It’s a fresh new year, boils and ghouls, and if pretty much every year that humanity has had the capacity to measure time is any indicator, this one will be utterly barbaric. And that’s okay because your good fiends down here in the Masters of Brewtality crypt have put together a comprehensive guide of local to-go liquor stores located right here in Flagstaff. Plus, as a special 2025 bonus, we’re throwing in a totally biased and arbitrary system for how helpful each specific market will be as we watch society lumber toward the post-apocalyptic wasteland we all secretly yearn for. So, without further adieu, prepare to ride eternal, shiny and chrome, into a world of fire and blood. And booze!
- Majestic Marketplace: This is our favorite liquor store in town and we’re there any time we make it above ground. The selection of craft beers, liquor, tobacco, snacks, and other assorted whatnot is one of the most comprehensive in town. Sam and the rest of the crew there know their stuff and it shows in the inventory. Unlike most of the other spots we're going to feature this month, Majestic Market also has a quaint little beer and wine bar nestled into the corner that’s a pleasant, quiet refuge from the more intense bar scene Flagstaff is known for. They’ve got all the standards and do wonderfully with limited edition and rare releases. From the bottom of our withered, black hearts, we mean absolutely no disrespect to any of the fine establishments we’ll be discussing, but the staff at Majestic has proven time and time again to be some of the most knowledgeable connoisseurs we’ve got and, if whoever you’re talking to doesn’t know everything about whatever you’re looking for, they’ll refer you to someone there that does. All the local craft beers are represented and, being folks with a soft spot for rum and whiskey, we’ve consistently been turned on to new hotness. Our favorite liquor last year from here was the Kirk and Sweeney Gran Reservation 18-year-old Dominican Rum. For under $50, this dark rum goes down smooth with a properly dominant sugarcane and molasses front, followed by a smooth oakiness from its barrel aging and a pleasant, mild burn at the back. There’s a 21-year-old variety floating out there that we’re going to beg Majestic to get into our filthy little claws, too, so keep an eye out!
- Beaver Liquors: Located just north of Beaver and Cherry, across the street from Seaman’s Dentistry, in the heart of Flagstaff Double Entendre District, is our second favorite liquor store. Danielle and the crew there have taken a pretty small space and made the most of every square inch, filling it to the brim with the finest of fineries. Our recommendation there is going to be their bourbon selection. Most of all, we’re fans of their downright deviant marketing. Any spot that will choose a slogan “You can only go down on Beaver� is utterly brilliant and we’re in full support here at the MOB crypt. Solid craft beer selection, too, with our favorites from last year being a bubblegum sour that tasted exactly like what it promised. The name unfortunately escapes everyone in the staff room, but feel free to ask and they’ll get you properly sorted. They’ve got smokes and a drive-through as well!
- Flagstaff Liquor: The new kids on the block! We were first turned onto this spot a few years back when we visited their parent location, Park Plaza Liquor and Deli, down in Prescott. The locals all raved about it and we weren’t disappointed. They opened up Flagstaff Liquor here a little while back and we unfortunately slept on them until just last month. We’re only simple mutants here at Masters of Brewtality who make mistakes like everyone else, and a mistake we did indeed make not getting here sooner. The beer selection takes up the entire massive back wall and offers all the classics, local brews, and even a wide variety of non-alcoholic suds, which seems to be a hip thing these days. We’re degenerates and therefore not about that, but for those that just want to enjoy the flavor without the total destruction, Flagstaff Liquor has you covered. The cigar humidor there rivals any of the dedicated smoke shops in town, and the staff was kind enough to help us with a reasonably priced pairing for a bottle of whiskey we picked up for the holidays. And that experience needs a spotlight� We were hunting for a bottle of the highly sought after, exceedingly rare and aptly named Eagle Rare, and they happened to have secret stash that was only going to be rationed out through a prize contest. After almost no haggling, they went above and beyond the call of boozing and parted ways with a bottle of what was probably the only ones in the city at the moment in a show of customer care and awesomeness that will live on in our memories to the end of days. Like all allocated bourbons, the supply of this ten year whiskey from the makers of Buffalo Trace is extremely limited and it was just a really nice thing for them to do. We can’t wait to head back!
- Mountain Spirits Co.: Also a newer one located over by Bookman’s and Michael’s, we love this place, too. This is as classic of a liquor store as you can find anymore. For those that remember the previous millennium, there was a long while where grandparents could send you into a store with a handwritten note giving permission for a five-year-old to buy them booze. Those days are obviously dead and gone, but this place took us right back to buying Grandpa a 12 pack of Bud as a child. In all seriousness though, bring your valid ID, they do card. The emphasis here is on the standards. Get your Jack Daniels, get your Bacardi, get your Modelo. There’s a fine selection of higher-end and craft beverages, too, but we roll up here with the lust for the classics in our hearts.
- Pay N Take: We’re getting high on our word count this month, so these last two are going to be quick, but hopefully not at the cost of expressing our love. Pay N Take has been a downtown staple since time began and is still the quintessential old Flagstaff bicycle bar/beer store. The staff knows your name and we’re convinced there are at least 10 ghosts that permanently reside there because whatever time you go there, on whatever day, they’re always there. It’s packed every night and you’re bound to make friends, just like it should be.
- Western Post: Originally located in Mia’s, which has since become Cornish Pasty, Dave reopened the Post just across the sidewalk from Flag Brew. Now the only place to buy nicotine deployment systems of any kind in the proper downtown area, they’ve also got a decent selection of beer, wine and snacks. This place has been a lifesaver on multiple occasions for the MOB staff and we’re grateful to have them.
