Odell Brewing 5 Barrell Pale Ale

Quentin, our faithful beer guy, at Quarters on Wyoming and Montgomery, had recommended the Odell Brewing IPA last month and it was a nice brew. So, figured it wouldn't hurt to sample some of Odell's other offerings. Today's is the Odell Brewing 5 Barrel Pale Ale. Now, the story they tell on the label/box is that Odell's process is to experiment with new beers by using this 5 Barrel pilot system, which allows the brewers to try out new things without wasting a much of supplies on a large batch. Sounds interesting, but was it successful with this pale ale?

The Pale Ale has got a nice hop aroma to it, but lacks that strong hop taste that you would expect out of an IPA. There is still that bitter taste to it, but it's more subdued. I would gather it has to do with the brewery's method of adding the hops and using fresh whole hop flowers in the process. It's definitely unique, but nothing that is mind-blowingly different, which is ok as I prefer the more subtle changes. Everything else about this beer, including it's 5.2% ABV, is pretty consistent with what you'd expect in an American-style pale ale.