Place the 2 black tea bags and lemon zest into a heatproof cup. Pour 1 cup boiling water over them and steep for 3 minutes for a bright but not overly bitter concentrate.

After 3 minutes, remove and discard the tea bags (squeeze gently against the cup rim to extract liquid). Stir in 1 teaspoon light honey (or 1 tsp simple syrup) until dissolved. Allow the concentrate to cool to room temperature (about 10 minutes) or chill briefly in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes.

Build the Drink

Fill a highball glass with about 1 cup of ice cubes.

Add the cooled tea concentrate into the glass (roughly 3/4 cup of finished concentrate).

Pour in 2 cups chilled neutral hard seltzer. If you prefer a lighter alcohol intensity or more fizz, substitute up to 1/2 cup of the seltzer with the chilled unflavored sparkling water and gently stir once to combine. Stir gently 4–5 times to integrate the tea and seltzer without flattening the bubbles.

Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice to brighten the flavors. Give one gentle stir.

Garnish & Serve

Float a thin lemon wheel or twist on top and tuck a mint sprig into the glass if using.

Serve immediately while fizzy. Optionally provide a straw. Consume responsibly.