Baracuda Blonde
McKenzie Brewing Company

 

Cloudy pale colour with a non-existent head. No lacing.

Weak grainy aroma. There's just nothing here.

Soft grainy malt with a strange creaminess. Not great.

Medium light body with moderate carbonation. Fine.

An unappealing and disappointing beer. Grainy and lacking clarity.

A: Nice golden color, decent white head and moderate lacing.

S: An unremarkable smell. Some hops. No depth, here.

T: Frankly, there's not a lot to this one. Minimal bitterness and faint hints of indeterminate fruity citrus. Very easy to drink but overall pretty disappointing considering some of Steelhead's other options.

M: A bit on the watery side but remains a very drinkable beer. Mouthfeel isn't at all unpleasant.

O: This is a wholly average beer. While inoffensive and at home in a college town, I won't be ordering this one again.

During my recent visit to the Steel Head, I noticed the tap handle for the Barracuda Blonde. I decided to give their version a test spin.

Served in standard pint glass, the beer is a hazy gold with a white head & awesome lacing. It's really a good looker.

The aroma is of pine and grains. There is also a bit of citrus in the background.

This is an amped-up blonde that teeters on becoming an APA. The beer leads with pine and then fresh grains. Herbal & citrus qualities late.

The mouth is crisp yet slightly oily. Easy drinker could be a crossover or lighter session ale. It went really well with my marguerite pizza.

Neat little blonde ale, clear-filtered and crisp.

Had this one ontap at the Eugene brewpub.

Light light color, straw or beige color and clear. Head is a bit rocky, small bubbles and a really clean presentation with the carbonation rising up.

Mild citrus (lemon) and some yeast, or maybe wheat, are all to be smelled.

It's got good summertime appeal with a crisp light flavor. It's a true blonde, almost reminds me of a kolsch, but not as fruity or carbonated. Overall a decent beer and true to style, just not anything to write home (or to BA) about.

It's a good seasonal I think, but I kinda question how good it sells in the winter. Maybe it's mild enough to appeal to the macro crowd?

I had this on tap at the Steelhead Brew Co, Eugene, OR. The color was very light golden, with a small amount of bubbly head film and lots of lacing. The smell is fainly of hops and the taste was the same - faint hint of hops and not much else. It was very effervescent and refreshing, but not much to the taste.

11/08/04- The Steelhead Brewery in Burlingame, CA

Appearance- Beautiful head, magnificent lacing and a golden hued pour.

Smell- Not a bunch of smell. If anything a light citrus scent.

Taste- Light malt and hops. Very creamy, but a bit watery.

Mouthfeel- Terrific carbonation level for this type of beer. Very soothing.

Drinkability- Would love to try this beer on a hot summer day.

addition....This beer is called "Broadway Blonde" in Northern CA.

So is this a blonde ale or a cream ale? Barracuda’s name defines it as blonde while the menu lists it as an American-style cream ale. Some make a distinction between the two styles in accordance with lagering, wheat malts, non-malt adjuncts, bittering profile, etc. Certainly the styles are similar, but shouldn’t a beer be one thing or another?

Barracuda is definitely blonde in color. It is light straw – lighter than most lagers – and comes served with a thin film of head that dissipates quickly. The body throws few bubbles upwards and forms no lace on the glass. The yeasty aroma and taste reminded me once again of the house yeast strain in Steelhead’s hefeweizen and Scottish ales. A flat and drab aftertaste brings Barracuda to a close.