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Iron City Beer

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Crisp barley malt carries notes of sweet corn beneath American hops, and the lager finishes clean. At 4.7 % ABV it drinks easily, and the brewery calls it best served ice-cold. The recipe goes back to 1861, and in 1936 Iron City became Pittsburgh Brewing's first canned beer, sold in rolled steel containers marketed as canteens.

ABV
4.7%
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
cleanmalty
clean
malty
Aroma
The nose opens with clean, sweet corn and grain, carrying a subtle malty sweetness.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Iron City Beer

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with excellent clarity and bright translucence. A modest white head forms and recedes quickly, leaving minimal lacing on the glass. Fine carbonation creates a gentle sparkle throughout the body.

pale goldencrystal-clearfine carbonationminimal head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with clean, sweet corn and grain, carrying a subtle malty sweetness. Gentle American hop character emerges as a light herbal and grassy undertone, keeping the profile bright and straightforward without assertive aromatic intensity.

sweet corngraingentle hop characterclean malt

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and approachable, with crisp barley malt and light adjunct sweetness balancing the palate. The mid-palate remains smooth and malty with notes of sweet grain, while restrained bitterness from American hops provides minimal grip—a refreshing, easy-drinking character dominates throughout.

crisp maltlight sweetnesslow bitternesssmooth-drinking

◑ Finish

Clean and brief, with the malt fading quickly into a dry, thirst-quenching aftertaste. No lingering hop bite or residual sweetness; the finish invites the next sip.

cleandryrefreshing
76
hopIQ score
Aroma
75
Taste
78
Appearance
78
Finish
75
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 Iron City Beer

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About American Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American Lager?

American 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 Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, crisp, malty character as Iron City Beer will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all American Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →