Can you drink overnight Puerh tea? It feels like a waste to throw away the unfinished Puerh tea from the day before, or perhaps you forgot about a brew and let the leaves steep all night. Can you still drink these overnight batches of Puerh tea?
Can You Drink Overnight Puerh Tea? What Are the Safety Risks?
Drinking overnight Puerh tea is generally not recommended. Leaving tea sitting out for a long time allows bacteria to multiply, especially in a warm indoor environment where organic compounds in the tea are broken down by microorganisms, creating potential health risks. Additionally, when tea leaves steep overnight, an excessive amount of compounds leach out, making the flavor overwhelmingly thick, bitter, and harsh. Considering these two points, it is best not to worry about wasting a bit of tea—just toss it out and brew a fresh batch.
Under What Circumstances Can Overnight Puerh Tea Still Be Consumed?
However, if you store your Puerh tea properly, overnight tea can actually be safe to drink. You can still drink overnight Puerh tea under the following two conditions:
- Remove the leaves after brewing and store the tea in the refrigerator: Taking the leaves out prevents the tea liquor from becoming overly concentrated, and refrigeration reduces the chance of microbial growth. Overnight Puerh tea handled this way is safe to drink.
- Cold-brewed Puerh tea: As long as you control the amount of tea leaves used for cold brewing, leaving it in the fridge for 8–12 hours generally will not make it too strong. Kept in the refrigerator, it is also much less prone to spoiling or bacterial growth.
While overnight Puerh tea isn’t necessarily always bad, safety comes first. If you are unsure whether the tea liquor has spoiled, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid taking any risks. The safest approach is simply to pour out the overnight tea and brew a fresh cup—after all, your health is what matters most.