“Storing new tea and drinking old tea” has always been the habit of many tea friends in the Pu’er tea circle. Pu’er tea, with its unique aged aroma, delicate taste and rich layers, is loved by many people. Many tea friends know that Pu’er tea has the characteristic of “becoming more fragrant with age”, but in order to truly reach this state for Pu’er tea, storage skills are very crucial.
Basic Characteristics of Pu’er Tea
Before discussing storage, we need to first understand some basic characteristics of Pu’er tea. Pu’er tea belongs to post-fermented tea. The early sun-dried green tea is processed, steamed and pressed or piled and watered for fermentation to make raw tea and ripe tea. Then, over time, the substances in the tea leaves will naturally age, thereby generating more abundant aroma and taste. However, this process is not achieved overnight and requires the coordination of multiple aspects such as time, temperature and humidity.
The storage environment should be well chosen
If you want Pu’er tea to become more fragrant with age, you must first find a good storage environment for it. The following several conditions should be met:
Avoid light
Tea leaves are very sensitive. When they come into direct contact with light, substances such as tea polyphenols, vitamin C, and chlorophyll in the tea leaves will oxidize, thereby affecting the taste of the tea. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid light when storing Pu’er tea. Ultraviolet rays in sunlight can damage the quality of Pu’er tea. So, when storing Pu’er tea, it should be placed in a light-proof place. Generally, it is best to be placed in a tea canister or a purple clay canister.
Ventilation
If we want to store Pu’er tea well, the first thing to do is to ensure ventilation. We cannot place the tea in a closed environment. If we do so, the aroma inside the tea will not be able to escape, and some strange odors may also occur. This can easily affect the taste of Pu’er tea. Therefore, when storing Pu’er tea, we must pay attention to ventilation and ensure a fresh and ventilated environment. Only in this way can we promote better transformation of the tea.
Dryness
Dryness is the most basic requirement in the process of collecting Pu’er tea. If the environment is not dry, it will be difficult for Pu’er tea to be stored for a long time. Therefore, when storing tea, the first thing to pay attention to is the dryness of the environment to avoid the damage of moisture to the tea. Pu’er tea has high requirements for environmental humidity. If the air humidity is too high, it is easy to cause the tea to become damp and deteriorate. So in the process of storing tea, try to avoid contact with humid air and water vapor, and avoid storing Pu’er tea in relatively humid places such as kitchens, bathrooms, bathrooms, and basements. The environmental humidity of the tea storage room should be maintained between 60-80% as appropriate.
No peculiar smell
In an ordinary family, Pu’er tea can be stored in a dry and clean place. It is best not to be placed together with other foods. If space permits, it can be placed in a dry and ventilated place, but it should not be exposed to direct sunlight. This can effectively prevent the tea from deteriorating due to long-term storage. The best method is to put some quicklime or activated carbon in the tea container to absorb the peculiar smell, but the tea should be placed in a covered container. This way, the tea will not get damp and can also adsorb the peculiar smell, making the preservation time longer.
Besides, packaging containers made of bamboo, wood and other materials can also be used to store tea, but it should be noted that these containers cannot be used to store too much tea. Because too much tea will absorb many other flavors during storage, and this kind of flavor is not helpful to the quality of the tea and may even reduce the taste of the tea.
Choose the Appropriate Storage Containers
1. Purple Clay Jar: The purple clay jar is a suitable utensil for storing Pu’er tea. It has good air permeability and heat preservation properties, which can maintain the freshness and taste of the tea. At the same time, the purple clay jar can also effectively prevent the tea from getting damp and oxidizing.
2. Bamboo and Woodware: Bamboo and woodware is also a kind of utensil suitable for storing Pu’er tea. It has good air permeability and natural aging effect, which can make the tea age better. At the same time, the heat preservation property of bamboo and woodware is also good, which can maintain the temperature and humidity of the tea.
3. Ceramics: Ceramics have good heat preservation and air permeability, which can maintain the temperature and humidity of the tea, and can also effectively prevent the tea from getting damp and oxidizing. However, the price of ceramics is relatively high and it is generally not commonly used to store a large amount of Pu’er tea.
Other Precautions
1. Avoid Dampness: Pu’er tea is prone to getting damp and moldy when it is in a damp environment for a long time, affecting the quality and taste of the tea. Therefore, when storing Pu’er tea, a damp environment should be avoided, and the tea should also be prevented from being exposed to the air.
2. Avoid High Temperature: Pu’er tea is prone to accelerating the oxidation process when it is in a high-temperature environment for a long time, resulting in the deterioration of tea quality. Therefore, when storing Pu’er tea, a high-temperature environment should be avoided, and the tea should also be prevented from being placed next to high-temperature items such as hot water cups.
3. Avoid Frequent Moving: Pu’er tea requires a stable environment during storage. Frequent moving is prone to causing problems such as dampness or oxidation of the tea. Therefore, when storing Pu’er tea, frequent moving should be avoided.
In conclusion, the storage of Pu’er tea requires attention to multiple aspects, including choosing the appropriate storage environment, using the suitable tea storage utensils, avoiding contact with peculiar smells, and many other aspects. Only by doing a good job in these aspects can the quality and taste of Pu’er tea reach the best state.