As famous pairings go, peanut butter and jelly, cake and ice cream, and Batman and Robin top most lists. But Utah-based Pie & Beer Day is helping its namesakes catch up.
The so-called “counterculture response” to Pioneer Day takes place each July 24. It’s the same day as the state holiday that commemorates the Mormon pioneers’ arrival into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
In what’s turning into a Utah summertime staple, Pie & Beer Day pairs many forms of pie — pizza, apple, key lime, maybe even chicken pot — with beer.
The first organized event for Pie & Beer Day — a play on “Pioneer Day” — appears to have taken place in 2014, though informal celebrations no doubt occurred much earlier. After all, celebration requirements are simple: combine two readily available ingredients — pie and beer.
Salt Lake’s Beer Bar played host to that first event four years ago. It served as a fundraiser for radio station KRCL. It’s gotten bigger each year since and Beer Bar is back this year with likely the state’s biggest Pie & Beer Day event. Proceeds from the 5th annual event benefit KUAA radio, a part of the Utah Arts Alliance, which aims to foster the arts to create an aware, empowered, and connected community.
Pie and Beer Day at Beer Bar
Dubbed the “original and official” Pie & Beer Day, organizers say the Beer Bar event will feature 5,000 slices of pie from more than 20 establishments. They also expect to serve more than 20 different craft beers, according to the Facebook Event listing.
Pie & Beer Day at Beer Bar takes place from 2-6 p.m. on July 24 and $25 gets you five pairings. View the complete lineup.
Pie purveyors include: Avenues Proper, Bambara, Beer Bar, Beltex Meats, Copper Onion, Dispensary, Eating Establishment, Este Pizza, Fireside, Garage on Beck, Honeycomb Bakery, Nomad, Normal, Omar’s Rawtopia, Red Butte Bakery, Rio Grande Cafe, Slackwater Pub, Stein Ericksen Lodge, Toscano’s, Tradition, and Wasatch Brewery.
Breweries who organizers say will have their beer available include: 2 Row Brewing, Bohemian Brewery, Bonneville Brewery, Desert Edge Brewery, Epic Brewing Company, A. Fisher Brewing Company, Hoppers Grill & Brewing Co., Kiitos Brewing, Moab Brewery, Mountain West Hard Cider, Park City Brewing, Proper Brewing Co., Red Rock Brewery, RoHa Brewing Project, Roosters Brewing Company, SaltFire Brewing Co., Salt Flats Brewing, Shades Brewing, Squatters Craft Beers, Wasatch Brewery, and Uinta Brewing.
Pie and Beer Elsewhere
Many breweries, bars, and restaurants hop on the pie-and-beer-pairing bandwagon because… why not? To paraphrase Joey Tribbiani: What’s not to like? Pie… Good. Beer… Good. Day off work… Goooood.
Here are a few additional Pie & Beer Day celebrations we’ve come across. All are happening Tuesday, July 24, 2018. It’s always a good idea to check with individual establishments to verify details before showing up with fork in hand.
Cafe Trio Park City
Cafe Trio Park City invites you to celebrate Pie & Beer Day by enjoying pie and a 16-ounce beer for $13. 6585 N. Landmark Drive, Park City
Epic Brewing
Epic Brewing brewed an exclusive version of its Oak and Orchard sour ale for Pie & Beer Day. It features notes of blueberry and boysenberry. 825 S. State St., Salt Lake City
The Ice Haüs
Stop by The Ice Haüs in Murray and enjoy a free slice of pie with a beverage purchase. 7 E. 4800 S., Murray
Ogden Bicycle Collective
Ogden Bicycle Collective is celebrating Pie & Beer Day by scheduling two bike rides from the Collective to Talisman Brewing. 936 28th St., Ogden
Painting with a Twist
Channel your inner artist and paint with one hand while eating pie and drinking beer with the other at Painting with a Twist in Murray. 258 E. Winchester St., Murray
Park City Brewery
Enjoy pies from Auntie Em’s and wood-fired pizza from Inspire Roots. Your favorite Park City Brewery beers are $1 off all day. 2720 Rasmussen Rd., Park City
RoHa Brewing Project
If you want to get an earlier start on Pie & Beer Day, RoHa Brewing Project is opening its doors for a pie and beer party from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on July 24. It recommends pairing its Three Deep American Ale with blueberry pie (both available at the party). 30 E. Kensington Ave., Salt Lake City
St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center
St. Catherine’s is celebrating Pie & Beer Day with pizza, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Bring your favorite dessert pie to share. Suggested donation is $5 per person or $10 per family. 170 S. University St., Salt Lake City
As Featured on KUAA
Several brewery representatives stopped by KUAA last week to chat about Pie & Beer Day with “Bad” Brad Wheeler and Mikey from the Utah Beer Blog. Among those breweries:
- Bohemian Brewery
- Epic Brewing
- Hoppers Grill & Brewing Co.
- Kiitos Brewing
- SaltFire Brewing
- Salt Flats Brewing
- Uinta Brewing
- Wasatch Brewery
What Else?
Pie & Beer Day extends its reach each year. Leave a comment to let me know which event(s) you’ll be attending. Also, let me know of any celebratory Pie & Beer Day events I might have missed.
