You’ll find Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room at the center of the now-bustling Salt at Our Kakaako, a complex of restaurants, bars and shops built around a courtyard that opens up to Auahi Street between Keawe and Coral streets.

The watering hole, which specializes in beers of all kinds, can be found inside the courtyard, right on Salt’s ground floor. It opened in 2017. From 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays, beer-lovers are lured in with discounted beer on tap.

THE EXPERIENCE

The first thing that catches the eye is a wall of glass-door coolers stocked with beers of every kind: light, dark and malty, hoppy, sour, some sold in packs. There’s even a gluten-free brew made from millet, sorghum, buckwheat and rice.

The room is clean and well-lit, with high ceilings and wooden bar stools, tables and chairs. A tucked-away, cozy area sports couches and bookshelves.

Three mounted screens are tuned to sports, and computerized screens behind the bar list the 26 or so beers, wines and cider on tap each week.

The area is not particularly spacious, but has a way of accommodating a sizeable gathering without feeling crowded. On a Monday visit during happy hour, a youngish crowd was assembled, some seated at bar and window stools, others at small tables or a single long table that can fit up to 14.

The trend here looks to be trying a variety of 4-ounce taster pours of beer — a good way to try several offerings without overdoing it. (There’s wine available, too: A taster pour is 3 ounces and a full pour is 6 ounces.)

Tour buses sometimes come through, but co-owner Tim Golden says it’s mostly locals who frequent the place. Windows look out onto the courtyard, giving those outside a peek at folks enjoying sparkling glasses of the various brews.

Check the bar’s website and social media accounts for information on special events, including collaborations with Salt neighbors on treats such as a drink-and- chocolate pairing.

THE FOOD

Village has only a small selection of food items, what they do have is plenty satisfying. Customers are invited to bring food from any of Salt’s restaurants.

There are no food specials during happy hour, but I was up for some light eats, so I tried a homemade veggie pot pie ($9). It hit the bull’s eye.

Breaking the delicately browned, flaky crust to reveal a steaming cream sauce, chock-full of peas, carrots and kabocha squash, was to crack into pure comfort food. The cream is light and the veggies cooked to an ideal tenderness.

Steak, chicken and an additional special pot pie are also featured on the menu.

Another small bite, the Bavarian soft pretzel ($4) was delicious in its salt- covered, mustard-dipped goodness. Especially between sips of ale. Pretzels are not all made equal, and this one was especially good, with its firm exterior and chewy inside.

Popcorn and other snacks are also available.

THE DRINK

During happy hour, drafts are $1 off each “full pour.” That’s 8 to 16 ounces of beer, determined by cost and strength of the brew.

“Eight ounces is perfect when you’re drinking a 13 percent, full-flavored beer,” Golden noted.

I sampled four brews, working my way up from lightest to strongest. All the types I tried come in a full pour of 16 ounces.

First up was a guava-strawberry cider by Paradise Ciders, called Guava Lava ($9 during happy hour). Fruity and gently fizzy, it tasted like a really strong kombucha. I could easily drink a whole lot of that cider.

“We have something on draft for every palate — stouts, IPAs, Belgians, sours, and we include at least one cider by Paradise Ciders each month. It’s a local company,” noted Golden.

The monthly cider is definitely worth checking out.

Next up was the Paulaner Hefe-Weizen ($7 during happy hour), a German beer with a higher proportion of wheat than, say, rye or barley. It’s smooth and soft on the palate.

I followed up with a raspberry-cocoa beer, New Belgium’s Imperial Frambozen ($9 during happy hour). The raspberry gives this ale a gorgeous red tint and a fruity thickness. Where the guava cider was airy and fruity, this verged on syrupy in its strong fruitiness that sits at the back of the throat, followed by a hint of chocolate.

My final glass was the Voodoo Ranger IPA ($7 during happy hour), also from New Belgium. This amber brew is made with hops that give it both a floral flavor and a predominance of bitterness. While I favored the lighter drinks on our flight spectrum, my partner absolutely loved the rusty strength of the IPA.

THE VERDICT

Village Bottle Shop has a fresh, easy atmosphere — it’s a clean watering hole for an after-work sip or for catching up with friends over a glass of something refreshing.

I found myself perusing the draft menu, intrigued to glean a more nuanced understanding of all these different brews. And of course, to taste all the strong and subtle differences as well.

One of the enjoyable features here is that drinks on tap are constantly changing, with a steady flow of new specialties. Wine and bottled offerings are frequently updated, as well.

Check for updates at the website — which will also tell you when kegs are almost empty. “That way you know when to come in to try something new — or to get more of your favorites before they’re gone,” Golden said.

Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room co-owner Tim Golden writes the monthly “On Tap in Hawaii” column in the Crave section of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.