This is a collaboration between OrientaLeaf and Genshe Fu Tea — a 100g brick cut from Master Jia Genshe's 2018 production, aged over eight years. Fu brick tea is one of China's oldest compressed dark teas, defined by the natural growth of golden-yellow probiotic colonies inside the brick during fermentation. Genshe's version is aged a minimum of four years at the factory before release — this brick has had more than twice that. Woody, smooth, and deeply mellow. The Little Brick exists for one reason: to make a genuinely high-quality aged fu brick accessible at a price that doesn't require a big commitment.
Why This Collab Exists
Genshe fu bricks are sold whole — typically 350g to 1,000g per brick. For someone new to fu tea, or someone who wants to try aged fu before buying a full brick, that's a meaningful ask.
The Little Brick solves that. We worked with Genshe to cut their 2018 production into 100g portions, wrap them individually, and offer them at a price that removes the barrier. Same tea, same aging, same craft — just a smaller entry point.
About Genshe Fu Tea
Jia Genshe has been making fu brick tea in Jingyang, Shaanxi since 1980, using traditional hand-built methods that trace back over 600 years to when Jingyang was the center of fu brick tea production in China. His craft has been recognized as part of the Jingyang Fu Brick Tea Making Technique, listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China — the highest level of craft designation in the country.
Genshe's production follows a strict internal standard: every brick is aged in-factory for a minimum of four years before it leaves. This isn't common practice in the industry. Most fu brick tea is sold young. Genshe's position is that four years is the minimum required for the flavor to properly develop — and the teas reflect that patience.
You can explore the full Genshe range here.
What Fu Brick Tea Is
Fu brick tea is a compressed dark tea (heicha) made in Jingyang, Shaanxi. Its defining feature is the Golden Flower — colonies of Eurotium cristatum, a naturally occurring beneficial mold that develops inside the brick during a controlled fermentation process called fahua (发花, literally "flowering"). The Golden Flowers are visible as tiny bright yellow spores when you break open the brick.
No external inoculants are used at any point in this brick's production — no flour, no grains, no starter cultures of any kind. Only tea leaves and water.
This isn't a defect or spoilage. It is the point. The presence of well-distributed Golden Flowers is the primary quality indicator for fu brick tea — more flowers, better distribution, higher grade. The fahua fermentation process that produces them is climate-dependent and was historically only achievable in Jingyang's specific continental climate, which is why this tea's origin matters.
Eight Years of Aging
This brick was produced in August 2018. It spent its first four years aging in Genshe's factory in Jingyang — the standard minimum the brand holds to before releasing any tea. By the time it left the factory, the initial roughness of young fu brick had already settled considerably.
It has now been aging for over eight years in total. What that time has produced:
Dry brick: Dark brown, dense, with visible golden-yellow spore colonies distributed through the brick. Clean — no off-smell, no mustiness.
Aroma: Woody and earthy, with a gentle sweetness underneath. The characteristic pine-wood note of well-aged Jingyang fu brick is clear.
Soup: Deep amber to reddish-brown, clear and bright.
Taste: Smooth and mellow from the first sip. The woody character leads, rounded by a quiet sweetness that builds through the session. The texture is full and substantial — eight years of aging has added a cohesion and depth that younger fu bricks don't have. No bitterness, no astringency. Clean finish.
Durability: Multiple steepings. Fu brick is notably durable — the flavor holds across a long session, shifting gradually from woody complexity toward a quieter, sweeter finish.
Format
One 100g brick, individually wrapped in kraft paper with the OrientaLeaf × Genshe co-branded label. The wrapping is part of the presentation — compact enough to fit in a pocket, sturdy enough to travel. Cut from a full Genshe 2018 production brick.
Produced in compliance with Chinese national food safety standards (GB standard).
Jingyang Fu Brick Tea Making Technique recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.
Brewing Guide
Breaking the brick
Use a pu-erh pick or the blunt edge of a knife to gently pry the brick apart along natural seams — don't try to cut straight through. You want loose, open pieces rather than a compressed slab. A 5–7g portion is a good starting amount.
Rinse first
One quick rinse with boiling water, 5–10 seconds, discard. This opens the leaves and activates the Golden Flowers.
Vessel
A porcelain gaiwan or a small clay pot. Fu brick tea is forgiving — most vessels work well. A clay pot that's been used for other dark teas is ideal.
Water
Filtered or spring water. Full boil — 95–100°C (203–212°F). Fu brick tea handles high heat well; don't drop the temperature.
Ratio
Approx. 5–7g per 100ml.
Steeping Times (Gongfu)
| Steepings |
Time |
| 1–2 |
15–20 seconds |
| 3–5 |
20–30 seconds |
| 6 onward |
Extend gradually |
Casual brewing
5–7g in a 400ml teapot or large mug, boiling water, steep 3–4 minutes. Fu brick tea is one of the more forgiving teas to brew casually — it doesn't turn bitter easily.
Storage
- Keep cool, dry, and away from strong odors
- The kraft paper wrapping is adequate for short-term storage; for longer storage, place in a clean paper bag or cardboard box
- No airtight sealing — fu brick benefits from some air exchange
- This brick does not need further aging, but will continue to develop slowly with time
Explore the full range: Return to the Genshe Vintage Fu Brick Tea collection to see all aged fu brick teas from Master Jia Genshe's Jingyang factory.
