Slab Cabin IPA - Otto's Pub and Brewery

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought a 22-oz bottle in Wegmans in Williamsport. I considered cheap at $4.49 per 22. Didn't see any bottled on date or freshness stamp on the bottle. Pours a clear dark copper with okay head and good carbonation. Smells malty sweet with a kiss of hops. Maybe some crystal 40 malt in the nose. Tastes mostly malty with hops in the background. Hops are there, they just don't quite take the forefront like today's IPAs. Hops seem like American citrus variety but meld pretty well with the sweet malt aroma & flavor. Feels a little medium to heavy bodied. Finishes a tad too sweet. Not a bad beer, just isn't one of my favs in today's wonderful lineup of flavorful & hoppy IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:37:56 | More by jwhancher

HopHeadRyan

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Picked up a six pack from THE HOP SHOP in State College, PA this weekend...cool bottle shop with 8 taps for growler service...good selection of local stuff...a bit pricey at 11.49 a six pack...

A - Nice 1 inch head that hangs around...with some very nice lacing...clear caramel-copper with a slight haze...not sure if this is bottle conditioned or not?

S - As with other reviews this beer definitely has minimal aroma...mostly caramel malt notes...a bit of hops in the very beginning...the bottle sniff was really nice...but I think once poured the aroma just goes flat...a bit of pine and earthiness...not great...

T - Relatively fruity, definite caramel notes, very clean, not enough bitterness for me...yet its still a tasty beer...after 2 I'm liking it a bit more...

M - Good medium-light body mouth feel...nice medium carbonation...very crisp...not syrupy...good

Overall - An okay IPA...an even better Amber Ale if it was labeled as such...its very hard to compete within this style when there are so many world-class IPAs to fight against...this one does not win the prize...but its very solid and totally drinkable...give it a try and decide for yourself. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 22:46:04 | More by HopHeadRyan

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle on 12/1/09

A - pours a hazy walnut with very little foam whatsoever

S - sweet citrus hops, orange and lemon come through, and light malty base

T - light malt with a lemony bitter finish, grapefruit and caramel sweetness

M - creamy, good carbonation, slightly oily

D - good flavor, a bit too lemony for my taste

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 20:28:23 | More by mikereaser

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber poured into a tulip.

A - Pours a deep orange color, almost like a golden sunburst. Looks pretty similar to the DIPA that Otto's makes, Double D, even down to it's clear appearance. A two-finger, tan-colored head forms, with a creamy consistency made up of minuscule bubbles. Retention is pretty good, but the lacing is a bit shoddy, merely consisting of a split-second sticking to the glass then it rapidly falls.

S - The smell is interesting and not as focused on the traditional IPA aromas as I would've thought. It's pretty floral and airy, but at the same time it also has a bit of nuttiness to it as well. It's balanced with a solid malt backbone as well. Not much going on here though, however.

T - The flavor brings even more malt than was in the nose. There's no mistaking that this is an East Coast IPA. The taste starts with a heaping helping of caramel malts, and again I'm getting some English influence and nuttiness. The hops, again, are floral, and it's barely bitter at all. I'm actually getting a rather sweet finish here. This is not what I would've expected at all; it's not a bad thing, but it's not like a typical IPA at all.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with good carbonation. Leaves a rather sweet, floral aftertaste in the mouth and doesn't wreck the palate at all.

D/O - Drinkability is moderate. Definitely an outlier in the IPA style and I can see it being a sort of stepping stone to the more bitter representations of the style. Pretty sweet, not overly bitter, and not overrun with citrus or pine hop flavors. I can't say it's my favorite, but I can imagine it has its places.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 05:00:17 | More by nhindian

Floydster

California

3.48/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle acquired as an extra in a trade with Kramer17801, thanks a lot Jason and I hope you are feeling better, also split with my dad tonight, poured into my Port Brewing pint glass, color is a golden orange mixed with some light brown, 1 1/4 inch creamy slightly off white head that lasts around five minutes, minimal lacing, aroma is mostly malt, the hops are subtle and mostly piney for what is there, also some lemons, light berries, grassy accents, and herbal scents, flavor is mostly hoppy all the way through, mostly caramel and toffee flavors, some light hop bitterness along with mild citrus, warms up and most of the hops that were initially there end up going away, sweet, slightly dry and citrusy mouthfeel, medium bodied, good amount of carbonation, taste lingered a while with mostly its sweet characteristic sticking around, too sweet to drink a lot of this, smooth for the most part but balance is off with too much malt and not enough hops, cannot detect any alcohol in the flavor, first beer from this brewery and it was neither great or bad, would drink again but not one of the best IPAs I have had, worth trying

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2009 04:22:26 | More by Floydster

merc7186

New York

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer at the brewery/resteraunt on tap in a pint glass.

The beer has a decent color with a nice reddish/brown hue to it, a nice white one finger head, and decent lacing on the glass. The beer has a decent citrusy hoppy scent and a mild medium malty finish. The beer tastes decent with a medium citrusy flavor that is followed by a well balanced maltiness to it. The mouthfeel is decent as the beer is well carbonated and has a lingering bitterness from the hops. Overall, a decent IPA but it doesmt blow you away..but decent.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 00:38:19 | More by merc7186

tdm168

North Carolina

3.56/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - caramel amber with a thin, off white head that has decent retention

S - citrus, dark bread

T - dark bready malts, citrus, some banana, faint sweetness, some pine, decent bitter finish

M - medium bodied, smooth, very crisp

This is a decent IPA, but it's not one that will separate itself from the crowd. I would have preferred a slightly different malt character, but what is here isn't bad. The hops are present, but I wish they were a bit more intense. Overall, this is a nice IPA that is refreshing and easy to drink, but it will disappoint the more intense hop heads.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 00:44:06 | More by tdm168

HopHead84

California

3.58/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Deuane for the extra. Imperial pint glass.

Pours dark amber with caramel tones. It appears effervescent for minutes after the pour. The frothy head rises two fingers high above the liquid. Retention is excellent and lacing is plastered to the sides of the glass.

The aroma is well balanced between caramel malt, leaning towards bready, and hops. The hop profile is somewhat soapy with grassy notes and some grapefruit.

The flavor is also well balanced. The malt is of sweet caramel. Bitterness is at a medium level, with citrus, orange pith, and pine. Sweetness lingers on my tongue after the finish.

Medium bodied with medium carbonation. This is a malty IPA and my first beer from this brewery. I'd like to try more of their stuff in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 06:00:09 | More by HopHead84

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A rich, copper colored beer with a white head that faded to a full cap. Some random splotches would stick to the sides as I drank this.

S - Smell is a bit muted. Some caramel malts, bit of piney hops and a touch of resin. Smells nice, just kind of a weak aroma.

T - Solid tasting IPA, have no complaints. Malt backbone is nicely balanced with some resiny pine and touch of bitterness. Nothing terribly distinguishing about it, but it's above average and good tasting.

M - Medium bodied, appopriate carbonation.

O - Nice beer. Pretty enjoyable, easy to drink. Would gladly drink this again if offered, although wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:27:56 | More by AgentZero

russwbeck

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this beer too many times to count, finally sitting down with a bottle to review. 22oz bomber poured into a Bell's Tulip.

A: Surprisingly deep red pour, but you can see straight through the glass. A few finger thick white heads raises up and sticks around for a while, leaving a ton of sticky lacing down the sides of the glass as it recedes.

S: The aroma is pretty malt forward, with the hops providing a nice bitter, fruity balance. It isn't really anything special, I wish it was a bit more hoppy.

T: As soon as you taste this you can easily guess which coast it was brewed on. Very malt forward, caramel and sweet, with floral hops showing up in the middle and finishing the taste off. Not bitter at all, surprisingly, this is one of the sweeter IPAs I've had.

MF: Medium body, seems like a bit below average on the carbonation as well. This beer is pretty easy drinking and doesn't leave a lot on the palate with the aftertaste.

O: Not a bad beer to pick up when you're in State College. It's on tap all over the place and honestly isn't bad. Won't blow you away, but you won't be disappointed you gave it a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 10:00:18 | More by russwbeck

jifigz

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into an Otto's pint glass.

A: A deep red brown that has a great lasting head and some nice lacing.

S: The smell is pretty much dominated by citrusy hop aroma.

T: The flavor is very citrus like just like the aroma suggests. The citrus hop bite has a very lemony type of flavor. The malt bill is also evident in the taste and everything is balanced.

M: Medium bodied and light.

O: Not a bad IPA, but not a wonderful one either. It is nice to have beers from local brewpubs and this one isn't bad. I recommend stopping into Otto's if your ever in State College...cool place.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 23:34:22 | More by jifigz

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the pub.

A-Pours a clear copper amber with a thin white head and decent lacing.

S-Some sweet malt and some citrus hops.

T-Pretty balanced taste throughout. Not a huge hop presence but a nice citric bite to balance the sweet malt.

M-On the light side of medium bodied with a lingering hop bitterness.

D-A nice easy drinking session IPA. I would not go out of my way to find this one but it's tasty.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2009 13:40:50 | More by sholland119

joe1510

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz Bomber

Another big "Thank you" goes out to Kegatron for this brew, thanks Heath! Slab Cabin fills my willi glass with a faded copper liquid that shows dull orange highlights when directly backlit. A strong dirty white head grew to three fingers without much coaxing and crackled slowly to one finger as it leaves chucky lacing down the sides of the glass. A few streams of carbonation swirl to the surface and keep the head alive.

The nose is quite interesting and slightly dirty from the Munich malts used. The hop profile is surprisingly floral to the point it has that greenhouse quality. Caramel maltiness seems to lay down the foundation with a sprinkling of brown sugar and toastiness from the Munich. There's a whisper of citrus but it mostly follows the lines of candied orange peel and what's there remains in the back. The aroma is very unique in the realm of IPAs.

The flavor is cleaner than the nose suggested which is a plus in my book. The hop profile is brighter and more vivid as well. Caramel seems to control the malt base of this IPA but a mildly toasty, earthy maltiness comes through sparingly. Candied orange peel starts off the hop profile before it quickly segues into the floral qualities that were so noticeable in the nose. The orange peel comes back on the swallow and dominates the palate. There's more spiciness to this beer than I expected and a decent bitterness I didn't see coming.

Slab Cabin shows off a moderate body with an active enough carbonation to keep things moving but slow enough to let me catch every nuance of each drink. The bitterness doesn't seem to be noticeable at first but halfway through a bomber the bitterness hits its stride, never surpassing a medium bitterness.

A bomber is a pleasure to put away and I could go for another afterwards so I'd say the drinkability of this IPA is up there. It doesn't stomp your tastebuds like others which keeps this one drinking easy.

This is my second brew from Otto's and I've enjoyed them both. Slab Cabin is a different take on the usual citrus bomb IPAs that are flooding the market and it's refreshing to drink something different for a change. Thanks for this treat Heath!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 21:59:03 | More by joe1510

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a bottle at Boxer's in Huntingdon, PA. Great beer to have with my burger. There's a big, sharp citrus bitterness that's not too juicy, but still not too dry or astringent. It's just a well-built IPA with herbal lemon over biting pine. It's more West Coast, with a lighter than usual body, but that just makes this a little more drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 21:57:13 | More by tempest

powellmg

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark gold color with an off-white head that dissipated quickly. Strong piny-citrusy aroma of American hops. Taste was hoppy but supported by the malt. Alcohol warmth on the finish. Moderate carbonation.

Overall, a very decent IPA. I haven't had a "normal" IPA in a while because these days everyone seems to be trying some twist on the style. So this was much appreciated.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 00:50:22 | More by powellmg

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Poured a medium orangish/copper color with an averaged sized off white head. Aroams of citrus, floral hops and pine. Tastes of citrus, floral hops, pine, a little toasty. Light lacing left on the glass.

Notes from and tasted on: 3/17/09

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 23:34:31 | More by hopdog

originalsin

California

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks so much to barleydine for this one!

Pour is a transparent amber color with copious amounts of foamy off white head that has absolutely insane retention- it's been 15 minutes and it's only now starting to slowly cave in on itself. It's leaving thick patches of lace the whole way down, too. Wow.

Smells tasty. What else can I say? The aroma is heavy on the floral hops with hints of butterscotch and caramel malt. I'm enjoying this beer immensely thus far.

Altogether, Slab Cabin is a really solid brew. Drinkability is spectacular- the hop profile isn't really that assertive. There's caramel malt and a light sweetness up front on the tongue and it isn't until the aftertaste that you really get a nice floral hop taste. It isn't really that impressively delicious for an IPA but otherwise you've got yourself a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 03:55:37 | More by originalsin

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tasting notes from 1-12-11
Enjoyed at the Otto's Bewpub.

A - Medium amber colour. Filtered. Small amount of of white head.

S - Floral and citrus hops. Sweet malts.

T - Bitter hops up front - mostly floral with some light citrus notes. Sweet caramel malt backbone.

M - Light to medium body. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2011 01:11:03 | More by TheSevenDuffs

number1bum

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a vibrant burnt orange color with an inch plus of light tan head. Keeps a pretty full, albeit thin lace, but really doesn't leave much stick on the sides.

Smell is very fruity, with lots of citrus aromas, plus some pineapple and mango. Just a bit of malt sweetness, like light caramel, as well. Just a nice, if not uncommon, IPA nose.

Taste is not quite as fruity as the nose, but there's still a good amount. There's a pretty good amount of fruit here, some citrus and tropical fruits, although it's not as juicy or bold as the nose was. There's a bit of a menthol quality to the beer, and some herbal flavor. Some caramel sweetness provides some balance, which is an operative word with this beer, because this is certainly a very well balanced IPA. Hop bitterness is not overdone, but it's enough to let you know that this is not an IPA to trifle with either.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a pretty good slickness to it. Hop oils do their thing pretty well here, and the beer is pretty creamy and pleasantly smooth.

At first I thought this seemed like a somewhat restrained IPA but it grew on me as I got about halfway through the first pint. The hops opened up a bit on the palate at that point, as it warmed a bit, and it became more bitter as well. I'd still characterize it as a very balanced IPA, but that's not a bad thing. I bet it's even better on tap as well. A nice local option for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2010 02:15:00 | More by number1bum

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Otto's on 10/19/08. Served in an imperial pint glass.

A - Clear medium copper-colored body with amber highlights and about half a finger of creamy off-white head that receded into a patchy film and left a bit of lacing. Minimal amount of carbonation present.

S - Pine and citrus hop notes with an underlying caramel malt sweetness and a touch of alcohol. Pretty standard IPA aroma that is simple, yet pleasing.

T - Citrus hops are at the forefront of this IPA with hints of pine and resin in the background. Pretty juicy hop flavor overall. Malt is primarily sweet caramel with some toffee notes. There is also a hint of graininess in the finish.

M - Medium body with an oily texture and moderate carbonation. Sweet on the palate with a fairly aggressive bitter finish.

D - Solid IPA and a worthy successor to Double D. Nicely balanced with enough of a hop presence to please most hopheads.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2008 00:20:35 | More by ffejherb

gford217

Georgia

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks for Josh for this bomber, poured into a tulip.

Pours deep, clear amber with a short lived creamy head that leaves a soapy film along the top and a big collar. The lacing is minimal.

Big juicy hops dominate the aroma with lots of grapefruits and oranges but with more than a fair share of pine as well. There is a sizable caramel malt sweetness to balance things out.

The taste has a much more dominant floral hop presence and the pine jumps to the forefront with a slightly astringent resiny bitterness from the first sip. Lots of caramel malts and toasted bread in the backbone before the pine and grapefruit leave the finish bitter, dry and astringent.

The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied for the style and coats the palate with sticky hops. The carbonation is soft.

This is a solid hop forward IPA with a big enough malt backbone to balance things out and keep the drinkability relatively high. Looking forward to more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 23:51:31 | More by gford217

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-dark amber color with a nice off-white head and good lacing

S-citrus, pine, malt, hints of floral and herbal

T-nice juicy citrus with some pine and a nice slightly sweet malt backbone, slight herbal notes, moderate bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-a solid IPA with a nice balance of flavors

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:25:12 | More by MDDMD

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ba Review #188
Served On: 07/14/2012
Glassware: Pint Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Picked up a sixer of this at the brewpub when passing through State College, PA.

Look: The beer had a semi-clear dark copper color with a beige coating of foam as the head. Lacing was phenomenal. Carbonation bubbles were not very plentiful. Basically A textbook East Coast IPA appearance.

Smell: The nose had nice hints of pine and some floral notes. An herbal quality also helped make up the aroma.

Taste: Upfront was a mild pine character that moved into a bitterness that seemed to cleanse the palate for a moment. Then sweet malts took over on the backend, as the bitterness and pine notes seemed to reoccur for the finish. Mouth feel was medium and the carbonation level was stronger than the appearance suggested.

This was a great example of a balanced East Coast IPA. I would not hesitate to add this offering to my regular rotation.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 18:46:04 | More by CraftBeerTastic

Shibbykaiyai

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Grabbed a bottle while in State College, PA.

Went very well with a takeout bbq burger and fries from Kildare's Pub.

A good brew. Not too biting, but you can definitely taste the hops and citrus. Before I leave later this week, I will pick up some to take home.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 02:28:27 | More by Shibbykaiyai

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear amber with several fingers of foamy off-white head. A thin and frothy retention yields a big creamy flareup when swirled, leaving back a solid cascade of spotty lacing and oily residues. The aroma is mostly all about the hops, being very floral with some piney accents (but not overly assertive with it) and a good bit of spice and citrus as well. A thin layer of sweetness and warmth is definitely secondary to the hops in this bouquet, gently gliding underneath alll of that leefy goodness.

The hops are a little more moderate in the taste, but still packs a solid piney punch to the palate that lingers dryly on the tongue. Backing things up, is an underlying backbone of of bready toasted malts and caramel sweetness, which offers enough balance to even out the bitterness, but make no mistake, this profile is all about the hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with an imminently smooth and creamy carbonation that just slides effortlessly down the throat. Very nice.

Very hop forward but solid IPA from the fine folks at Otto's. This maybe came off as a touch less balanced than I remembered on draft (which kept the drinkibility down just a tad) but I was glad to see that same easy body carried over to this now bottled offering. Nice stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2009 12:22:26 | More by Kegatron