Discover what bratwurst makers have made it into our Brats Hall of Fame!

Since there’s sadly not a real Bratwurst Hall of Fame, you’ll have to settle for our own unofficial list of some of the best bratwurst sausage makers in all the land.

Bratwurst Sausage Hall of Fame

Like other Hall of Fames, you’ll have to excel in several different categories if you want to make it into our Brat Hall of Fame.

Taste and tradition are the two most important factors we weigh, although the opinions of diehard bratwurst devotees also go a long way, including results from bratwurst sausage festivals and taste testing competitions.

Making a Hall of Fame brat requires great taste coupled with a long tradition — in some cases 100+ years — of consistently cranking out delicious bratwurst sausage.

With no further ado, we present you with our Bratwurst Hall of Fame!


Bratwurst Sausage Hall of Fame


Usinger’s Famous Sausage

Usinger’s Famous SausageUsinger’s should need no introduction to brat fans, as the company has been producing amazing sausage since 1880.

In addition to making great bratwurst and other sausage, Usinger’s website includes an online ordering system stocked with nearly all of its products.

Usinger’s will ship brats to much of the U.S. with a minimum order of 6 lbs. of sausage.

Carle’s Bratwurst

Carle’s BratwurstCarle’s is one of the last original bratwurst makers from Bucyrus, Ohio that is still in operation.

The family-owned business started serving up great brats in 1929 and is still hard at work.

It offers a full butcher counter, deli, a grocery area stocked with many fine German foods, and a eat-in/take-out hot bar.

Kewaskum Frozen Foods

Kewaksum Frozen FoodsKewaksum Frozen Foods opened its doors in 1941 and has been making delicious brats ever since.

The family-owned endeavor offers a range of custom slaughter and meat processing services and sells more than 35 different types of sausages.

If you’re feeling really adventurous you can also pick up a Spanferkel roasting pig from them.

Johnsonville Sausage

Johnsonville SausageJohnsonville may not inspire the same level of reverence among brat purists that other smaller bratwurst sausage makers do but it has single-handedly spread the love of brats around the country.

Founded in 1945 in Sheboygan Falls, WI in 1945, it is one of the largest sausage companies in the entire U.S. and can be found in nearly every grocery aisle.

It keeps it fairly simple as far as brats produced — original, beer brats, and cheddar brats — and also offers a host of other sausages such as summer sausage and Italian sausage.

Klement’s Famous Racing Sausage

Klement’sKlement’s has been producing quality bratwurst sausage and other meats since 1956 and has grown into one of Wisconsin’s largest sausage makers.

While it has grown into a large company — it supplies sausages and sponsors the Famous Racing Sausages that battle it out on the basepaths of Miller Park — is hasn’t dropped the ball when it comes to making great German bratwurst sausage.

Miesfeld’s Meat Market

Miesfeld’s Meat MarketMiesfeld’s is a family-owned and operated meat market in Sheboygan, Wisconsin that has been serving up brats and other sausages for more than 50 years.

It offers up over 30 different bratwurst sausage varieties, ranging from a traditional German bratwurst sausage to more adventurous fare such as gyro bratwurst and rueben bratwurst.

Like several other Hall of Fame brat makers, Miesfeld’s also provides game processing and other services.

Karl’s Country Market

Karl’s Country MarketKarl’s Country Market is one of the “new kids” on our list, opening its doors in 1965 in Menomonee Falls, WI.

They offer up a wide range of brats and other sausages, including their “State Champion Bratwurst” as well as Packer brats and and chicken and turkey brats, as well as some more unique twists such as apricot dijon brats.

Karl’s has a full-service meat counter as well as a deli serving hot lunches.

Ruef’s Meat Market

Ruef’s Meat Market: Located just next door to New Glarus Bakery in New Glarus, WI, Ruef’s Meat Market has been producing bratwurst and other sausages since 1965.

Their specialties include their fresh Kalberwurst Brat as well as their mettwurst and smoked pork brats, as well as specialty brats such as Hawaiian style pineapple brats, pizza brats, and teriyaki brats.

They also sell cheeses and imported specialty foods in their“Wurst Store In Town” shop.

Louie’s Finer Meats

Louie’s Finer MeatsLouie’s Finer Meats made its debut in 1970 in Cumberland, Wisconsin.

The family-owned and operated business also operates a full-service meat counter and bakery, with an amazing variety of bratwurst available — over 100 varieties!

Louie’s is known for its unusual bratwurst sausage varieties, offering blueberry and maple-flavored brats as well as more unique twists such as rutabaga bratwurst.

RJ’s Meats & Groceries

RJ’s Meats & GroceriesRJ’s Meats & Groceries is a family-owned and operated sausage maker that has been in operation since 1987, although the original meat market first opened its doors in 1970 in Hudson, WI.

RJ’s styles itself an “Old Fashioned, Family Meat Market” and hits the basics — bratwurst, Italian sausage, potato sausage, Swedish sausage and breakfast sausage — as well as offering nearly 200 total types of fresh, smoked, and cooked sausages.

Honorable Mentions:

Glenn’s Market

Hoesly’s Meats

Jacobsen Brothers

Schwai’s Meat and Sausage Market

Sorg’s Quality Meats and Sausages

Have a favorite bratwurst sausage maker that didn’t make the list? Contact us and let us know and we’ll be sure to consider them!

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