Iron City's Slogans & Taglines

Iron City Brewing Company was founded in 1861 by German immigrant Edward Frauenheim in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, making it one of America's oldest breweries. In 1866, the operation moved to a four-story brick building in Lawrenceville, and by 1889 it was formally incorporated as Iron City Brewing Company. In 1899, it merged with 20 other local breweries to form the Pittsburgh Brewing Company, becoming the third-largest brewer in the nation. The company survived Prohibition by producing ice cream, soft drinks, and "near beer," and in 1936 introduced the first steel "canteen" cans. In 1962, it partnered with Alcoa to pioneer the snap-top can, tripling sales in its first year. The 1978 launch of IC Light captured 80% of the local light-beer market, while 2004 saw the debut of the first nationally distributed aluminum beer bottle. After filing for bankruptcy in 2005 and moving production to Latrobe in 2009, the brewery was rescued in 2018 by local businessman Cliff Forrest, who restored its Pittsburgh heritage.

The brand's core products are American lagers and ales, including the flagship Iron City Beer, IC Light, Iron City Amber, and Augustiner. Its portfolio also encompasses seasonal releases and the revived novelty brand Olde Frothingslosh, all brewed to serve the working-class palate of Western Pennsylvania.

From its earliest positioning as "The Beer Drinker's Beer" to the disco-era anthem "Hey! Give me an IC Light!" in 1978, the brand has evolved through decades of innovation. In 2019, it embraced the slogan "Taste it again, for the first time," reflecting a journey from a Civil War-era startup to a resilient symbol of Pittsburgh pride and blue-collar craftsmanship.