Three Seattle coffee spots fared so-so; surely their beer markets will do better? This time we skipped our default go-to, Bottleworks, and looked at three other reputable spots. The results, again, were a bit of a mixed bag.

Chuck's 85th St Market

Located in a building that'd make JB's look luxurious, Chuck's has two things going for it: A tap selection and a huge selection of cider. I don't particularly care much for cider and as the interiors are less than inviting, I probably wouldn't want to spend much time drinking pints here either. That leaves the bottle selection which is serviceable. Not stellar, but perfectly fine if you live in the neighborhood.

It's not worth the trip from Spokane by itself though, and, for the most part, I have a hard time justifying this as a stop for most beer hounds. Bottleworks would have all of this covered, no problem.

Seattle Beer Authority

Again a beer store with a tap selection, and this spot feels a bit more inviting than Chuck's. The bottle selection is OK, again one of those places it'd be nice to have in your neighborhood. Would I recommend making the stop if you were traveling from our side of the state? No. As with Chuck's you can find about 90% of what they carry without leaving town, though I will give them bonus points for having a couple of bottles of Boundary Bay.

Big Star Beer Market

Then there's Big Star, which finally is a home-run. Here you can find a large selection of international beer—all grouped by country—as well as some more out of the ordinary Americans. The light is dimmed and the temperature is on the chilly side, meaning the bottles can safely be displayed on shelves as opposed to coolers.

Bonus points for carrying Pliney the Elder. I'd say Big Star would make an excellent second stop after Bottleworks. Find it on 1117 N Northgate Way.