Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea is produced by a USDA-certified organic producer in Xinhua (NOP ID 4087185003). The certification belongs to the producer. The black tea and the Huangjing are not organic certified.

FAQ

Q: Where do ZorbTea's products come from?

All three come from Xinhua County, Hunan Province, China, sourced directly from small-batch producers. The black tea and the Huangjing come from Daxiong Mountain in Xinhua.

Q: What is Huangjing?

Huangjing is the root of Polygonatum, eaten and brewed in China for centuries as part of the food-as-medicine tradition (yao shi tong yuan). Xinhua County is one of China's best-known Huangjing-growing regions, a protected geographical indication since 2018, named the Hometown of Chinese Huangjing in 2019. It is naturally caffeine-free.

Q: What does nine-steamed, nine-dried mean?

A traditional Xinhua method in which Huangjing root is steamed and sun-dried nine times, turning it from bitter to naturally sweet.

Q: What is Fu brick tea, and what are the golden flowers?

Fu brick tea is a pressed Chinese dark tea from Hunan's dark-tea tradition. Golden flowers are Eurotium cristatum, which develops naturally inside the brick during the flowering stage of production and is treated by tea makers as a sign of quality.

Q: What is wild ancient tree black tea?

Whole-leaf black tea from wild tea trees over 100 years old on Daxiong Mountain, Xinhua, small-batch crafted from the spring harvest.

Q: Do your products contain caffeine?

The black tea and the Fu brick tea contain caffeine. Huangjing is a root and naturally caffeine-free.

Straight answers about ZorbTea, our three products, and where they come from.

What is ZorbTea?

ZorbTea is a tea brand based in Hayward, California, founded by Lisa Liao and operated by MaisonForte LLC. We sell lesser-known Chinese teas and botanicals from Xinhua County, Hunan, China: Wild Ancient Tree Black Tea (AWAKEN), Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea (GROUNDED), and Nine-Steamed Huangjing (RESTORE). Rare tea, made for an everyday ritual.

Where do ZorbTea's products come from?

All three come from Xinhua County in central Hunan Province, China, Lisa Liao's hometown. The black tea and the Huangjing come from Daxiong Mountain in Xinhua. We work directly with small-batch producers; meet them here. No blending, nothing added.

What is Huangjing?

Huangjing (黄精) is the root of Polygonatum, a plant in the Solomon's seal family. In China it has been eaten and brewed for centuries as part of the food-as-medicine tradition known as yao shi tong yuan (药食同源). Xinhua County is one of China's best-known Huangjing-growing regions: "Xinhua Huangjing" has been a protected Chinese geographical indication since 2018, and in 2019 the China Society of Forestry named Xinhua the "Hometown of Chinese Huangjing." Because it is a root rather than a tea leaf, Huangjing is naturally caffeine-free.

Read our full guide: What Is Huangjing? A Guide to Polygonatum Root Tea.

What does "nine-steamed, nine-dried" mean?

It is a traditional Xinhua method (九蒸九晒): the Huangjing root is steamed and sun-dried nine times. The repeated process turns the raw root from bitter to naturally sweet, with a deep, earthy flavor. Nine-Steamed Huangjing can be steeped like tea, simmered into soups and broths, or eaten directly.

What is Fu brick tea, and what are the "golden flowers"?

Fu brick tea (茯砖) is a pressed Chinese dark tea and part of Hunan's long dark-tea tradition. During the slow "flowering" (发花) stage of production, Eurotium cristatum develops naturally inside the brick and shows up as tiny golden specks known as "golden flowers" (金花). Tea makers treat a good bloom of golden flowers as a sign of quality, because it only develops under carefully managed humidity and time. Our Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea is a 2018 vintage, handcrafted in Xinhua.

Read our full guide: What Is Fu Brick Tea? Golden Flowers Explained.

Is ZorbTea organic?

Our Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea is produced by a USDA-certified organic producer in Xinhua. You can verify the producer's certification in the USDA Organic Integrity Database (NOP ID 4087185003). The certification belongs to the producer. Our black tea and Huangjing do not carry an organic certification, and we don't claim they do.

What is wild ancient tree black tea?

Our Wild Ancient Tree Black Tea is a whole-leaf black tea made from wild tea trees over 100 years old, growing in the mountain forests of Daxiong Mountain in Xinhua. It is small-batch crafted from the spring harvest (current batch: spring 2026). The cup is rich, smooth, and naturally sweet.

Read our full guide: What Is Wild Ancient Tree Black Tea? A Guide to Xinhua Black Tea.

Which one should I choose?

Think about when you'll drink it. Morning or workday: Wild Ancient Tree Black Tea. Afternoon or after a meal: Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea. Evening or caffeine-free: Nine-Steamed Huangjing. Can't decide? Start with The Complete Collection, which includes all three and costs less than buying them separately.

Do your products contain caffeine?

The black tea and the Fu brick tea are made from tea leaves and contain caffeine. Huangjing is a root, not a tea leaf, and is naturally caffeine-free.

How do I brew them?

Wild Ancient Tree Black Tea: Gongfu style, 5g in 100ml at 100°C for 8–10 steeps; western style, 3g in 250ml at 95°C for 2–3 minutes; or cold brew 5g in 500ml at room temperature for 2 hours.
Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea: Gongfu style, 5g in 100ml at 95°C for 8–10 steeps; or long steep 5g in 600ml at 95°C for up to 30 minutes.
Nine-Steamed Huangjing: 5g (usually 3–4 slices) in 600ml at 100°C for about 10 minutes; or simmer in soups, or eat directly.

Why does ZorbTea talk about "food as medicine"?

Before wellness was a trend, it was a daily practice. In Chinese tradition, tea was first valued as a medicinal plant and only later became an everyday drink. ZorbTea follows that yao shi tong yuan spirit: everyday foods and drinks as part of daily life. We share each product's tradition, origin, and taste; we don't make medical or health claims. If you take medication or are pregnant, please ask your doctor before trying a new botanical.