Big Star Beers

This business is permanently closed — the space is vacant and for lease.

Killer beer mart but pricey. Some of the bottles are legitimately marked up. However, even the middle ground beers are priced up, I think to keep par with the high end. Great selection though; expect to drop some well-​spent money here.

don’t judge a book by its cover. this is my fave beer store in all of seattle. sure, there are bigger stores out there. flashier stores. but this one feels like a hidden gem. it’s like a store that has a password or a secret handshake to get into.
the first few times I went in there felt a bit weird. I honestly suspected the family that ran the store was living in the back. there’s a small area curtained off where you’d find kids watching tv or doing their homework. the same family matriarch is always there behind the counter. I’ve never seen other employees or anything.
but she knows her beer. deceptively well. she’s very friendly and helpful when it comes to recommendations. and their selection is remarkable given the small scale of their bottle shop. I attribute this to a combination of good business acumen on the owner’s part and the relative obscurity they work under in the high end beer market.
missed your chance to snag that bottle of pliny the elder because full throttle or bottle works or beer junction already sold out? big star probably still has a couple bottles on the shelf. they’ve consistently got a great supply of foreign beers as well, and the prices aren’t ridiculous. I honestly don’t know how they compete with the bigger shops in town, but I’m glad they do.

I have been shopping here from 1997 long before the others.

Start with a run down strip mall of a 7 – 11.
Remove everything from it, leaving empty shelves.
Fill all the shelves with beer; some of it very hard to find.
Up the prices a few dollars for the convenience.
Now you have yourself a Big Star Beers.
Enjoy!

I don’t think I can say many more positive things about Big Star that haven’t already been said. They have an excellent selection of beer. We’re talking wall to wall packed with all kinds of delicious golden goodness.
I will say, I wish there were more coolers/​fridges for some of this beer. A lot of it is shelved. It wouldn’t miff me so much if the inside of the shop was a lot cooler on a hot day. But otherwise, if you are looking for something specific, as I was the first time I visited, you will probably find it here. If you are looking for something new that you haven’t ever heard of let alone tried, you will find it here.
Prices are a little high on certain items, but competitive on others. I spend at least 20 minutes just browsing every time I come in here, which is more often than I should, because I work 10 minutes away, and I always leave with no less than two or three items. I have spent a good chunk of money at times because the selection is that good, and that tempting.
Big Star is where it’s at if you are a beer lover.

I really love this store. Not only is it the only place I have found East African beer for my husband and his friends (Tusker from Kenya), we have also found beer from many countries we have visited when we were young and traveling around the world. Their selection of Belgian and German beers is huge (at least half of the Belgian beers I have not seen anywhere else). What is great about them is selection. They have hundreds of beers from dozens and dozens of countries. If you miss beer from your home country you have a great chance of finding it here. The owners are very sweet and know all about the beer they carry.
The prices aren’t super cheap and they don’t have big sales, but they are reasonable for what you are getting. It is a pleasure to shop here. All the beer you will ever need under one roof!

5 STARS FOR BIG STAR!
I’m a Portland Brewer just starting to lay my roots in the big city, so when I tell you this IS THE PLACE for BEER, you know where I’m coming from.
Yes — the façade does have the appearance of a no-​frills, crappy strip mall, next to nothing else look to it. Be Brave Friends!
I just rolled in here this afternoon, just to check it out and see if it’s for reals. I need to make an appointment for myself to go back because I will spend an hour in there easily. Seriously.
They have a TON of beers. Their import selection is superb and I glanced easily 2 dozen beers I’ve never even heard of before. They had beer from Tulsa! C’mon now.
Domestic craft beers looked a little spendy for the 6 pack price, but the bombers were priced just right.
They have a large enough selection of cold beer to get you by while you chill your babies to proper serving temperature.
They had a nice selection of proper glassware and a large selection of ciders and other beer-​like beverages.
Lots of Stars for Big Stars! Quench your thirst my friends.

This place isn’t in Greenwood, it’s in ghetto west-​northgate. It’s also basically just a minimart that decided they could make more money by selling beer and not much else. That said, there IS a ton of beer, most of it not properly stored. I’ve walked in on hot days and been sweating inside.
I frequent the place every few months, just to catch bottles that I can’t find easily elsewhere, but the prices are outrageous. Honestly, I feel a little bit dirty every time I give them my money.

Big Star Beers really DOES have a masterful selection of beers. I figured the «massive selection» sign out front was a sham. I was so wrong. Jesse and I were truly impressed with their selection, and my hunny ended up going home with 8 – 10 beers to enjoy through the week.

Beer, beer, and more beer. My three favorite things.
It all boils down to having a huge selection of beers from all over the place at prices that are fair. Hard to go wrong with those qualities.
Skip the mini-​mart… get your beer at Big Star.

The inside is as unassuming as the outside, except for one thing — the beer. Shelves upon shelves of beer, glorious beer from every corner of the world. The staff is knowledgable and helpful. The only downside are the high prices, but if that’s what it takes to keep a place like this open, I’ll gladly pay.

So I stopped by the QFC at lower Queen Anne last nigth and I was SHOCKED.
They must have the same distributor– because QFC now has most of the same beers at a dollar or two less per bottle…
I’m all for supporting the little guy– but I’m also having to stretch my ever shrinking paycheck…
Check out QFC if you’re looking for specialty beers– they’ve got a lot of the same beers these guys do– but they’re cheaper.

Huge selection of beers. And more beers. They didn’t used to take credit cards but now they do. If the only type of beer you have been drinking is Bud or Bush you are missing out. Try something new. I have my favorites. I usually by one of something I like and one also of something new.

I’m not sure if anyone else is old enough to remember this but… when I was a kid we would go down to Olsen’s Drugs on Market (really showing my age here) and with coins in hand hit the penny candy section. Oh, it was a wondrous place with great selections to chose from. Big Star is just like that only geared more to my grownup state.
The selection in this place is amazing. I didn’t know Latvia made beer. Really! The German section is huge with limitless options. They even carry some sake. This place is only one of two places I know in the north end that carries Chang.
Parking is easy, it isn’t too far from I-​5 and they have lots of cold beer too. Find that inner child in yourself and head to the Big Star Beer store!

I always call this «The Beer Store» — as in:
«I’m coming over at eight, do you want anything from The Beer Store?» «Shall I bring something from The Beer Store for the BBQ this weekend?»
«Would you like some rare Polish beer you’ve never heard of for the party tonight?»
«It’s been a hard week, let’s go to the beer store.»
I don’t drink beer, but I *love* cider, and they have a huge selection which I need to work my way through trying. (My favorite is Strongbow, which is difficult to find in Seattle outside of bars, though more places seem to be carrying it – I default to this brand, as it is easiest and I know that I’ll get what I like for the money I’m spending, but someday I will try the others.)
The woman who works here (owns the place?) is friendly, knowledgeable, efficient, and just plain awesome.

The sign on the front says it’s a beer market. The inside lives up to that promise. I’ve seen most of the beers in various locations before, but never all in the same spot. A fairly good mix of Fullers brews. Stuff from Russia, Japan, Poland, Austria and Denmark were ones I had never seen anywhere else before. I was hoping for more Dogfish Head’s and Hair of the Dog selection, but they had the standards (60 minute IPA, Fred, Adam) which is enough to satisfy most mortals.
Anyway, racks and racks of beer, some interesting sake, huge magnums that would be wicked to bring to a party and some micro kegs of yummy looking German beer that would also make you the hit of any party.
As for the prices, they are not any more than fancy pants markets that play classical music which is where you have to go to find only a ¼ of the selection. It’s specialty beer and the prices reflect that. Given the cost of hops and grain, prices can change quickly.
Go give this place and the super nice owner some of your money and get a bottle of beer you’ve never had before. Cheers

Great selection and very knowledgeable about their beer. I asked if they carried Doggie Claws Barleywine from Hand of the Dog breweries but the didn’t carry it that day. She went on to show me what else they had in Barleywines which was quite impressive. I also discovered Juniper Pale Ale by Rogue and Dogfish Head’s IPA (which was the best IPA I have had).
I plan on creating a little collection in my frig. I will be here often.
Zipzap Zubidy Bop!

Buying 40 oz of OE here is like going to Whole Foods to buy Hamburger Helper. You can do it (right? I’ve never really looked for OE), but it’s a waste of what the Beer Store has to offer.
My favorite beer (like my favorite women) is a Belgian Blonde called Leffe. It is crisp and refreshing but not too light bodied like Hoegaarden. But I digress.
Leffe can now be purchased at Whole Foods and other high-​end stores, but before it was popular (many, many, many moons ago), I could only find it at the Beer Market.
This place has one of the greatest selections of beer in the city. It looks a little dingy on the inside and out, but the cornucopia of beers will quickly mesmerize you. You won’t even notice the small living area in the back separated by a blanket thrown over a shower rod with the cot and 13 inch black and white tv.
Yes, it’s pricey, but good beer costs more than cheap beer. That is a fundamental concept. Go to Beer Market and «Pay that man his money.» — Teddy KGB

OK so I go to this place during the winter and occasionally during the summer in search of a cider which you can RARELY find in Seattle.
I found it here!!!
Magners Irish Cider… Even if you aren’t a cider fan… Its good!!!
On a hot day pour this over ice and voi’la instant transformation to heaven…
There selection is phenomenal… the only reason for the four stars and not five…
The ever changing prices when we go there and they only carry 1 six-​pack of Magners at a time…
Thanks for carrying it…