I hate to give a non-Perl answer but, keeping with KISS there is a simpler way. Any version of Excel 97 or above (maybe lower, but I cannot verify) will import a pipe delimited file, or any single char delimited file. The import wizard will allow about anything as the delimiter.

Just go to Excel, open a copy of the file (preferrablly after changing the extension to .txt). Excel will open up the import wizard.
In the first screen select "Delimited"
On the next screen select "Other" and put a "|" in the box.
Click through to the end
Enjoy a frosty beverage of your choice

grep

grep> cd pub 
grep> more beer