A rite of passage is about to take place for the ambassador of Pierogi Fest: Mr. Pierogi is turning 21 this year.
And to celebrate, the cultural icon and festival emcee/mascot who dances with buscias is teaming up with Whiting’s Bulldog Brewing Co. on a new beer called, appropriately, Mr. P.
Mr. Pierogi, portrayed by the over-21 Matt Valuckis, will tap the beer at the brewery for its Pierogi Fest kickoff party July 26. Not only will Mr. Pierogi enjoy his first (legal) beer he will perform with his band, Mr. Pierogi and the Doughboys.
“I wanted to celebrate my 21st birthday in style and I think the best way to do that is to brew a Mr. Pierogi beer,” Mr. Pierogi said.
Bulldog Brewing Co. owner Kevin Clark said Mr. P will be an upscale Polish lager featuring two Polish hops. Because this is Indiana, ingredients will include corn. Mr. Pierogi compares the beer to a Polish version of a Kolsch beer. He also said it was important that the beer be one that he would enjoy drinking.
Mr. Pierogi came up with the idea for the beer after the end of last year’s festival. Working with Bulldog Brewing Co. was imperative because Mr. Pierogi wanted the brew to be made in Whiting.
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“We always support Mr. Pierogi,” Clark said.
The beer will be available on tap during the festival at the Whiting brewery and the Pierogi Fest beer garden. It will also be available festival weekend at Bulldog Brewing Co.’s newest location, Bulldog on the Lake at Marina Shores in Portage.
“I don’t want it to be an all-the-time kind of beer,” Mr. Pierogi said. “I want it to be for special occasions so it is not overly saturated. I want it something people will look forward to.”
Bulldog Brewing Co. assistant brewmaster Rob Thome said it is cool that Mr. P is exclusively a beer for Pierogi Fest and future events with Mr. Pierogi himself.
“I think it’s great,” he said.
The kickoff party at the brewery is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. The brewery is located at 1409 119th St.
Jason Miller, who co-chairs the festival beer garden with his wife, said the great thing about the fest is it caters to everyone.
“This is a festival that welcomes families to enjoy the amazing food and the great entertainers,” Miller said. “And Whiting is an Eastern European town in its roots and Pierogi Fest embraces the culture of coming out and having a really good time. Having the Mr. P beer to honor one of the main faces of Pierogi Fest – it just fits so well.”
Pierogi Fest is July 27-29 with the world famous parade beginning 7 p.m. July 27 from Davis Avenue and 119th Street to 119th Street and New York Avenue.
For more information visit pierogifest.net.
Rob Earnshaw is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
