When drinking Pu-erh tea, we often hear tea enthusiasts mention that one tea is “dry storage” Pu-erh, while another is “wet storage” Pu-erh. Today, we will discuss what “dry storage” and “wet storage” in Pu-erh tea actually mean.
Question: What are “dry storage” and “wet storage” in Pu-erh tea, and what is the difference between them?
Answer: “Dry storage Pu-erh” refers to storing newly processed Pu-erh tea in a clean warehouse that is dry, well-ventilated, and has low humidity (typically referring to relative humidity below 70%). This allows the tea to undergo slow, natural aging, producing Pu-erh with an “aged fragrance.” The ideal aging period is generally 10–20 years.
Dry storage raw tea: The leaves are tight and well-twisted, with a fresh, vibrant color and a lustrous sheen. It possesses a natural tea aroma; the liquor color is orange-red, turning to a deep chestnut brown with longer aging. The leaf shape is intact and elastic, with an even color.
Dry storage ripe tea: The appearance is uniform and the color is oily and lustrous. It has a natural ripe tea aroma; the liquor color is thick, red, and bright like glass; the taste is mellow with an aged fragrance and sweet aftertaste, free from moldy or off-flavors.
“Wet storage Pu-erh” involves placing finished, compressed raw tea into a humid environment (using water to increase relative humidity to over 80% within the warehouse). It also includes processing artificially fermented Pu-erh in wet storage to accelerate transformation, or treating loose leaf tea through “wet storage” before compression. Wet storage processing results in a noticeable “wet storage odor.” The tea color appears aged, and some tea packaging even uses imitation printing designed to look like authentic aged tea from the past. Excessive humidity can lead to severe mold growth, sometimes causing the flavor to fade and losing the original rich, lively aroma of the tea.
“Wet storage Pu-erh” features loose leaves with a dull, lusterless, dark green color; the leaf surfaces or layers may be covered in white frost, or show signs of green or grey mold.
The liquor color of “wet storage Pu-erh” is darker, deeper, and lacks clarity. Only in cases of very light storage, extremely old tea, or tea that has been moved back to dry conditions for many years can it potentially be clear and lustrous. The texture is smooth and the sweetness is full; with moderate storage, it may occasionally outperform unaged tea. However, its greatest flaw is that no matter how much time passes in dry conditions, the “storage odor” remains forever.
“Wet storage tea” runs contrary to people’s pursuits of tea tasting, health, wellness, ecology, and organic standards.
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Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
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