Puer tea is usually brewed in purple clay teapots (such as Yixing teaware ) or in covered tea bowls made of porcelain. The size of the pot is determined by the number of drinkers. Start by filling one fifth of the pot with dry tea leaves, and awaken the tea by quickly immersing it in near-boiling water, which is to be discarded. Adjust the immersion time according to person tastes. Puer tea should be drunk while hot. Good puer tea will have a strong aged flavor that is smooth to the taste.
The storage environment should have a relative humidity below 85% and the temperature should neither be too hot or too cold. Avoid direct sunlight and aim for an airy, clean environment free of unpleasant odors, as puer tea will absorb odors and flavors from the air. The unique qualities and aged flavors of puer tea develop over the long natural oxidation process that results from storage, so the flavor will continually improve with age, and the flavors of puer teas are compared with the desired results of aged vintage tea. Nevertheless, if stored improperly or for unreasonably long periods, there will surely be a decrease in quality. For this reason, the tea should be regularly checked during storage. As for fermented ¡®ripe¡¯ tea, there is usually no need for storage; it can be drunk right away.