2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick
Date, honey and wood in a Hunan brick that has aged for years, sweetened by the golden flower inside it.
A fu zhuan brick from Hunan, pressed in 2016 and aged since, grown through with golden flower, the yellow bloom that gives fu brick tea its sweetness. The cup is dark and smooth, with date, honey, wood and earth.
Sensory profile
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 40 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 16.7 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Gaiwan or Mug |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:20 |
| Leaf & water per infusion | 5g → 100g |
| Grind size | Pressed Brick, Broken into Chunks |
| Water temperature | 212°F / 100°C |
| Target brew time | 15 seconds for the first infusions, plus about 8 seconds each round |
| Serving used for caffeine | 8 oz cup (240ml) — see the mug or teapot version below |
What you need
- 5 g loose-leaf tea
- 100 g filtered water at 100°C
Required gear
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm the gaiwan or pot with hot water and discard it. Add 5 g of leaf and smell the warmed leaf before brewing.
- 0:20Rinse: cover with water at 100°C and pour off immediately. This wakes the leaf; do not drink it.
- 0:40First infusion — pour off after 15 seconds, decanting completely.
- 1:20Second infusion, 15 seconds.
- 2:00Third infusion, 20 seconds. From here add about 8 seconds each round.
- 2:45Keep going until the liquor pales — good leaf gives eight to fifteen infusions.
Brewing it in a mug or teapot
The gongfu method above packs a lot of leaf into a small vessel. This version is for a 240 ml cup — the serving the caffeine figure describes.
- Leaf
- 3 g
- Water
- 240 ml
- Temperature
- 212°F / 100°C
- Steep
- about 3 minutes
- 0:00Warm the mug or teapot with hot water and pour it away, so the brewing water does not lose heat to cold ceramic.
- 0:15Add 3 g of leaf.
- 0:30Rinse: cover the leaf with water at 100°C and pour it off after a few seconds. Do not drink it.
- 0:50Pour 240 g of water at 100°C over the leaf, cover, and start the timer.
- 3:50Lift the leaf out or pour the tea off the leaf completely. Leaf left in the cup keeps extracting and turns the last mouthful bitter.
For a bigger pot, simmer 5 to 10 g of broken brick in 500 ml of water for three to five minutes and strain.
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 40 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Rinse is a choice
Some brewers always rinse a brick with boiling water for five to ten seconds, and others skip it to keep every drop of sweetness. If the brick has been stored a long time or smells stale, rinse it.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
- Some sellers advise people with a gluten allergy or celiac disease to avoid fu brick tea, which is grown through with the golden flower fungus. If that applies to you, check with your doctor first.
A fu zhuan brick from Hunan, pressed in 2016 and aged since, grown through with golden flower, the yellow bloom that gives fu brick tea its sweetness. The cup is dark and smooth, with date, honey, wood and earth. Brewed in boiling water, gongfu style or simmered.
Origin & Story
Break a fu brick in two and the inside is dotted with tiny golden-yellow specks, like pollen. Those are the golden flower, jinhua, and they are the reason fu brick is unlike every other dark tea: it is grown through with a fungus on purpose.
The fungus is Eurotium cristatum, now classed as Aspergillus cristatus, and it needs warmth and moisture. That is why the bricks are held in a controlled warm, humid room for weeks after pressing, 30 days to six weeks by one account, before they are dried and aged. A good brick has plenty of flowers spread evenly through it, and sellers read the quantity of golden flowers as a sign of quality.
The flower shapes the flavor. Fu cha is earthy and honeyed, malty and fruity, with notes of brown sugar, red dates and sometimes bread dough, and the golden flower is credited with the honeyed sweetness that softens the tea.
A brick from 2016 has had years to settle. Aged fu brick is described as having a redder liquor and a sweeter taste with a deeper fragrance than a young one, as the first fungal note of a fresh brick fades.
Pour boiling water over 5 g from the brick, discard it after about five seconds if you like to rinse, then steep for 15 seconds and add about eight seconds each round, or simmer 5 to 10 g in 500 ml of water for three to five minutes for a robust pot.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 38/100 |
| Acidity | 22/100 |
| Bitterness | 34/100 |
| Body | 86/100 |
| Aroma | 76/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in 2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 40 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for 2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick?
Target 100°C (212°F).
How long should 2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick be extracted?
Timing: 15 seconds for the first infusions, plus about 8 seconds each round. Method: Gaiwan or Mug. Ratio: 5g per 100ml water (gaiwan). Grind or leaf format: Pressed Brick, Broken into Chunks.
Why does my 2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick taste bitter?
In gongfu, bitterness comes from pours that run too long or from too little leaf for the vessel. Keep the early infusions short, pour the tea off the leaf completely every time, and fill the gaiwan or pot generously; an under-filled vessel tastes thin and tannic rather than gentle.
How do I know a fu brick has good golden flower?
Look for golden-yellow specks spread evenly through the brick; the more of them, the better the tea is generally taken to be. A fresh break should smell clean and sweet and a little malty, not musty or sour.
Does fu brick tea change with age?
Yes. Aged fu brick is described as having a redder liquor and a sweeter, deeper fragrance than a young one. The tea should be stored dry, away from strong smells.
How long should I steep fu brick tea?
In a gaiwan, start at about 15 seconds and add 5 to 10 seconds a round; the brick gives eight to fifteen infusions. In a mug or pot, 2 to 4 minutes in boiling water works, and many people simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes.
Who should avoid 2016 Fu Zhuan Heicha Brick?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. Some sellers advise people with a gluten allergy or celiac disease to avoid fu brick tea, which is grown through with the golden flower fungus. If that applies to you, check with your doctor first. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Plain Porcelain Gaiwan, 110 ml
In this recipe: Gaiwan or small clay pot, 100–150 ml
Affiliate link: CupCura may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. We have not tested this product ourselves. Disclosure
Drinks like this one
Fu Zhuan Dark Tea Brick
Malt, dried fruit and a honeyed sweetness from a Hunan brick grown through with golden flower.
Fermented SpecialtyRipe Pu-erh with Aged Tangerine Peel
Dark cocoa, dried citrus and earthy sweetness: ripe pu-erh meets the peel of aged tangerines.
Fermented SpecialtyLiu Bao Dark Tea
Camphor, wood and dried fruit in a deep, earthy cup: Guangxi's dark tea with the betel nut aroma.
Fermented Specialty2010 Menghai Shou Pu-erh Tea
Dark cocoa, nuts and wood in a rounded ripe pu-erh from Menghai, home of the wet-piling method.