When you see a handle like this, you're bound to be curious.

Keeping track of all the breweries in San Diego County is tough, whether you're a beer reporter or attentive enthusiast. When I think about it the other way around, I marvel at how many have been willing to join the local beer boom these past couple years, at the steep road these brew companies navigate trying to establish a profile amid the tall shadows of 5-, 10-, and 20-year old cult favorites. I mean, how does a smaller, less-established brewery stand out county-wide when it's tough enough just to stand out in Vista?

Barrel Harbor got my attention thanks to its exquisite tap handles, which depict the company's logo — a pretty imposing-looking kraken — standing sentry atop a stack of oak barrels. I spotted one at the Bier Garden in Encinitas and saw the opportunity to try my first Barrel Harbor beer, whatever it turned out to be.

It turned out to be the Blunderbuss Belgian Blonde, which the brewery initially released back in February. A few years ago, producing a Belgian might have helped Barrel Harbor stand out, but San Diego brewers have gotten so deeply immersed in Belgian styles, I'm more surprised to see a new local IPA release than an Abbey ale, farmhouse ale, or sour.

Indeed, I've reviewed a number of Belgians this summer already, and the idea of writing about another blonde didn't seem very exciting to me. Yes, it's dressed up with the giant squid tap handle and the name taken from a popular firearm at the time of sea pirates, but could it make itself memorable in a suddenly very Belgian San Diego landscape?

A Barrel Harbor Blunderbuss in Encinitas' Bier Garden (why not "Beer Garden" or "Bier Garten"?)

In a way, yes. First of all, when I looked back at the brewery's tasting notes I thought they got it pretty right. They describe banana flavors with hints of clove and a bready finish, and that's just what I experienced. The sweet but not cloying malts contribute to a balanced body, holding up to 6.5 ABV with just enough flavor to stay interesting without getting complicated. I'm actually not a huge fan of banana esters dominating my beer, but this drank so refreshing and clean, I was really starting to get into it by the second half of my pint.

And that's what made an impression on me — not my type of beer but it still won me over. In this insanely crowded beer market, it's easy to hold newer or smaller breweries to exceptionally high (even unfair) standards. But the more beers I try, the more I see smaller breweries meeting or exceeding these standards. Compared to contemporaries Modern Times and St. Archer, the two-year-old Barrel Harbor is well behind in terms of explosive growth and brand recognition. But if it's turning out beers like this, it's earning its place at the table.

And maybe in the fridge. In late August, Barrel Harbor plans to release its first beer in cans — 16-ounce four-packs of Fenris. I guess I should be surprised, because this one's an IPA.