On September 21, 2026, the pu'er industry gathered in Guangzhou for the first edition of a conference devoted to ripe tea. The 2026 First Ripe Tea Conference (2026首届熟茶大会), held under the theme "Tea of the Future" (未来之茶), was organized by the Yunnan Pu'er Tea Association (云南省普洱茶协会) and the Guangdong Tea Culture Promotion Association (广东省茶文化促进会). Chen Sheng Hao (陈升号), the Menghai producer behind our teas, was one of the co-organizers. Its general manager, Chen Liubin (陈柳滨), gave a talk and showed three ripe pu'er teas, two of them new.
A full day on ripe pu'er
Ripe pu'er (shou, 熟) is made by pile fermentation (wo dui, 渥堆), a method introduced in 1973. For much of the past five decades it was seen as an everyday tea, while raw pu'er drew most collectors' attention. The conference was built around three themes: new ways people drink tea, upgrading the industry, and tea in a healthy lifestyle.
- Morning: a trend session with tea scientists, including Wang Yuefei (王岳飞), director of the Tea Research Institute at Zhejiang University, and Sheng Jun (盛军), former president of Yunnan Agricultural University. The organizers also released a new handbook, Tea of the Future: The Value of Ripe Tea (《未来之茶——熟茶价值手册》).
- Afternoon: pu'er companies presented their recent work on ripe tea, followed by a roundtable on opening up new ways to enjoy it.
- All day: 15 brands ran tasting areas where guests could try their teas.
Other producers brought new ideas too. One Yunnan company, Shan Qing Hua Ran (山青花燃), presented a white paper on making ripe tea from fresh leaf, rather than by dampening and piling dry sun-dried leaf (maocha, 毛茶) as is traditional. The goal is a ripe tea that keeps more of the large-leaf variety's natural aroma and can be enjoyed while young.
Chen Sheng Hao's view: premium ripe tea
Chen Liubin's talk was titled "From Lao Ban Zhang to the Chen Sheng Benchmark: Rebuilding the Value of Premium Ripe Tea." In his view, raw pu'er built the collecting side of the category, but ripe pu'er decides how many people drink pu'er every day, and where the category grows next. He said the biggest growth market for pu'er in the future will be premium ripe tea.
He noted that many in the industry have long believed top mountain leaf such as Lao Ban Zhang (老班章) should only be made into raw tea, because fermenting expensive leaf leaves little room for error. Chen Sheng Hao's position is that good tea starts with good leaf, and that careful pile fermentation can bring out a clean ripe tea from old-arbor material. He set out four tests for a premium ripe tea:
- Leaf from a named mountain, not mixed material blended to a price.
- Patient processing, not rushed fermentation.
- A clean liquor, without off-flavors or a stuffy pile note.
- Room to change with age, not a taste that is all used up on day one.
Three ripe teas on the table
At its tasting area, Chen Sheng Hao poured its Lao Ban Zhang ripe, made since 2024, alongside the first ripe versions of two long-running raw cakes.
| Tea | Background | How the company describes the cup |
|---|---|---|
| Chen Sheng Lao Ban Zhang ripe (陈升老班章熟茶) | Old-arbor Lao Ban Zhang leaf. Chen Sheng Hao first made a Lao Ban Zhang ripe tea in 2024, using low-moisture fermentation and a long resting period after the pile. | Bright liquor, deep lingering flavor, pronounced honey-like sweetness |
| Chen Sheng No. 1 (陈升一号) | Made every year as a raw cake since 2009. This 18th year is the first time it has been made as ripe tea. | Clean aroma, sweet, smooth and fine in the mouth |
| Ba Wang Qing Bing (霸王青饼) | Also made every year since 2009. Its first ripe version keeps the bold style of the raw cake. | Thick and full, strong without feeling stuffy or harsh |
Chen Sheng Hao has worked with Lao Ban Zhang village since 2008. The company says it will keep making raw and ripe tea side by side, with premium ripe tea as a core focus.
What this means for pu'er drinkers
- Ripe pu'er is being taken more seriously. A dedicated conference, backed by Yunnan's pu'er association, signals that producers now see ripe tea as more than a budget everyday tea.
- Origin is coming to ripe tea. Mountain names have long been the language of raw pu'er. Expect to see more single-mountain ripe cakes, and more information about where the leaf grew.
- Clean fermentation is the new selling point. Producers are talking openly about avoiding stuffy, muddled pile notes. When you taste ripe pu'er, a clean, mellow and smooth liquor with natural sweetness is a good sign.
Keep it in perspective
Much of the coverage of the conference, including the details of the three new teas, comes from the companies taking part. Views on where the market is heading are forecasts, not data. The tasting notes above are Chen Sheng Hao's own descriptions. Your own cup is the best judge.
If you'd like to explore what single-mountain ripe tea tastes like today, our ripe pu'er collection includes Chen Sheng Hao's 2024 and 2025 Lao Ban Zhang ripe cakes.
Sources: Chen Sheng Hao (勐海陈升茶业), "2026首届熟茶大会，陈柳滨总经理携三款新品熟茶出席," cspuer.com; "工艺革新开辟熟茶品类差异化发展新赛道," Sohu, September 28, 2026; "不下山创始人陈立山：熟茶的未来，在山头与标准里," China.com, September 24, 2026. Summary and plain-language interpretation by Chen Sheng Hao. Featured image and inline photo: Chen Sheng Hao (陈升号).
