The Best Type Of Beer To Use For Cooking The Tastiest Beer Brats

In Wisconsin, beer brats are a way of life, and as such, it's only appropriate that Badger State residents cook their locally-made brats in locally-brewed beer. If you're living somewhere else, you may have difficulty finding some of Wisconsin's better beers at the grocery or liquor store. (New Glarus, one of the state's best-known breweries, famously does not export its products.) In search of other options, The Takeout spoke with Jenn Klein, resident beer expert and level two certified cicerone at the beer-focused chain Yard House. She believes that when it comes to brats, the best beer for cooking with is one made in a German style.

"One basic principle: German food, think German beer." Klein declared. As she explained, "It is not a hard and fast rule, but Germans make amazing beers that pair well with their cuisine. So it is a good idea to go with beer and food that were designed to be together." (This explains Wisconsin's beer 'n' brats culture too. Wisconsin is the state with the highest percentage of residents of German descent, so its sausages and beer are heavily German-influenced.)

Jenn Klein mentioned several different types of beer that work well for brat boiling. These include German-style lagers such as helles, märzen, dunkel, Vienna, or Oktoberfest. As she characterized them, "These beers have a malt backbone that pairs well with the contrasting salty flavors in brats." Klein also endorsed pilsners and bocks, saying that the former are crisp enough to cut through the sausages' fattiness, while the latter have roasted flavors that will pair especially well with brats that have been boiled in beer before grilling. 

Amber ales are like less intense bocks, so they work in much the same way. Hefeweizens or unfruited weissbiers are another option. "These beers have unique aromas and flavors from the brewing process that pair well with spices in the brat, but also work well with toppings you would add, things like grilled onions or mustard," Klein said.

Klein advised, "Do not overthink it. There is not one perfect beer for each type of brat or toppings; there are several that work well." Beer in general tends to be brat-friendly, since, as she pointed out, "Brats have a ton of great elements, spices and saltiness that pair well with hops, yeast character or spice notes in the beer. Salty and sweet are always a great combination. Alcohol helps to cut through some fattiness." You should spare some thought for your chosen toppings, though, since mustard, ketchup, raw or cooked onions, or sauerkraut will all influence the flavor. 

Even though most beers, even non-alcoholic ones, will work just fine for boiling bratwurst, Jenn Klein did say that there are a few of which you should steer clear. "I would avoid beers with strong flavors or aromas," she said. "Things like sours or fruity beers could overpower the flavors in the brats, [and] Imperial IPAs or Imperial Stouts, both have malt and bitterness levels that could overshadow the brats."

"I would not recommend using a beer you do not like as you may dislike the same elements when cooked in the brats," Klein cautioned. Also, why would you want to invest in a beer that you can only use for cooking? Even so, if you happen to have bought a six-pack of something you found you didn't care for, perhaps you might try repurposing it in a brat boil. As Klein suggested, "You may be surprised at the balance that comes out. Maybe just don't cook all your brats in that beer until you know for sure." Cautious trial and error is always a smart approach!