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Mike 1/8/05

> Hi Alex,
>
> I am curious where you got this information. You are the second tea
> connoisseur in the USA that I have heard this from and I highly
> respect the other gentleman as well. I suspect it came from either Roy
> Fong or David Hoffman but I disagree with it nonetheless. The thing is
> that I have asked this exact same question to many people in China who
> are in the business. Factories, Vendors, Tea Market O is practice.

FWIW, the guys at The Tea Gallery make the same claim that Sasha does
regarding the alternating of dry and less dry environments for Pu'erh cakes.
They say that the seasonal variations in temperature and humidity in Hong
Kong are perfect for Pu'erh. They do not speak of air conditioning.

If I ruin a $20.00 cake, that's one thing; if I ruin a $20,000 cake, that's
quite another. But, don't worry about me.
>
> When I asked the question often what I got was more don'ts than do's.
> I have documented the don'ts fairly well on my website but I have had
> a difficult time nailing down specific do's. I got many different
> answers but when taking the natural climate of the person answering
> the question into consideration I drew some conclusions. The most
> commonly used conditions were around 70% relative humidity and 75-85
> degrees F.

Raise that humidity 10 percent or so and you have a good cigar storage, as
Jim said. Unless you're storing your cigars in England, and in that case
lower it 10 percent.

> In really humid areas like Hong Kong air conditioned
> warehouse are used, in Kunming unconditioned warehouses are used, and
> yes in some areas of Xishuangbanna caves were used. The closest thing
> to the practice you mention that I have heard was that some vendors
> rotate their stock to even out the way a large stockpile ages. The
> reasoning being that Qi Zis in the middle didn't have as much air flow
> as bundles on the outer layers of a large stack of puer bundles.
>
> With regards to the small amount puer that most individuals would have
> in their homes I would recommend one or more of the larger zisha clay
> canisters that are available. They breathe adequately and they are
> attractive. For example I have one that holds 9 whole bingchas. Bamboo
> wrapped Qi Zi stacks do not require such a container, in China they
> simply use loosely woven baskets to hold the Qi Zis. The fact is that
> conditions that are "comfortable" for most humans will suffice for
> aging puer and the average climate controlled home will do just fine.
> Attics and basements may or may not be suitable. The main thing is to
> avoid the don'ts, suffocation, extremes of humidity and temperature,
> odors, and moisture,

Wise words. Thanks for reminder. I'm trying to get my hands on those zisha
clay canisters without paying an arm and a leg.

Michael