Barrio Brewing Company is getting tails wagging with its Barks & Brews dog-washing event, coming up from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. this Sunday, October 23.

As if you and your favorite furry friend needed another reason to stop by this dog-loving local brewery, this Sunday the Barks & Brews crew will freshen up your pup while you sit back and enjoy a delicious Barrio beer.

Barks & Brews is in its second year of cleaning up contaminated canines to benefit the non-profit Friends of Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). Dog washes are priced based on the size of the dog, with small dogs costing $15 and large dogs ringing up at $25. You can even add a doggy nail trim for $10 a pup.

All proceeds of this event go directly to Friends of PACC, which supports the efforts of the animal shelter to save the lives of animals in need.

“Friends of PACC will bring a handful of their own workers to help set up and register dogs, and they will bring a vet tech to do the nail clippings,” explained Cydney Mahieu, bartender and brewery ambassador at Barrio Brewing Company.

Chi Omega sorority will also be volunteering with Friends of PACC to help with the dog washing.

“I believe I can speak for our employees when I say that we are huge dog lovers,” said Mahieu. “Most of us have our own dogs, especially rescued or adopted, so this event means a lot to us.”

For all the fence-jumping dogs out there, this year’s Barks & Brews event is offering a special service to help keep tabs on escape-artist pets.

“This will be the first Barks & Brews event where Friends of PACC is offering free microchipping with a paid dog wash,” said Mahieu said. Microchipping will be done onsite at Barrio Brewing Company on a first-come, first-chipped basis.

After all the scrubbing bubbles (and bubbly pints), the pups and their people will surely work up an appetite. To meet that need, Barrio Brewing Company has crafted a special menu that has truly gone to the dogs.

“We have a dog menu that features bacon, sliced turkey, chicken breast, and a burger patty that we offer to our furry friends,” said Mahieu.

Fido and Fluffy can munch happily while pet owners feast on burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Barrio Brewing Company is also graciously donating a percentage of sales revenues on the day of Barks & Brews to the Friends of PACC non-profit, so order those Barrio beer-battered fries you’ve been craving too.

Barrio Brewing Company’s puppy love extends well beyond dog washing and clever canine nibbles. The brewery also has a PACC donation box on-site at the brewery, where generous animal lovers can donate items on PACC’s “most-needed” list.

Those items include:

• Nylabones and Kong Toys (new)
• Collars, harnesses, and leashes in all sizes (new or gently-used)
• American-sourced treats, food, toys, and bones (new)
• Pet beds (new or gently-used)
• Towels and small blankets (new or gently-used)

For every five of these specific items donated, customers will receive one beer nickel from their bartender, good for a 5-cent Barrio beer. Customers can earn up to two beer nickels per day by donating ten or more of these items. The collection of items for PACC is ongoing and is not limited to the day of the Barks & Brews event.

For a little fun, and riffing on the “dogs match their owners” adage, I asked Mahieu if she could recommend any Barrio Brewing Company beers that would best pair with specific dog breeds.

“I’d have to say, the Viva Vienna Lager, our Oktoberfest beer would match with a Daschund… a wiener dog,” she said. “Next would be the Mocha Java Stout. I’d pair that with a Corgi. Our stout is a little sweet, while Corgis are stout and sweet pups. Finally, our Rae’s Ruby Red IPA paired with Clifford the Big Red Dog — like the sweet and tart flavors of our Ruby Red IPA, Clifford is a very sweet and gentle dog, but often finds himself in troubling or tart situations due to his large size. Big dog, big flavor.”

Anyone else drooling?

If you can’t make this Sunday’s Barks & Brews event, Barrio Brewing Company is proud to host Barks & Brews bi-annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. Although, you should probably scrub up your dirty doggo before the next one.

Barrio Brewing Company is located at 800 E. 16th St. For more information, visit barriobrewing.com. To find out more about volunteer opportunities with Friends of PACC, visit friendsofpacc.org. 

Looking for more local dog-friendly patios? Check out our September 2022 article “Drinking Doggedly: A dozen top sipping spots in Tucson.”