Puerh Cha Article - Wet Storage	Page 1 | 2

Wet storage is used as a catalyst to quicken the ageing process of young green puerh tea. Good wet storage take great skills and imparts an even and thorough treatment of the teacake. The high humidity associated with wet storage can produce a thin layer of white frost on the teacake.

Wet storage has been around for hundreds of years. The record of rudimentary storage in caves and underground burials is evidence of the early forms of wet storage. Nowadays the modern process of wet storage is conducted in special warehouses and cellars (some of which are deliberately constructed next to hillsides to obtain additional moisture and humidity) in an environment that is carefully controlled and monitored by experts. Wet storage is a common and popular way for storing young puerh by tea merchants looking to age and develop their tea stock quickly. Each merchant generally has his own unique criteria for wet storage and as a result the end product often have varying degrees of induced fermentation.

The picture shows the wet leaves of an aged puerh tea that has undergone wet storage. Unlike black puerh tea the wet leaves remain supple and flexible. This thick brew is reddish brown with a mild sweetness and chinese medicine flavor.