Scrape the skin off the ginger with a spoon. Slice it thinly, then lightly bruise the slices with the back of the spoon to help release their juices and aroma.

Put the ginger slices and water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, keeping an eye on the pan as it warms.

Once the water boils, cover the saucepan and turn off the heat. Let the ginger steep for 5 minutes. For a stronger ginger flavor, let it steep a little longer, then taste it.

Stir the honey into the warm tea until it dissolves. Taste the tea and adjust the sweetness if needed.

Pour the tea into two mugs. Cut the lemon into slices and garnish each mug with a slice. Add more lemon to taste, if you like.

Brew the tea the same way and stir in the honey while it is hot. Pour it into a pitcher, add lemon slices, and serve over ice. For a vegan version, replace the honey with agave.