Raw or Ripe Pu'er: Which Is "Better"?
"Raw or ripe pu'er, which is better?" This may be the question about pu'er asked most often. The answer is simple: they're the same raw material taking two different paths, with different flavors and different fans. For the basic differences between raw and ripe, read Raw Pu'er and Ripe Pu'er first.
Two Different Paths
| Raw pu'er (sheng) | Ripe pu'er (shou) | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Shaiqing maocha steamed and pressed directly | Shaiqing maocha first pile-fermented (wodui), then dried, sorted, and pressed or sold loose |
| Young liquor color | Yellow-green, golden | Deep red |
| Young flavor | Floral, honey, wild mountain notes; more direct bitterness and astringency | Aged, jujube, woody; mellow and smooth |
| Change in storage | Changes a lot, continuing to transform over 10 or 20 years | Changes less; smoother after a few years |
| When to drink | Lively when young, rich and mellow when aged | Good to drink right after release, smoother after a few years |
Is Raw Pu'er More Premium Than Ripe?
No. The difference between raw and ripe pu'er is in the processing, not the grade. There are high-grade ripe teas and ordinary raw teas alike. Every kind of tea has good and bad examples, and quality depends on raw material, processing, and storage, not on whether it's raw or ripe.
Is Ripe Pu'er Made from Inferior Tea?
No. Ripe pu'er's raw material is also Yunnan large-leaf shaiqing maocha, and the national standard GB/T 22111 sets the same raw-material requirements for ripe tea as for raw tea: both must come from within the protected geographical-indication area.
This impression may come from several sources:
- Wodui needs a certain volume: A pile has to be big enough to maintain its temperature, so ripe tea often uses raw material with stable supply; material from famous mountains and ancient trees is scarce and expensive, so most of it becomes raw tea.
- Ripe tea's appearance: After pile fermentation the leaves turn dark brown, so you can't see what the raw material originally looked like.
- Past market impressions: In earlier years, ripe tea was mostly everyday bulk tea.
In fact, there are ripe teas made from ancient-tree and famous-mountain material, and gongting-grade (palace-grade) loose ripe pu'er is made from carefully selected tender buds and leaves. Raw material choices for ripe tea are in Raw Material for Wodui.
Why Is Raw Pu'er Often More Expensive?
Mainly for market reasons, not quality reasons:
- Famous mountains and ancient trees mostly become raw tea: Raw material from famous mountains like Lao Banzhang and Bingdao is already expensive, and most of it is made into raw tea, raising raw pu'er's overall price level.
- Collector demand: Raw tea keeps transforming in storage, carrying the expectation that it "gets more fragrant with age," so many people collect it.
- Mountain character: Raw tea best expresses a region's character, so famous mountains carry a clear premium.
Ripe pu'er is mainly for everyday drinking and is mostly affordable, but high-grade aged ripe pu'er can also be expensive. What goes into price is covered in What Drives Pu'er Prices.
Which Is Better to Drink?
It depends on what you like and when you're drinking:
Ripe pu'er may be the better place to start if you:
- Like black tea, coffee, and rich flavors;
- Are put off by bitterness and astringency, or are new to pu'er;
- Want to brew easily in a mug, thermos, or tea bag;
- Want to make milk tea or simmer tea in winter.
Raw pu'er may be the better place to start if you:
- Like oolong, green tea, and fresh, fragrant flavors;
- Enjoy tasting the character of different mountains and regions;
- Want to watch a tea transform over time;
- Want to cold-brew in summer.
Trying both is the best approach. Many tea lovers drink raw tea in the morning and ripe tea after meals, more ripe in winter and more raw in summer. Seasonal pairings are in Pu'er Through the Four Seasons.
Guyuntang's Two Teas
Bingdao Old Village Dragon Pearls are raw pu'er, 8 g per pearl, 10 pearls per bag. The Pu'er Pyramid Tea Bag Gift Box has 24 bags per box and does not label raw and ripe separately, so please check the packaging or confirm with our staff for the actual tea type. For choosing between the two, see Dragon Pearls or Tea Bags?
In-Between Options
There are also raw-and-ripe blends and lightly fermented teas on the market, with a taste between the two; see Semi-Ripe, Raw-Ripe Blends, and Light Fermentation.
FAQ
Is raw pu'er more premium than ripe? No. They're different processes, each with good and bad examples; quality depends on raw material, processing, and storage.
Is ripe pu'er made from inferior tea? No. Ripe pu'er also uses Yunnan large-leaf shaiqing maocha, and there are high-grade ripe teas made from famous-mountain ancient trees or tender buds and leaves.
Why is raw pu'er more expensive? Mainly for market reasons: famous-mountain and ancient-tree material mostly becomes raw tea, raw tea has collector demand, and famous mountains carry a clear premium.
Which is better to drink? If you like rich flavors and dislike bitterness, start with ripe; if you like fresh fragrance and want to taste mountain character, start with raw. Trying both is best.