Iron City Beer - Pittsburgh Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Way too sweet-dextrose? Makes plain lager drinkable though. Artificial candy aroma. Appropriately carbonated.Thin mouthfeel. Not worth finishing bottle or quality ingrediants to cook with - rare drain pourout.Like the aluminum bottle, will bounce! Inexpensive.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2005 05:28:22 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bright yellow-amber with few miniscule particulates. The lid is a half shade darker than pure white and has a little gumption. At least it doesn't fall to nothingness within the first minute or two. The foam looks tacky enough to result in a little lace, but doesn't.

The nose is of untoasted grain with a whiff of flowery hops and a barely noticed fetidness that reminds me of a macro adjunct lager. Thankfully, it doesn't cross the line into offensiveness.

I wouldn't call the flavor nasty, but unpalatable is fair game. It tastes like sour, cooked vegetables. While not overpoweringly bad, it's bad enough to keep me from ever buying it again. Although I don't plan on drinking any more once it gets to that temperature, my advice is to never drink this beer above 55 degrees.

Amazingly, ICB still isn't as bad as some of the offerings from BMC. At least I can drink it without breaking into an involuntary grimace. Thin, almost watery in the mouth. Yeah, like that matters at this point.

I bought this bottle of Iron City Beer because of nostalgia. Even though I don't believe I've ever had it before, I remember hearing about it and seeing it on the shelves during my youth in Ohio. Well, my curiosity was satisfied. What is it that they say about curiosity and the cat?

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2004 15:17:08 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This was just not fun. I actually traded for this just to try it. Served ice cold and poured into a pint glass, this was consumed on 08/22/2010.

The pour was abysmal with a dull golden color that was just crustal clear and full of carbonation but lacked any type of retention or lacing what so ever. Light aroma of corn, rice, hints of grain and that was about it but it was dominated by just this wet cardboard, overdone mess of a profile. Light body, light flavor, everything just so light you could barely taste it.

Overall this was just the kiss of death for my night, no more for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 01:16:23 | More by mikesgroove

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.48/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, yellow body with a wispy, white head.

Smell: Grainy, slightly sweetish, cereal aroma with one single drop of lemon.

Taste: Cereal, corn fleck taste. Medium sweetness. Faintest floral hops and bitterness. More of the same till the finish.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: So-so. Much to my surprise, I found I.C Light to be, okay, maybe not better, but more tolerable.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 05:18:47 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.03/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Aluminium bottle: Poured a pale yellow lager with a medium white bubbly head with good retention. Aroma of corn is clearly noticeable and very little else seems to pop out. Taste is refreshing with some malt presence and crisper hops then expected. Just above your average pale lager.

Serving type: can

10-11-2005 14:15:01 | More by Phyl21ca

oberon

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

I will say this beer sux ass,but one of my good buddies it P-town took me to a Steelers game and I tailgated all day drinkin this stuff,not good but drank at least 16 and I cheeredon the Steelers (even though Iam Lions fan).Better than AB products,a classic in the Iron city.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2002 15:46:22 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear, yellow-gold body reveals average-sized bubbles rising quickly beneath a short but frothy head of bright white foam. The retention is as might be expected and it drops readily to a wide collar and whispy surface covering. The nose offers some sweet, lightly grainy malt with a light hint of floral hops mixed in. The body is medium; and it's lightly crisp in the mouth. Sweet, lightly grainy malt dominates the flavor, although the same hint of hops found in the nose also tries to make its way through towards the swallow. Bitterness is kept at a minimum, but there's just enough there to balance it; and it finishes drying with a note of malt who's sweetness fades although its graininess lingers. Average.

Serving type: can

05-23-2004 20:55:12 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.35/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I've been circling this one like an uninterested ticking vulture (an endangered species) for a while now, only now getting around to actually trying it. Gotta love mixed sixers, amiright? This stuff pours a clear straw topped by a finger of relatively short-lived off-white foam. The nose comprises sweet corn, lightly funky wheat, and hard water. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a strange twinge of lemon-like fruit that just seems out of place and enhances a heretofore low-lying metallic quality. The body is fairly light, with a light moderate carbonation and a watery feel. Overall, a limp little beer, one that just makes me wonder why I'm not just drinking water.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 22:28:10 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

1.33/5  rDev -47.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

It's shaped and capped like a bottle, but formed of aluminum..."alumabottle"?
"can'bottle"?...yet I can't crush it, nor will break when dropped...huh!

Clear, clean, pale yellow hue, small head disappears instantly.

Aroma: faint, yet still foul. Cooked corn, spoiled grain...not pleasant in the least. Sweet, yet putrid. I fear to drink it...

Taste: hollow, wet, no taste to speak of, no flavor, no character, any trace of the above vanishes immediately. What little taste there is holds no appeal, even cannot be redeemed by the lightness, follows through in the finish.

Not good.
If were stuck on a desert island with nothing but this beer, I'd try my best to grow gills and get away!

("thanks" to Chaz!)

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2005 08:19:05 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.88/5  rDev +52.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a dry pale malt scent along with a lager yeast aroma. I guess there are adjuncts present, but it seems maltier than most macros. The taste is good. It has a smooth, crisp pale malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes dry and clean. It has good flavor for a macro lager. It's not at all watery. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low/medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good lager. Everyone always jokes about this beer, but I like it. It's a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2005 22:09:35 | More by WesWes

zeff80

Missouri

2.6/5  rDev +2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this at my brother-in-law's house.

A - Poured out a clear straw yellow color with a quickly disippating head. No lace.

S - It smelled of corn and grain adjuncts. A little metallic smell too.

T - This really tasted like most American Macro Lagers - corn, grain adjuncts and bitterness.

M - It was realatively crisp and sharp. Very fizzy and light bodied.

D - This isn't the best lager but certainly ins't the worst.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2008 02:25:01 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

2.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: The beer is clear yellow and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that quickly vanished and left some delicate lacing and a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderate aromas of adjuncts--smells of rice and corn stand out in particular.
T: Flavors of adjuncts are also present in the taste, although there are also some notes of grainy malt and sweetness. There are some hints of bitterness in the finish.
M: It feels light-bodied, and somewhat thin on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer isn't very interesting, but it wasn't a drain pour because it has enough flavors and body to keep it from being watery.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 03:00:09 | More by metter98

emerge077

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Single from Marianos, no freshness dating.
Transparent anemic yellow color, thin layer of white foam on the surface. Feeble broken ring around the edges.

Light and inoffensive aroma, slightly fruity with sweet pear or apple notes.

Thin and astringent, harsh metallic tang, perceptible alcohol. Slightly fruity aftertaste, but not enough to redeem it. Papery, wet, mealy, soggy crackers. The astringency is awful, and a real dealbreaker here. Not real sure why this is Iron City's flagship beer, it's terrible.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 03:36:44 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

2.1/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours yellow, with a small white head, poor retention no lacing.

S: Cooked corn, DMS, spent grain.

T: Grain husks, cereal. Cooked vegetable, maize, carbonic acid. By the end when it warmed up, DMS really came out. Cold it was pallid, but OK, just don't let it get over 55 degrees.

M: Really, really light, like soda water.

D: The off-flavours don't make for a clean easy drinking lager, pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2009 05:23:03 | More by Halcyondays

akorsak

Pennsylvania

2.23/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A bottle at the Harmar, PA Primanti Bros. Can't order a Pitts Burgher without an IC, right?

A: The lager is fizzy and yellow, with a thin band of white head. That head doesn't last for long in my glass.

S: The nose has corn sweetness, light with little in the way of biscuit or hops. Incredibly sweet without no counterbalance.

T: Fizzy and sweet, again the corn a takes center stage. That sweetness is unpleasant, lacking many redeeming qualities. On the bright side, the lack of flavor is surprisingly refreshing - I could easily drink several of these with little ill effect (other than the resultant hydration).

M: The mouthfeel is creamy, quite sweet. In one fell swoop I can cross Primanti Bros. and IC off my bucket list; I wasn't impressed with either.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 18:49:15 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Forty of Iron City, this was and continues to be a staple of my hometown. I have found myself low on cash as of lately, and I figured what better times to go back to my roots. Pours a true golden tone with a highly carbonated thick white head that could be compared to the billowing smoke clouds that that left the steel mills of Pittsburgh's past. Everything about this beer says it's classic, you have to love the old school label. The aroma is a very faint bitterness with some sweet tones hidden in there. The taste however is the true reason to throw back this beer, it is a crisp American lager not too watered down, definitey packs some flavor. The sweetness of corn and rice adjuncts is the backbone with some mild hop bitterness here to form one great summertime lawnmower beer. Not an all grain beer but much better than the adjunct ridden garbage Anhueser Busch throws at us. I will definitely "drink local and think globally" in this situation. A light to medium body that is true to it's American lager profile. I will always keep a place in my heart for this historic beer of the city I was born in.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2003 18:12:12 | More by WVbeergeek

jdhilt

New Hampshire

2.35/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours with a white head that fades quickly, leaving no lace. Light carbonation. Clear amber color, light bodied. Nose is a faint apple. Starts malty, hops are in the background, finishes with hints of apple/lemon. 95¢ for a 12 oz bottle from Vintage Cellar Blacksburg, VA.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2004 23:53:12 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

2.17/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck twist off bottle with no freshness date to be found.

Appearance: Pale golden and very clear with large bubbles racing to the top that struggle to hold a thin white lace.

Smell: Cooked veggie aroma, some husky grain and that is all in the nose.

Taste: Mild crispness from a medium level of carbonation in a light body. Very slim on the malt, lots of grain and husky flavours with vague astringencies. Hops are brash but small and only help to enhance the astringent flavours. Light lemony hop seems out of place. Touch of cooked veggie and corn grit flavour, finishes dry with a lingering faded veggie flavour.

Notes: Not very clean at all, better off just sticking with a Bud, Miller or Coors than tangling with this brew. A sub-premium American Lager that is not worth my time.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2002 20:12:02 | More by Jason

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz aluminum bottle purchased as a single somewhere in NoVA, either WF/Vienna, WF/Annadale, Norm's, or Rick's.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed 1" of white head above the clear straw brew. Head lasts reasonably well for the style, settling to about 1/8" while I was off answering the phone and calming my daughter for 5 minutes. Lacing is spotty but still not horrible for the style. Aroma is sweet adjucty heaven, or hell, depending on your viewpoint, I guess. Taste is starts with slight adjunct sweet as indicated by the nose, a light citrus hops bite int he middle, and closes plainly. Mouthfeel is really watery, and the flavors don't seem to meld all that well, although drinkability on this one, assuming you are down with the flavor, is probably quite high.

Serving type: can

09-14-2005 23:44:29 | More by ppoitras

Zorro

California

2.73/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

In the glass this is yellow in color with a thin white head, looks like any other Macro Lager.

The smell is on the sweet side and a little musty. Corn aroma is present. The hop contribution is a little flowery but there is grassy and woody scent to.

The taste begins slightly sweet and a little yeasty. There are some lemon and Nobel hop flavors present and a slightly stronger than average bitterness for a beer of this type. The slight tartness seems to be from both the carbonation and the hops.
The mouthfeel is on the thin side.

Well this beer is what it is; a mass-produced chugging beer. Can't say I really can recommend it though.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2007 03:34:51 | More by Zorro

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.04/5  rDev -20%
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2

Metal beer, pale yellow appearance, aroma of metal and corn.

Taste is a little sweet. Bonus. No hops, barely cooked malt. Very watery. No mouthfeel, just the same barely there affect going on. Drinkable like water, but a little pricey for what it is. Pretty hard to drink, can't see what you would be doing drinking this unless you wanted a buzz and hated your life.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 16:56:21 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Gusler

Arizona

3.1/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Iron City was once a mainstay in my fridge, of course this was some twenty years ago, and I still like to sample one now and again, if nothing else for the memories.

The beer pours from the 355ml aluminum bottle (can), a clear gold with a smallish bright white head that is semi-creamy in texture, with the left over lace a fine film to conceal the glass. Nose is the prototypical malt lager with a fresh crisp sweetness, start is lightly sweet and nicely malted, top is light in feel. Finish is strongly acidic, the hops light but pleasant and the aftertaste dry and lingering, a drinkable lager as lagers go.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2005 22:09:53 | More by Gusler

DrJay

Massachusetts

2.65/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear light gold colour. The white head poured with lots of large, fizzy bubbles, but these disappeared almost as fast as they appeared. Crisp malt nose, faint spicy hops. Mild vegetal aroma as well. Same characters in the flavour, along with very mild bitterness and a hint of cider. Finishes sweet and off-dry, some acidity as well. High carbonation and light body. It didn't quite work for me.

Serving type: can

03-10-2006 23:55:24 | More by DrJay

plaid75

New York

2.13/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured a light straw hue with a one finger foamy head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell was sweet and grainy.

The taste was sweet and grainy as well with a mild and unpleasant lemony twang.

The mouthfeel is slick and the sweetness coats the tongue.

Overall an overly sweet macro. Not recommended.

Serving type: can

07-28-2006 02:36:42 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

First off, let me say that I have pretty studiously avoided reviewing macros because I just cannot see the point. They are not very well made, they usually do not score well, and lots of people have tried them, so it's not as if I am imparting new information.

That said, let me now say how much I love drinking Arn (that's Pittsburghese, the local dialect for Iron, or Iron City). I grew up and remain a life-long resident of Lancaster, almost 300 miles from Da Burgh, but I have been a die-hard Pittsburgh sports fan for over thirty years. Going out there means three things to me: 1) a sporting event of some sort; 2) a Primanti Brothers' sammich; and 3) some Arn, no matter whether bottle, can, or draft. When I was stationed out in California, I used to ship cases out when home on leave. In Da Burgh, the place to have an Arn is on Stillers gameday at the 222 Bar, or the Three Deuces, or the Deuces. It is a great dive joint that Buk would have love in his prime and man, do they move the Arn! Ask for Jerry and Heide and tell 'em Woody said to give you an Arn Jump Start. You'll get Arn in some form, whichever is most handy at the moment. That said, howzabout a review, eh?

This poured with a thin head, despite a vigorous pour, then just evaporated to wispiness. The nose is light, smelling vaguely of malt and alcohol, but nothing in particular jumps out. The mouthfeel has an interesting tang. The finish has a light maltiness. This did not improve with warming. Instead, some sharp, off-putting flavors began to appear and these forced me to finish it quickly.

OK, back to Woody's Soapbox. So it wasn't any great shakes, so what? Does it invoke memories of sitting with my departed Pops as a kid, watching Bucs and Stillers games? Hell, yeah! Will it remain my lawnmower beer of choice until, Heaven forbid, PGH BC closes its doors or is bought out? Hell, yeah! Will I continue to bring cases, sixes, 40's, et al to tailgates? Hell, yeah!

Serving type: can

07-11-2005 02:39:11 | More by woodychandler