Tea Thyme Soda

Ingredients

For the soda:

• Ice, as needed
  
• 2 tablespoons Tea Thyme syrup (see recipe below)
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon (optional)
  
• Seltzer, cold, as needed
  
• Sprig of fresh thyme or lemon wedge, for garnish
  

For the syrup:

• 8 ounces (1 cup) water
  
• 8 ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
  
• 6 bags black tea (I used Darjeeling)
  
• 1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme or a handful of fresh thyme sprigs (about 1/4 ounce)
  
• One 1/2 inch stick cinnamon, broken (optional)
  

Directions

For the soda:

1. Fill a 12-ounce glass halfway with ice. Add the syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon (if using it). Top the rest of the glass off with seltzer and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a sprig of thyme or lemon wedge. Repeat with the remaining syrup, or save the rest for another day. Enjoy!
2. Note: Feel free to play with the proportions of the lemon and syrup. I find this recipe to yield a refreshing balance of tart and sweet the way it is written, but you may prefer otherwise.

For the syrup:

1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Add in the tea bags to steep, thyme, and cinnamon (if using), then cover. Allow to come to room temperature. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a glass jar, squeezing tea bags to extract as much syrup as possible. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.