Question via comment

Anonymous said...
"I recently(about a month ago) heard that aged pu erh that's more that 20 years are not good for consumption. Apparently, the news was shown live on national TV in China. It was a professor from the university making that statement. He added that even though the tea may taste better but it is not good for our health. Have you heard anything about that? I have heard from few different people about this. Also heard that the price of pu erh then drop because of that.. But i have not read anything online yet. I wonder if it is true.."

Reply: ..
There are probably more opinions on the above subject(s), than people offering them. In fact, around the tea tables I frequent, discussion about Pu-erh out numbers other teas 8:1 (subjective estimate).
Up front, my family and I; drink, enjoy, and collect/store Pu-erh. My opinions might be a tad biased. I’d prefer to see them as well informed (over many years) opinions (that are my reality hence “true”)
Question(s)
I did not see the TV broadcast first hand. However, it was much discussed and quickly discounted. It made a Chinese edition newspaper sold in Southern California. One of my friends (HK native), brought in the article (read/translated for me) There were additional articles about “Fake” Pu-erh being sold in HK hotels!!
Why it was quickly discounted?
Long held beliefs are not easily dispelled. Empirical tea knowledge far out weighs any scientific based opinion. (Here in China). Its seem the TV spot was a flash in the pan / storm in a teacup .. soon over - easily forgotten.
Pu-erh prices; I think “Greedy merchants got caught with over priced inventory that the buying public refused to buy. Hence a market price adjustment."
I buy Pu-erh from five sources in Dongguan, and two in the Shanghai area. I like to think my sources are reputable and fair. None of them asked "crazy" prices.
I have seen a steady rise in tea prices. One of my suppliers has offered to buy back tea I purchased last year, at a fair profit. (I still have the tea).
Recently extreme weather conditions and natural disasters have hit Yunnan province. So we have a tri-fecta, reduced/delayed production, infrastructure/transportation cost increases, increased demand for Pu-erh.
FACT, older tea is more expensive than young tea.
Personal experience: Pu-erh is extremely easy to drink.
Any time / all day, any weather conditions hot-cold etc.
Only tea I can drink on an empty stomach.
I enjoy it hot, as brewed or cold, left to sit for some time.
There are tangible benefits of Pu-erh, no details!

I spend a lot of time in Dongguan area and HK .. These seem to be the hot bed of Pu-erh consumption. From personal experience, once a Hong Konger has a traditional set of beliefs nothing short of a personal visit by a long passed ancestor will change that dogma.
That is provided the ancestral ghost has a valid HK ID Card, Drivers License and library card.

One story I got back, The university professor was jealous of his friends 20 yr old tea and could not afford to buy some, he thought to degrade his friends tea.

The real trick in all of this is to acquire genuine 20 or 20+ year old tea.
Then you hope the storage did not adversely affect the teas potential.

My approach: buy what tastes good and avoid paying too much, both are 100% your own criteria.

I believe that 20/30 year old tea holds its intrinsic medicinal values and with moderate care the taste will improve over time .. Jump to 80/100 yr old tea .. its anybodies guess