Garage Sheng

[clubman]

So, a few months into a pu-amassing binge, I'm sitting on a small mountain of sheng, with more on the way. After seperating it into the "drink now" and "age" piles, I've been wondering - why not age it in the garage?

I live in Texas, and for the next 6 months or so, my garage will be blessed(?) with temps in the 90's, with humidity not far behind. It seems to me that this matches, more or less, the classic aging conditions that have been used for centuries (http://the-leaf.org/issue4/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/puerh-storage-part-222.pdf) before this crazy internet era of western pu drinking, with pumidors, humidity beads, etc., etc...

So, can anyone think of a good reason NOT to keep my beengs in say, a wicker basket (to provide airflow), in my hot garage until October or so? Then, bring it inside and stick it in a closet during the winter. Or is this just crazy talk?

 

[thanks]

So, a few months into a pu-amassing binge, I'm sitting on a small mountain of sheng, with more on the way. After seperating it into the "drink now" and "age" piles, I've been wondering - why not age it in the garage?

I live in Texas, and for the next 6 months or so, my garage will be blessed(?) with temps in the 90's, with humidity not far behind. It seems to me that this matches, more or less, the classic aging conditions that have been used for centuries (http://the-leaf.org/issue4/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/puerh-storage-part-222.pdf) before this crazy internet era of western pu drinking, with pumidors, humidity beads, etc., etc...

So, can anyone think of a good reason NOT to keep my beengs in say, a wicker basket (to provide airflow), in my hot garage until October or so? Then, bring it inside and stick it in a closet during the winter. Or is this just crazy talk?

The risk of yellow mold, which is an extremely potent hepatacarcinogen.

 

[netsurfr]

Sounds very much like the storage conditions that are found in many places in China. I don't have any expertise in this area so other than what was in the articles in the Leaf, I would ask someone like Scott of YSLLC to get some more data. You might want to try it with just a couple of cakes and see how the experiment goes.

 

[ouch]

I'd worry more about the typical smell of a garage (oil and transimission fluid, cleaning products, lawn clippings, etc.).

 

[netsurfr]

I'd worry more about the typical smell of a garage (oil and transimission fluid, cleaning products, lawn clippings, etc.).

Oh yeah, did not think about that! Since pu is very sensitive to even being stored in the kitchen, I think the garage smells might be particularly deleterious (hey, I haven't used that word in a year or so).

 

[ouch]

I'd worry more about the typical smell of a garage (oil and transimission fluid, cleaning products, lawn clippings, etc.).

Not to mention the smell from my cot.

 

[clubman]

Yeah, the usual garage smells sound like they could be an issue, as well as hepatacarcinogenic mold (how's that for scary!) No point in lying awake worrying if my pu stash is going to wind up tasting like old paint cans OR losing my liver functions. I'll just keep stacking it up in the closet....

 

[Sp1key]

Yeah, the usual garage smells sound like they could be an issue, as well as hepatacarcinogenic mold (how's that for scary!) No point in lying awake worrying if my pu stash is going to wind up tasting like old paint cans OR losing my liver functions. I'll just keep stacking it up in the closet....

health first, odourless place is ideal
just be aware that closet may also have a 'closet smell' esp when the weather is humid

 

[clubman]

The problem with the closet is that the A/C's about to be running pretty much nonstop for the next few months - nice and cool, but sucking all that moisture out of the air....

I'm thinking some sort of pumidor setup, probably just a big box of of neutral wood with a humidifier (or maybe a plastic tub), nothing fancy.

 

[Suzuki]

I'm no expert, but my view with regard to aging anything (based on my experience with wine and cigars - I've not been into the sheng long enough to have much experience in this area) is that you want to find some place where you have complete control (or as much control as possible) over humidity and temperature. Consistency tends to be best for storage of these types of things.

Also, a plastic tub might not be ideal as it doesn't breathe.

Some sort of rack/shelving seems to be the preferred vehicle for holding this stuff.

 

[clubman]

I'm no expert, but my view with regard to aging anything (based on my experience with wine and cigars - I've not been into the sheng long enough to have much experience in this area) is that you want to find some place where you have complete control (or as much control as possible) over humidity and temperature. Consistency tends to be best for storage of these types of things.

Also, a plastic tub might not be ideal as it doesn't breathe.

Some sort of rack/shelving seems to be the preferred vehicle for holding this stuff.

That's the problem with this stuff in the West - from everything I've gleaned from the ol' Internet, nobody knows for sure! I agree that a rigidly controlled environment is ne plus ultra for wine, cigars, et. al., but it doesn't sound like this is necessarily what is practiced for sheng in most cases in the Orient - though it seems like Cloud's "five principles" (http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/html/weblog/weblog_e.html) are as close to having everything all nice and codified as it gets.

Probably the thing to do is just pay more to buy good aged tea and stop worrying about proper aging, but what would be the fun in that???

 

[Suzuki]

That's the problem with this stuff in the West - from everything I've gleaned from the ol' Internet, nobody knows for sure! I agree that a rigidly controlled environment is ne plus ultra for wine, cigars, et. al., but it doesn't sound like this is necessarily what is practiced for sheng in most cases in the Orient - though it seems like Cloud's "five principles" (http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/html/weblog/weblog_e.html) are as close to having everything all nice and codified as it gets.

Probably the thing to do is just pay more to buy good aged tea and stop worrying about proper aging, but what would be the fun in that???

How much tea are you thinking of storing?

If you have modest aspirations, a spare closet that is not used to store anything that can give off strong smells (i.e., unwashed hockey equimpent!)and that has good ventilation will likely do the trick.

If you want to store a lot of tea, you may want to devote a closet, chest or other small storage unit specifically for storage purposes. Fortunately, you can stack cakes.

I'm sure Hobbes will have some good suggestions.

 

[TacoBell]

I am facing a similar quandary. While not yet enough to warrant a portion of a garage, overflowing a drawer.

I, for one, would be interested in seeing member's storage solutions, be it a closet or a formal 'pumidor'

 

[thanks]

A shelf.