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I.C. Light

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Sweet malt leads, with only a little corn and a touch of mild hop spice. It is low on calories and carbs at 4.2 % ABV. I.C. Light was introduced on June 9, 1978, outsold competing national brands eight to one, and is still brewed by Pittsburgh Brewing.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Mild
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltyspicy hopclean
malty
spicy hop
clean
Aroma
The nose is led by gentle sweet malt character with subtle grain notes.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for I.C. Light

◎ Appearance

Pale straw yellow with excellent clarity and bright transparency. A modest white head forms on the pour and persists briefly with light lacing retention. Carbonation is visible as a steady stream of fine bubbles rising through the clear body.

pale strawcrystal clearfine carbonationmodest head

◌ Aroma

The nose is led by gentle sweet malt character with subtle grain notes. A whisper of corn adjunct provides softness, while a restrained herbal hop spice emerges in the background without dominating the profile. Overall the aromatic impression is delicate and straightforward.

sweet Malzcorn adjunctmild Edelhopfenclean grain

◐ Taste

Smooth entry with pronounced sweet malt presence and grainy character. The mid-palate remains light and uncluttered, with low bitterness (8 IBU) allowing the subtle corn sweetness to carry through. A touch of mild hop spice adds definition without assertiveness, finishing with a clean, dry note.

sweet maltzlow bitternessgrainylight body

◑ Finish

The finish is brief and clean, drying quickly on the palate. A faint sweet malt memory lingers momentarily before fading to neutral, leaving the mouth refreshed and ready for the next sip.

dry finishcrisprefreshing
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
75
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with I.C. Light

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About American Light Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American Light Lager?

American Light Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar American Light Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, sweet, light character as I.C. Light will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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