Editor's note: an earlier version of this story first appeared at the Pittsburgh Union Progress, published by striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Drab gray for a decade, South Side’s iconic Duquesne Brewery clock unexpectedly turned flush on Wednesday, July 9. Eagle-eyed, nebby neighbors noticed a crane carrying workers five stories skyward to paint the single-sided clock face—the largest in the United States—red.
The clock has been keeping time atop the sprawling former brewery compound in the heart of the Flats since 1961, and for decades it urged people to “Have a Duke,” or Duquesne Pilsner, the brewery’s flagship beer. Duquesne Brewery closed the facility in 1972, leaving Pittsburgh Brewing Co. as the city’s last major brewery. PBC’s flagship beer, Iron City, remains a Pittsburgh icon and, until January, was advertised on a billboard perched atop Mount Washington.
Now, evidence suggests that Iron City Beer will raise its banner once again—this time from the clock that at least for now is still named for its long-vanquished rival.
Pittsburgh Independent received a tip about new branding for the brewery clock on Thursday, July 10. That Friday, someone with knowledge of the situation confirmed the tip, which was essentially threefold:
- The clockface will read “Iron City Beer.”
- It will have LED lighting.
- It is “going to look cool.”
Also that Friday, two large white letter E’s and an R that appear to match the “Iron City Beer” font could be plainly seen through two open garage doors at a loading bay in the clock tower building, directly adjacent to a busy parking lot serving Ascend climbing gym.
On Monday, August 11, the letter "I" was installed, and by August 12, "IRON" adorned the clockface for all the city to see.
The source indicated the new design may be completely installed later this summer. As of August 11, no permits for signage had been issued for the property located at 2121-2135 Mary St., according to the city of Pittsburgh’s OneStopPGH zoning page, which is updated daily. (Applications are not made public; only issued permits appear on the site.)
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Pittsburgh City Councilperson Bob Charland, who represents the South Side, indicated through a spokesperson that he has “no comment on the signs at this time.”
Pittsburgh Magazine reported that the Milan family acquired the clock in a sheriff’s sale in 2001. The property was sold Dec. 23, 2024, for $1.5 million to Milan Enterprises LP, registered office 2601 Jane St. — same address as the offices of J. Poli Inc., whose workers were observed at the clock tower site. Pete Milan, president of J. Poli Inc., declined to meet with a journalist who visited the office. A person at the office relayed that Milan described it as a “private” matter. Someone else with knowledge of the situation said they had been “sworn to secrecy” when asked about a potential Iron City rebrand.
According to Pittsburgh history site Brookline Connection, the clockface measures 60 by 60 feet, “with a 35-foot minute hand and a 25-foot hour hand, both made of laminated aluminum and weighing over a ton apiece.” It went up in 1932 as part of an enormous Coca-Cola billboard adjacent to what is today McArdle Parkway. In 1938, the sign was repurposed to advertise Fort Pitt Beer and other libations before moving to the South Side in 1961, where most recently it was painted a garish orange color and advertised AT&T until about a decade ago. (In 2025, the Tribune-Review reported a local man purchased and began reintroducing the Duquesne Pilsner brand in Western Pennsylvania.)
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. was purchased by coal magnate Cliff Forrest in 2019. The company opened a brewing, distilling and events facility in Creighton, West Deer, in 2022, after a failed plan to purchase and relocate operations to the original Pittsburgh Brewing location in Lawrenceville.
