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How to store
One of the pleasure of puerh tea is storage. The taste and flavor of puerh tea will evolve over time through natural aging.
Rule of thumb storage
- - Airy place
- - Out of direct lights
- - No excess humidity
- - No foreign smells
There is nothing difficult to store and to age puerh tea. All you need is to store tea at airy place out of direct sun light. Puerh tea promote its taste and flavor gradually. You can store puerh tea at shelf in the kitchen for instance. It is also recommended to keep some ventilation and not recommended to keep puerh tea in closed plastic bag. Puer-Cafe deliver tea with wrapping paper, it gives adequate ventilation for puerh tea storage.
It is also not recommended to store tea in the fridge as puerh tea absorbs smells in the fridge from other foods
About aging
Puerh tea promote the taste and flavor through aging. The taste and flavor of puerh tea changes in 2-3 weeks after delivery which is alike air breathing of tea leaf, and continue changing next months to a year for relatively short term due to the change in storage conditions. Aging will promote puerh tea taste and flavor, as natural aging, actually a natural fermentation process, which will gradually mature puerh tea over years.
No expertise is required for aging puerh tea. You can follow the “Rule of thumb” written above. If you have many puerh tea, it is recommended to store puerh tea together. It is said good aged puerh tea influence each other for good aging. It is understood by storing puerh tea in group, the influence from external environment is reduced and puerh tea can maintain its tea characteristics, especially aroma.
Well aged puerh tea sometimes worth as high as several thousands of USD. Some professional tea retailers in Hong Kong, Taiwan or other Chinese towns stores their puerh tea in customized storage warehouse. Temperature and humidity are controlled at certain high level to promote the aging. It also creates unique flavor on puerh tea. However, we do not recommend to store tea under such condition. If it is controlled adequately, the puerh tea would promote aging nicely, however, if it is unsuccessful, harmful substances are generated by the bacteria under excess humidity and temperature.
Shelf life
Unlimited shelf life is applied for puerh tea if puerh tea is stored under proper environment.
The history of puerh tea also proves aging over years matures a good puerh tea. And maturation promote the value of puerh tea as well. There are 20, 50, even over 100 years aged puerh tea in the world. You can enjoy aging of puerh tea through your life.