A Singaporean tea friend tasted her raw Pu-erh and said the taste went flat because of the low humidity. What is your opinion on dry storage?
Do you really need to keep raw Puerh in high humidity level?
Answer:
There are two ways of storage for Puerh tea. One is applying high humidity manner which can speed up the further fermentation but there are risks for tea to develop unpleasant odor instead of transformation. The other one is to store tea in dry humidity manner which allows Puerh tea to transform in more nature manner.
Tea is simple but complex and every kind of tea has its unique characters. People could have different preference about how would they like. Personally dry storage that allow tea to transform in a natural manner is my preference. Of course, it is very important to ensure tea is stored. in a air-flow and proper with mid-range humidity environment.
Since I did not have a chance to see and taste that tea, so it's difficult for me to draw any conclusion about why her tea tasted flat and has developed unpleasant or harsh taste on her throat. Puerh is a unique traditional dark black tea from Yunnan, China, which is even more complicate than Oolong tea to learn and to appreciate.
To understand that problem, I do believe the following basic questions should be asked:
- That tea was made from what kind of tea tree in Yunann?
- From which mountain/region in Yunnan?
- How it was made?
- Which year was that?
- What kind of quality classification?
- Is it pure Puerh made from one single raw tea or mixed teas?
- How it was stored?
- How long it has been stored?
- How she managed the wakening process?
- How did she brew that tea?
- Last but at least, What is her personal preference and what is yours?
I did, too, dislike Puerh the unplsant taste on my throat before 2002. The visit to Xishuanbanna in 2002 was a critical turning point in my tea learning journey when I had a chance to taste the pure and fine quality Puerh tea.
What is 10 years experience and learning for Puerh tea? Indeed I have had some bad experience before 2002, but 2002 has opened my eyes for Puerh tea. Tea is a non-stop learning journey, today still consider myself as a happy "young student" for Puerh tea.
The nature humidity changes in different seasons, therefore, regular check and control the storage humidity is necessary.
The nature humidity changes in different seasons, therefore, regular check and control the storage humidity is necessary.
Concerning the tea selection, I apply the same criteria for Puerh tea as I have for other kind of teas:
1. Nature environment protection, after all, we only have one planet.
2. Prefer nature Bio, min. organic, because that is the key to ensure pure taste with authentic quality
3. Respect the local people and help them to preserve their unique and good old traditions
As to the storage, it is important to ensure the storage environment has good air-flow and it is in a proper environment where has reasonable humidity level, not too dry but definitely not too high humid as well.
Tea aging is a long and slow transformation process that need time and patience. Each Puerh tea, either raw or ripped, has its own unique characters that we need to learn, respect and follow its natural temperament.
As to the storage, it is important to ensure the storage environment has good air-flow and it is in a proper environment where has reasonable humidity level, not too dry but definitely not too high humid as well.
Tea aging is a long and slow transformation process that need time and patience. Each Puerh tea, either raw or ripped, has its own unique characters that we need to learn, respect and follow its natural temperament.
Mei Lan Hsiao
Belgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre
Tea is like life, positive human efforts could create success or miracle, on the other hand, negative intention could create problems or even disasters.
ReplyDeleteAging process is a time consuming and nature process. What could happen if someone tried to speed up the process through man-made approach? That I have question but have no answer.