Best of Flagstaff 2022
Written by Gail G. Collins
The classic cocktail resurgence has been blooming like the floral note in Earl Gray-infused gin for the past 20 years. A stylish spirit with a dash of bitters and a twist, served in a sparkling glass is elegant and as attractive as the barkeep who suggested it.
As history repeats itself, gin is the rage again. And why not? There is no spirit with as storied a history.
Keeping it classy, James Bond drank a gin martini, while Gatsby, Bogart, FDR, WC Fields and Hemingway routinely turned to gin. Even the drinker’s rallying cry, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” refers to gin.
Other elements add dimension to a drink, harmonizing flavors. Bitters, a blend of herbs and roots distilled in alcohol, perk up champagne cocktails, Manhattans, rum punches and more. Smoke, infusions, aging, fruit and heightened creativity all contribute to decoctions that harken back while pushing the envelope.
Looking for such “art in a glass?” Try Annex, winner of the Best Cocktail. Established in 2010, the playground has evolved into Northern Arizona’s premier cocktail lounge. Its speakeasy vibes are echoed in the smartly-attired bartender, tasking bottles from iron shelving and pouring behind a steel bar. Brick banquettes butting wood tables afford groups a place to gather. And parties can spill onto the enormous patio.
“We serve high-end cocktails in an unpretentious atmosphere.” Simply put, general manager Ryan Bailey says, “Annex is a neighborhood bar with the best cocktails in the state.”
Cocktails are arranged in categories: Shandies, Light & Lively, Bright & Elegant and Boozy & Honest. Generally, a shandy mixes beer with lemon soda for a light, refreshing option. Change it up for a Mexican version with Modello Especial, tequila and lime. Three are on the menu at any time with a new recipe rotating in regularly.
A Light & Lively choice is Afternoon Delight, made with Desert Rain gin, wild elderflower, cucumber, lime and grapefruit. It’s a fan favorite. Pull the Lever is Bright & Elegant, a play on a Latin pisco sour, incorporating passion fruit, kiwi simple syrup, lemon and coconut cream, crafting an earthy, energizing sipper.
Boozy & Honest drinks are harder hitting, while averaging a similar alcohol content, absent higher sugar and citrus.
“The cocktail program brings pre-prohibition and classic recipes into a modern light—upscale, with a naughty edge for a warm, captivating experience,” Bailey explains. Ask and bartenders are glad to educate guests regarding the drinks menu.
Bobby’s Harvest channels a gin martini, comprising three gins with complementary flavor profiles. Hayman’s Old Tom gin, Gunpowder gin plus Suncliffe gin, mixed with watermelon-infused dry vermouth and watermelon radish, highlight bright botanicals. It is also an inspired drink.
A few Annex drinks have been instigated by their bartenders, like the Monkey Wrench. This peanut butter, washed cocktail is created in batches, mixed with six tablespoons of peanut butter, which sits for 12 hours before straining through a coffee filter to collect the residual. This increases body and mouth feel. Blending Venezuelan & over-proofed rums, vermouth, aperitivo, amaro—a viscous, bracing, herbal liqueur—and nutty amontillado sherry grounds a cocktail with Negroni roots and layers in niche qualities.
“The challenge for us in each cocktail is providing a balance of flavors, so one element doesn’t overpower another to showcase the spirit,” Bailey says. It’s cocktail chemistry.
We need something to sop up what we tip back, and Annex delivers elevated alternatives. The burger is a popular standard, slathered with house bacon jam and a pickle that’s less dill and more spice plus secret sauce. Alongside, share some hand-cut fries tossed in truffle oil, fresh parmesan and sprinkle of sea salt. The signature catsup is the kicker, adding guajillo chili for zing.
The Board & Bottle pairs meat and cheese with a Wine Spectator award-winning bottle. Also, watch for quarterly wine dinners at Annex, serving 5-course prix fixe menus hosted by Ryan Roberds, sommelier for THAT Place Projects’ concepts, which include Tinderbox, Tourist Home and the newest, Teatro.
Winter hails new ways to toast. Hot Buttered Rum delivers on baking spices, Royal Divorce’s floral nose from Earl Gray-infused gin, vanilla and lavender is topped with cream, and Turmeric Tonic adds infused gin to carrot and lemon juices, ginger and Cynar for a vegetal probiotic with bite.
“One of the biggest things for our company is hospitality, curating the best experience for each guest—to get them out of their reality and to enjoy themselves in ours,” Bailey says, “and we have a lot of fun doing it.” BESTofFLG