiring off-flavors, failing to develop the characteristic of improving with age. This is because loose Puer tea is not suitable for long-term storage.
Dry-warehouse Puer tea refers to Puer tea stored in a dry, well-ventilated environment with low Humidity. The term “dry warehouse” means the tea is kept in a dry environment, which is not part of the manufacturing process but rather a method or environment for later preservation. When the same Puer tea is stored for a long time in a dry environment, the speed and direction of its transformation, as well as its quality characteristics, are markedly different from those stored in a humid environment (“wet warehouse”), resulting in distinct qualities.
Puer Tea Storage Methods
1. For ordinary households storing raw Puer tea, if you have whole batches wrapped in bamboo leaves, simply keep them in a naturally ventilated, dry area without direct sunlight or strong odors. Pay attention to the storage environment and ensure the tea remains dry.
2. If you have individually packaged raw Puer tea, place it inside another plastic bag or in a tea box or tin, and then store it in a ventilated, dry area without direct sunlight or strong odors.
3. Loose or individually packaged raw Puer tea can also be stored in the refrigerator, provided it is properly sealed to prevent odors and is placed in a separate compartment.
4. Traditional bamboo leaf packaging helps filter out unwanted odors and ensures the tea remains pure. Bamboo-wrapped tea tends to be better preserved. Ancient tea Tree storage requires a dry, ventilated, and Odor-free environment, which is exactly what bamboo wrapping provides.