Are you a Raw or Ripe pu person?

[auhckw]

Lets say you can only choose 1 type or pu regardless of young or aged. What do you prefer?

[debunix]

Neither. Not a guy!

Ripe is reliable, handy, simpler, but also, not as complex or interesting, as my favorite shengs. But the best ripe is definitely better than a lot of sheng. I'm even suspecting--not sure yet, haven't had the good relaxed tea time to take out some of those older sheng samples I just got from Essence of Tea--that I may like young sheng better than older sheng, which should be good for the wallet in the long run.

My puerh experience is still pretty narrow, however, but I'm guessing this won't change any time soon.

[kymidwife]

Guy?? Don't care what the girls are drinking, ehh?

P.S. I don't really drink Pu, so I was just kidding.

[auhckw]

Edited title before more Sexual discrimination comments

[IPT]

Wait! There's not option for "Both"!

I drink both Shengpu and Shupu. I tend to prefer Shengpu when it's cooler and Shupu when it's hotter. Of course, here in Guilin, it's hot most of the year, so I tend to drink more Shengpu.

[gingkoseto]

I intuitively chose raw, but then I am not sure if I should stay with raw. Some people define ripe as modern processed shu, and some people define ripe as aged sheng (with various definition of how old "aged" is). I think I prefer sheng of around 8 years old, not new sheng, not fast-fermented shu.

[Drax]

Gingko - I know the feeling.

I would generally say for me:

aged sheng > shu > young sheng

Then again, I tend to drink in the reverse order! Of course, part of that is grabbing samples of all the new teas that come out... there just seems to be a lot more of them! haha....

[nickE]

I would generally say for me:

aged sheng > shu > young sheng

I love them all and couldn't imagine being without any of the 3.

[shah82]

I never could "afford" aged sheng as much as I could "afford" premium new sheng.

[Drax]

I would generally say for me:

aged sheng > shu > young sheng

I love them all and couldn't imagine being without any of the 3.

That phrase seems familiar.... something to do with.... parenting?

I've been going back and cataloging my purchases. Yikes. Of course, I've also been recording the current prices of everything I've bought (if still available) -- also very interesting....!

[puerhking]

I drink about 90% sheng and 10% shu.

[Kost_jap]

I drink about 10% sheng and 90% shu.
Definitely the ripe person.
Actually I am in the pu not so long ago and may be just do not understand taste of raw pu-erh, I've tried several young raw and they are all almost the same taste, nothing special to worry about. I suppose they were not bad one, several from Yunnan Sourcing and some cheap one from local stores. I suppose older one must be more interesting, but I'd better spend few more yens for good aged ripe pu, which are much more pleasant for me. But anyway I am open for the experiments and may be some day I will find good raw which I will understand

[entropyembrace]

I prefer raw...even good ripe can have too many off flavours for me. Though when I find a clean tasting ripe I really enjoy it.

[Sirwill]

Sheng when I want to have a vigorous tea session.
Shu when I want to relax and sip some good tea.

There is much more variety in Sheng pu than in Shu pu, I find.

[Herb_Master]

The most fantastic tea I had on my last Malaysian trip was a 1996 sheng!

Well I am still very much enjoying Oolong, but I have started buying Sheng, and if I keep on buying Oolong and drinking it then the sheng may well be aged sheng before I get round to it!