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I am somewhat new to Puerh and am thinking of buying a tong of Sheng from Yunnan Sourcing for the purposes of aging. My question is, what humidity level is good for aging? I have seen suggestions from 60% to 70% or higher. With the AC on the humidity level here is in the mid 50s.

This is a largely debated topic, I'd advise you to look at some of the older discussions for a more in depth answer. Cloud's recommendation is 20c-30c and 70%rh-80%rh which is the range I aim for

Good advice for doing some reading on this controversial topic.

In some Cloud's website and books, the pictures shown that quite a lot of his tea are also wrapped up in tranparent bags, despite advising on the ideal humidity and temperature.

Right, this is very much debated indeed...

And it also depends on temperature (because of what is relative humidity).

In my opinion, mid 50s is often too little unless one knows very well what he's doing. I prefer 70+, but even 60-70 can work well.

Teaism wrote:Good advice for doing some reading on this controversial topic.

In some Cloud's website and books, the pictures shown that quite a lot of his tea are also wrapped up in tranparent bags, despite advising on the ideal humidity and temperature.

Who is Cloud? Ans what is his website?

Try the search tool on teachat.

I quickly learned when I started out here on teachat that the questions I had were most often questions that others had had before me. Things like tea storage conditions, which teas to buy, trusted vendors, etc. have all been discussed many times in the past.

If I still had questions after I searched back through the forums, then I would post a thread asking or PM someone. Good luck!

The current level of my pumidor is 73% RH and 77 F.
It has been higher and lower, but this combination has produced the richest smell yet.

This may have nothing to do with how well the tea is aging, but I like the smell!

What is your RH in your house during the time between first and last frost in Ohio?


Stiflingly humid in Atlanta all dang summer.

BioHorn wrote:The current level of my pumidor is 73% RH and 77 F.
It has been higher and lower, but this combination has produced the richest smell yet.

This may have nothing to do with how well the tea is aging, but I like the smell!

Lower it to 68F B.

TIM wrote:

BioHorn wrote:The current level of my pumidor is 73% RH and 77 F.
It has been higher and lower, but this combination has produced the richest smell yet.

This may have nothing to do with how well the tea is aging, but I like the smell!

Lower it to 68F B.

Why would he lower it to 68f

I wouldn't, but that's just me.

shah82 wrote:What is your RH in your house during the time between first and last frost in Ohio?


Stiflingly humid in Atlanta all dang summer.

Hi S,
Typical Northeast super-dry. We have radiators. So the RH is not as desert-like as forced-air.

In the winter I can usually keep it 68-71 RH and temps may get down to 55-60 F.

Thanks for the tip, Mr. T. I will have to see what I can do. The temperature parameter is a bit hard to control.

My pumidor stays on cruise mode during the summer where it naturally stays at 77rh with no help from me. During the winter we partially use wood heat so my rh plumetts. I use fish tank heaters and water allong with a cigar oasis http://www.cigaroasis.com/Humidifiers/c ... -plus.html to keep my rh up. What worries me is the cold in the winter the fish tank heaters but not much. I have been looking into some options for reptile tanks such as a heater that screws into a light socket or a heat mat that could be placed on a wall not directly touching any cakes. But neither of these options really seems safe or practical. Any ideas?

Just let it age without any humidity maniputlation unless you live somewhere really dry, as desert humidity doesn't lend itself too well for aging from what I've read so far.

Dry storage in Kunming, Yunnan, which has gained a good rep in China, averages at a relative humidity of about 60 at a temperature of about 20°C on average.

ChengduCha wrote:Just let it age without any humidity maniputlation unless you live somewhere really dry, as desert humidity doesn't lend itself too well for aging from what I've read so far.

Dry storage in Kunming, Yunnan, which has gained a good rep in China, averages at a relative humidity of about 60 at a temperature of about 20°C on average.

Kunming storage may have a decent rep in China, but some of us here in the US aren't terribly fond of it. Giving it the moniker Kunming Cryostasis, tea ages very slowly compared to dry stored HK tea, or even someplace like Jing Hong (which is dry compared to HK). And most cities in the US make Kunming look like the Amazon Jungle.