Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that’s now enjoyed all over the world. It’s commonly made from pork but can also be made from veal or beef. Its name comes from the High German word Brätwurst, which literally meant “chipped meat sausage.”

However, most Germans would say that the word Bratwurst is more often associated with the word “braten,” which means to roast or pan-fry. Regardless of its etymology, one thing is for certain: bratwurst is delicious, especially when paired with beer, a bread roll, and sauerkraut.

This food has now earned its own holiday, known as World Bratwurst Day, and is observed annually on August 16th. It’s the perfect day to enjoy this sausage in a variety of different ways—some of which we’ll discuss below.

World Bratwurst Day

Even though sausage has been traced all the way back to the 3rd century, bratwurst is a sausage that’s only been around since the 14th century. It first appeared in Germany around 1313.

However, it can be quite difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of this sausage because each region of Germany developed its own type of Bratwurst. Nuremberg did stand out as being the town most famous for its bratwurst, and this sausage has been produced there since the 14th century.

Who invented World Bratwurst Day? Well, at this moment, we just can’t be sure. We believe that it’s connected to the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival, a festival that started in Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1968.

This festival is held around this date in August every year. While it might seem strange that a town in Ohio would create a festival or holiday dedicated to bratwurst, the fact of the matter is that many people in this town have German ancestry.

Observing World Bratwurst Day

As we stated earlier, there are about a million varieties of bratwurst, so people are going to want to choose the one that suits them best. There are Fränkische, Coburger, and Nürnberger Brats, as well as several other varieties sold across Germany and the world.

These brats can be served with onion, sauerkraut, or about a dozen other side dishes. Some of our favorite bratwurst dishes include Pasta with Bratwurst, Bratwurst Pizza, Breakfast Bratwurst with Eggs, and Bratwurst Soup.

And those are only some of the ways that bratwurst can be used in many interesting ways. Brat lovers around the world should also spread the word about this holiday far and wide using the hashtag #WorldBratwurstDay.