Winner: Flying Saucer

11255 Huebner Rd #212, (210) 696-5080

This Northwest Side happy hour hangout has built a thirsty following thanks to its massive selection of tap and bottled beer. The lineup is constantly rotating to bring in seasonal styles, hard-to-find imports and the latest local microbrews. And if sipping a complex Belgian ale to detect its hop varieties isn't entertainment enough, the Saucer's also got a hump day social hour, Texas pint nights and cash-prize trivia games to keep things interesting for the casual brew hound. The kitchen turns out formidable burgers, pizzas, salads and even a float made with Russian Imperial stout and vanilla ice cream. And there's one more attraction for truly dedicated hop heads: Those with enough stamina to tip back 200 unique brews at the Saucer are immortalized by having their own personalized plate hung on the wall. (Although, no matter how tempting, we don't recommend going for that in one sitting.)

2. The Cove

606 W Cypress St.

(210) 227-2683, thecove.us

3. Big Hops

306 Austin St

(210) 320-1470

bighops.com