How to store Puer tea at home? Scientific scholars have a set of views!
Apr 28,2024 | taetea
Fragrant Chen Jiuwan Fang Lanqi, tasting the millennium Pu'er love.
"The longer the age, the more fragrant" is a major feature of Pu'er tea that distinguishes it from other teas. As an "antique that can be savored", the "old fragrance" in Pu'er tea tends to "appreciate" gradually with time. Therefore, "preserving tea" has become a topic of concern for every Pu'er customer.
Every time old tea lovers talk about this, they all have their own set of "methodology" for "storage of Pu'er tea". But among the various theories, what is the point of storing tea? What kind of storage method is reasonable?
Today, Yixinjun invited Gao Linrui, Director of Yunnan Puer Tea Fermentation Engineering Center and Director of TAETEA Group Microbial Technology Company, to talk about "Tea Preservation" from the perspective of scientific research!
Today, Yixinjun invited Gao Linrui, Director of Yunnan Puer Tea Fermentation Engineering Center and Director of TAETEA Group Microbial Technology Company, to talk about "Tea Preservation" from the perspective of scientific research!
Storage of tea: professional warehouse conditions are controllable
Home storage is more complex
Home storage is more complex
According to director Gao Linrui, there are currently two main modes of storage of Pu-er tea, namely: professional warehouse storage and general household storage.
Professional storage, including the warehouse of Menghai Tea Factory, has strict controls on temperature, ventilation, cleanliness, etc., so generally there will be a special site selection, with the use of professional equipment and facilities to complete the adjustment, for the quality of tea Late conversion offers the most favorable conditions.
Professional storage, including the warehouse of Menghai Tea Factory, has strict controls on temperature, ventilation, cleanliness, etc., so generally there will be a special site selection, with the use of professional equipment and facilities to complete the adjustment, for the quality of tea Late conversion offers the most favorable conditions.
Relatively speaking, storing tea at home is more complicated, because the specific storage environment in each family is different, and there are more uncontrollable.
Questions and Answers on How to Store Puer Tea in General Households
Q: Which places are more suitable for storing tea at home?
A: Tea leaves are very absorbent. If the smell of oily smoke in your home is heavy, it will be easily absorbed by tea leaves. Therefore, household tea storage should be stored in a relatively closed environment (container). If possible, a room can be vacated to store tea, such as a study or an independent closed balcony; while the kitchen and places close to the bathroom are not suitable for tea storage. deposit.
A: Tea leaves are very absorbent. If the smell of oily smoke in your home is heavy, it will be easily absorbed by tea leaves. Therefore, household tea storage should be stored in a relatively closed environment (container). If possible, a room can be vacated to store tea, such as a study or an independent closed balcony; while the kitchen and places close to the bathroom are not suitable for tea storage. deposit.
Key points: the study is the first choice for keeping tea at home
Q: Which containers are most suitable for storing tea at home?
A: The container can choose ceramic products such as purple sand and purple pottery with good air permeability.
When some households store Pu-erh tea, they will vacuum the tea bags, which is not suitable. Pu'er tea has "life" and is very particular about "communication" with the outside world. Its later transformation must have the participation of air, and it is not recommended to use airtight containers such as glass bottles.
When some households store Pu-erh tea, they will vacuum the tea bags, which is not suitable. Pu'er tea has "life" and is very particular about "communication" with the outside world. Its later transformation must have the participation of air, and it is not recommended to use airtight containers such as glass bottles.
Key points: Make good use of purple sand pots and clay pots to store tea, vacuum packaging is not recommended
Q: Is it necessary to unpack the tea leaves for storage?
A: Try not to remove the bamboo shoot shell packaging. The bamboo shoot shell has a three-layer structure, and the middle layer is honeycomb-shaped. It has good ventilation, air permeability, and moisture-proof effects. Of course, there is also the case of moldy tea packaged in bamboo shoot shells. If the humidity in the storage environment is too high, moisture will penetrate into it.
However, if you have to unpack and store each cake separately, it is recommended to store it in a study or bookcase at home.
A: Try not to remove the bamboo shoot shell packaging. The bamboo shoot shell has a three-layer structure, and the middle layer is honeycomb-shaped. It has good ventilation, air permeability, and moisture-proof effects. Of course, there is also the case of moldy tea packaged in bamboo shoot shells. If the humidity in the storage environment is too high, moisture will penetrate into it.
However, if you have to unpack and store each cake separately, it is recommended to store it in a study or bookcase at home.
Key points: Try not to unpack the bamboo shoot shells
Q: What are the points that must be remembered when storing tea?
A: It is mainly to achieve these three conditions: the environment has no peculiar smell, the air is relatively dry, and the air is flowing. On the contrary, if the Pu-erh tea is stored in an environment where the air is not flowing and the humidity and moisture are high, the probability of the tea becoming moldy will be very high.
Here we will focus on the point of "air flow", that is, to ensure "ventilation". The characteristic of Pu-erh tea "gets more fragrant as it gets older" requires that the layer of packaging closest to the tea should be packed with breathable tissue paper-but breathable also means that many things in the air will adhere to the surface of the tea cake. Under the action of temperature and moisture, the microorganisms attached to the surface of Pu'er tea cakes grow, causing mildew. If the moisture is subsequently reduced, the microorganisms will stop growing, but the hyphae will remain and become mold spots.
A: It is mainly to achieve these three conditions: the environment has no peculiar smell, the air is relatively dry, and the air is flowing. On the contrary, if the Pu-erh tea is stored in an environment where the air is not flowing and the humidity and moisture are high, the probability of the tea becoming moldy will be very high.
Here we will focus on the point of "air flow", that is, to ensure "ventilation". The characteristic of Pu-erh tea "gets more fragrant as it gets older" requires that the layer of packaging closest to the tea should be packed with breathable tissue paper-but breathable also means that many things in the air will adhere to the surface of the tea cake. Under the action of temperature and moisture, the microorganisms attached to the surface of Pu'er tea cakes grow, causing mildew. If the moisture is subsequently reduced, the microorganisms will stop growing, but the hyphae will remain and become mold spots.
So we say that ventilation is a key to the storage of Puer tea. The air flow can air-dry the surface of the tea cake, which prevents moisture from settling on the surface of the tea cake and causing mildew. If the ventilation conditions in the home are poor, you can buy ventilation equipment to force ventilation. If the windows and doors are open and the room is visibly drafty and the air is able to move, forced ventilation is not necessary.
If you live in a basement or other place, and there is really no ventilation in your home, you need to equip a blower to force the air to circulate, and dehumidification becomes critical. If you have a lot of tea at home, it is recommended to buy a dehumidifier. In the season of high humidity, remove the moisture once a day.
If you live in a basement or other place, and there is really no ventilation in your home, you need to equip a blower to force the air to circulate, and dehumidification becomes critical. If you have a lot of tea at home, it is recommended to buy a dehumidifier. In the season of high humidity, remove the moisture once a day.
Key points: It is very important to ensure ventilation, to avoid moldy tea leaves
Q: How to deal with moldy tea leaves?
A: Moldy tea leaves can be stored for a period of time before drinking if they are discovered in time, dried in time, and brushed off the moldy spots.
If the mildew is not serious, and there are only a few white spots and gray mold spots on the surface of the cake, you can directly brush them off with a brush, and then store the tea cake in a ventilated environment for a period of time. If there is still a little mycelium after brushing, don't be afraid, the mycelium can be autolyzed, and it will disappear by itself after a period of time.
A: Moldy tea leaves can be stored for a period of time before drinking if they are discovered in time, dried in time, and brushed off the moldy spots.
If the mildew is not serious, and there are only a few white spots and gray mold spots on the surface of the cake, you can directly brush them off with a brush, and then store the tea cake in a ventilated environment for a period of time. If there is still a little mycelium after brushing, don't be afraid, the mycelium can be autolyzed, and it will disappear by itself after a period of time.
However, tea leaves with severe mildew cannot continue to be drunk. The microorganisms produced during the moldy process are different from those produced during the fermentation of Pu-er tea, and drinking moldy tea leaves is risky. Pu-er tea is often served as a hot drink. Be cautious when dealing with moldy tea leaves. If you find a strong musty smell when drinking, you should stop drinking it immediately.
Key points: Musty and severely moldy tea should not be drunk
Q: Can raw tea and cooked tea be stored together?
A: Tea leaves have strong adsorption properties, and the flavors of raw and ripe tea are different. Therefore, professional warehouses will store raw and ripe tea separately, at least in different areas.
However, considering the actual conditions of tea storage at home, it may be difficult to completely store raw and cooked tea separately. At present, in our opinion, "raw tea and ripe tea will taint together" is a theoretical statement that has not been tested by time. Considering that they have the "same root" - they are all derived from sun-dried green hair tea, and each cake tea has its own independent packaging, I believe that putting them together will not affect the quality too much. However, if it is stored in a closed and narrow space such as a jar, different jars must be used for raw and ripe tea.
A: Tea leaves have strong adsorption properties, and the flavors of raw and ripe tea are different. Therefore, professional warehouses will store raw and ripe tea separately, at least in different areas.
However, considering the actual conditions of tea storage at home, it may be difficult to completely store raw and cooked tea separately. At present, in our opinion, "raw tea and ripe tea will taint together" is a theoretical statement that has not been tested by time. Considering that they have the "same root" - they are all derived from sun-dried green hair tea, and each cake tea has its own independent packaging, I believe that putting them together will not affect the quality too much. However, if it is stored in a closed and narrow space such as a jar, different jars must be used for raw and ripe tea.
However, Pu'er tea is not suitable to be stored together with other teas such as green tea, black tea, rock tea, oolong tea, etc., because some of them have a high aroma, and Pu'er tea is a strong and long-scented tea, which will cause serious harm when placed together. Smell.
If there is a smell in the tea, it can only be changed by time. They should be released as soon as possible and placed in a ventilated place.
If there is a smell in the tea, it can only be changed by time. They should be released as soon as possible and placed in a ventilated place.
Key points: Pu'er tea and other types of tea should be stored separately
Q: It is said that Pu-erh tea is transformed faster in a humid environment?
A: During the storage of Pu-erh tea, some people artificially accelerate the late transformation of the tide. The actual operation is very risky, and it is not recommended to use it. This is different from the fermentation in the production process of Pu-erh tea, and the microbial flora involved are also different.
A: During the storage of Pu-erh tea, some people artificially accelerate the late transformation of the tide. The actual operation is very risky, and it is not recommended to use it. This is different from the fermentation in the production process of Pu-erh tea, and the microbial flora involved are also different.
Focus: Pu'er tea "artificial tide water treatment" is not worth promoting
In this world, some people like the sharpness of new tea, while others like the warmth of old tea. There seems to be no absolute answer to how long Pu-erh tea should be stored and how to drink it best.
But science can provide us with the idea of preserving the most authentic taste of Pu-er tea, which is worthy of consideration and reference for you and me who love tea!
But science can provide us with the idea of preserving the most authentic taste of Pu-er tea, which is worthy of consideration and reference for you and me who love tea!