It’s hard to find a drink that pairs better with summer than an ice-cold Gin and Tonic. Now that Memorial Day is upon us, we can safely say there are plenty of sunshine-filled days ahead to enjoy such libations. In fact, just last week we hosted our first party at The Collective Minneapolis, which featured a build-your-own G+T (or V+T) Bar hosted by Prairie Organic Spirits. The whole set up was a hit with guests, and takes very little time and effort to put together. With a few flicks of the wrists, our friends were enjoying G+Ts with a bit of a twist.

We had all three Prairie Organic Spirits on hand: Gin, Vodka, and Cucumber Vodka. In addition to the standard tonic, soda water, and limes, we had mint, rosemary and basil ready to be muddled or adorned in a glass. Alongside lemons and limes we added grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which tastes amazing with a splash of soda water added to the mix.

While having a few recipes on hand helps guests build their own drink, there really isn’t a bad way to mix up a drink given these simple ingredients. The recipes we used are below; enjoy!

Garden + Tonic – via

1½ oz Prairie Organic Gin
2 to 3 dashes Bitters
4 to 5 mint leaves
1 slice of cucumber
2 to 3 dashes elderflower or maraschino liqueur
1 lime wedge
Tonic water

Fill glass with ice. Pour in gin, your dashes of bitters, and liqueur. Add cucumber, mint leaves and lime wedge. Fill remainder of the glass with tonic water and serve.

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Rosemary + Cucumber Tonic – via

2 oz Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka
5 oz tonic water
3 cucumber slices
1 sprig of Rosemary
1 juice of lime wedge
splash soda water

Place the cucumber slices at the bottom of the highball glass. Squeeze lime juice into glass and slightly muddle the cucumber. Add sprig of rosemary and fill highball glass with ice. Add Gin, tonic, and finish off with a splash of soda water. If you prefer a less sweet cocktail, add less tonic water and more soda water.

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Grapefruit + Vodka Fizz – via

1/2 teaspoon roughly torn fresh basil
3/4 cup pink grapefruit juice
2 ounces Prairie Organic Vodka
1/4 cup tonic water
Dash of angostura bitters

Muddle basil in bottom of tall glass; add ice, grapefruit juice, gin and tonic. Stir, then top with a few drops bitters. Garnish with basil sprig.

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DIY Craft Menu

1 Roll of Craft Wrapping Paper
3ft Twine
1 White Paint Marker
Masking Tape

Using a ruler as a guide, hand-letter the menu copy to your style or liking. White chalk paint works well on craft wrapping paper. Once you’ve completed the menu, secure the roll of paper with masking tape so it doesn’t unroll. Run the twine through the tube of wrapping paper, and tie a knot at the top. Hang with a colorful tack or nail.

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Photography and Styling: Wit & Delight

Many thanks to Prairie Organic Spirits for partnering with us for our studio launch party!

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.