Fucha Question

Puerh and other heicha
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thommes
Posts: 170
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:11 pm
Location: Central Ohio

Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:14 am

Drinking my first Fucha. Primarily a shou puer drinker with some sheng. The only other heicha that I've had is a Liu Bao. So the puer and the Liu Bao I can get a LOT of steeps out of. The Liu Bao, I've actually gotten rid of the leaves after drinking it for a day but they would have kept on going. However, the fucha is not the same. I've watched a couple videos that say fucha will last forever. I'm not seeing that with this fucha. I'm seeing maybe two or three steeps, including the wash. After that the tea is clear and little taste. Anyone have a lot of experience with fuchas to tell me if some of them do last forever?
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Balthazar
Posts: 706
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:04 am
Location: Oslo, Norway

Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:29 pm

The short answer is that it depends on the leaf material.

A lot of the "normal range" big brand fuzhuan bricks are made of rather poor material that doesn't provide more than half a dozen good steeps at best. Other premium range productions can give 10-15 great steeps. There variety is pretty big, although overall I'd say heizhuan bricks usually have a bit better (and also more enduring) leaf material. Fuzhuan bricks usually include more stems to give space/oxygen for golden flower growth.

Try some Gao Jia Shan for a widely available (YS has a few different versions) example of fuzhuan that usually gives plenty of good steeps :)
thommes
Posts: 170
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:11 pm
Location: Central Ohio

Thu Oct 15, 2020 2:19 pm

Thanks @Balthazar. I'll take a look at YS. I think you suggested them when I asked for vendors for fucha a few months back. I'm really happy with the quantity of Eurotium Cristatum growing in this fucha, but then this is the first fucha that I've had. From the videos I've watched though it has more of the fungus growing in it than what is showing in the videos. So as long as I'm getting the benefit of the tea that's the main thing. Plus I'd like to drink some of this everyday but STILL drink other tea as well. Some puers that I drink don't quit and I end up drinking that puer the entire day. :)
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Balthazar
Posts: 706
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:04 am
Location: Oslo, Norway

Thu Oct 15, 2020 2:38 pm

Yeah, sometimes a tea that offers 5-6 great steeps is exactly what I need. Especially if I start the session in the afternoon and dont want to feel bad discarding leaves that still have more to give when I go to bed. The COFCO Heiyuan Jinhua, for instance, is just that kind of tea.
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