Tea Knowledge: Should Pu'er Tea Be Sealed When Storing?

The rainy season is a critical period for Pu'er tea storage for those who collect and store it.

Tea lovers generally agree that it should be kept away from moisture, odors, and light. The biggest point of contention is whether or not it should be sealed.

Many drinkers of aged tea oppose sealing, while many others say it should be.

Should it be sealed?

This isn't a blanket decision; it requires a specific analysis.

For new tea, it's best not to seal it tightly. Allow some air to escape, allowing room for the tea to circulate and for the tea to perspire.

New tea's green and fiery aromas haven't fully faded, so sealing it tightly can result in a dull taste. New tea has a high water content, and if completely sealed from air, the water can't circulate, increasing the risk of bacterial growth and mold.

For tea that will be consumed within a few years, control the amount of air permeation or allow it to air out for a year before sealing it. This allows the air's temperature, humidity, and microorganisms to contribute to the tea's transformation.

If you want to store Pu'er tea for a long time, at least five years or more, then stricter sealing is necessary.

Pu'er tea doesn't require much oxygen for its transformation, and excessive exposure to oxygen should be avoided, as it can lead to excessive oxidation.

Ventilation is even more undesirable. Ventilation is simply a way to remove moisture and odors from wet-stored tea. If the tea is stored properly and the storage environment is clean, why bother with ventilation?

Pu'er tea becomes more fragrant with age. A reference to agarwood storage will illustrate this point. If stored in an environment with natural ventilation, the surface of agarwood will quickly oxidize and lose its fragrance.

For this reason, high-quality agarwood is stored in sealed tin boxes. This not only locks in the aroma but also increases the concentration of substances per unit area, accelerating transformation.

Aroma is equally important for Pu'er tea. Whether it's new or aged, aroma is a key tasting criterion.

For aged tea, where aromatic compounds evaporate significantly, locking in aroma is particularly important.

Sealing tea can not only preserve its fragrance and prevent moisture, but also increase the concentration of substances in a unit space. Although there is less oxygen, this is actually more conducive to the transformation of Pu'er tea.