Puerh tea is categorized into raw (sheng) and ripe (shou) tea. Raw puerh is typically aged in dry storage with a humidity level of 60%–80%, while ripe puerh is kept in humid storage above 80% humidity. Once you bring your puerh tea home, whether it’s raw or ripe, it can generally be stored under normal humidity conditions. While storing puerh tea is quite straightforward, there are still a few small details to keep in mind.
General Storage Guidelines for Puerh Tea
Puerh tea doesn’t have strict storage demands and can be kept in your living room or bedroom. Just make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight and in a well-ventilated area. Also, avoid placing it near fragrant or pungent items such as soap, kitchens, or camphor. Certain seasons in Taiwan can be quite humid; if your home tends to trap moisture, you can turn on the air conditioner to provide a bit of protection. However, avoid extremes of overly high or low humidity, or the tea’s flavor will degrade.
If you want to be extra careful with your storage, you can invest in tea canisters, tea storage jars, or pottery urns. Some containers are specifically designed for storing puerh tea and offer a good level of ventilation. Once you place the puerh tea inside, it doesn’t need to be completely airtight—just covered enough to keep out dust, with occasional checks and airing out.
Different Storage for Raw and Ripe Puerh
Raw puerh can be kept in a typical indoor environment. Ripe puerh, on the other hand, can be stored in relatively higher humidity areas, such as places with over 80% humidity. It’s best to store raw and ripe puerh separately. When arranging their spots, it is ideal to keep raw puerh a bit higher up and ripe puerh lower down. Furthermore, regardless of whether it’s raw or ripe, neither should be placed in direct sunlight, and proper ventilation must be maintained.
▲ Raw puerh can be stored in standard indoor conditions.
▲ Ripe puerh can be placed in slightly more humid environments.