Iron City Beer
Pittsburgh Brewing Company

Sample at Pittsburgh Brewing Company.

We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of this beer, which we always had considered "awful". Since opening the new brewing facility in 2022 with state of the art equipment from GEA I have to say IC is a much improved brew. In the good old days, you never quite knew what you were going to get with IC.

This beer now actually has flavor and body!

 

 

RB transfer

A slightly corn taste at the beginning with a delightfully dry finish. For a mass produced beer, it’s remarkably nice. Currently consuming while biking the GAP trail.

Where was this beer in my youth on the West Coast? Far superior than the Coors, Budweiser, and Henry Weinhards from that era.

Just a great lager.

 

From the bottle, it pours a clear light golden color with a modest white head that soon diminishes to a ring. The nose gets a clean scent of grain with a little fruit. The mouth gets a light grain and malt brew with few vices or virtues. Drinkable.

 

 

12oz bottle

On a hard pour, 1 finger of white head forms then dissipates to a sporadic covering on top of a clear golden yellow body. Lacing attempts to form but fades to nothing. Average to decent AAL.

Aroma is surprisingly malty with some corn and a mineralic crispness. Not a craft lager but for 9.00 a sixer this is decent. Not all that interesting but solid for the style and price.

Taste is again better than expected, with the American lager yeast character being present but not offensive. Maltiness and corn is more subdued than expected from the aroma. Very clean but a bit boring. Super smooth.

The feel is verging on light but that's what this beer is. There is a surprisingly medium-long finish. The beer is relatively dry and very drinkable.

Overall I'm glad the first time I've tried IC Lager they brew in their own facility. This is a good relatively cheap American adjunct lager.

Long live Pittsburgh, the "Paris of Appalachia"

 

 

Pours a clear sunset yellow, brief fizzy head formation and retention or lacing. Nose is slightly sweet with some cooked vegetable vibes; cheap caramel candy as well. Taste is slightly better, though there is a very distinct metallic note. Finish continues adds a little sweetness and hop bite, the main flavor I get is metal, which is appropriate for the name. Feel is light without and without much punch to the carbonation. Certainly drinkable, but not too much going on here.

 

Poured from 12-ounce bottle into a stemmed glass goblet. Crystal-clear dark amber, with a center pour yielding a couple of fingers of pillowy white head that settled in short order. They call this "The Beer Drinker's Beer," and not without good reason. Looks like a beer, tastes like a beer. Toasted grain on the nose and palate, with notes of herbal hops, grass, and Granny Smith apple. Rather light in body, with a slightly oily finish. I could see pairing this with cookout fare, which I'd guess is not a novel idea by any stretch. A pleasant departure from insipid macro swill. Recommended.

 

 

Had not had an Iron City for a long time until last week. It was my first time drinking this beer since Iron City Brewing opened their new facility outside of Pittsburgh. No longer brewed by a contract brewery, but made on premises, it was very good. Those who remember Iron City as a trash beer should give it a second chance.

A great overall lager made by Union workers who have a vested interest in the beers. I would put this up against any German lager or Pilsner. Has just the right amount of bitterness for a lager.