6AM City In-house

Brats in Madison: far from the wurst

Brat culture in Madison, WI
BratHaus postcard
A postcard from the Shorty + Lammy era. | Image provided by State Street Brats
Around 40 percent of Wisconsinites can trace their roots back to German ancestry. With that in mind, our love of brats and beer comes as no surprise.

There really isn’t a wrong way to eat a brat, as long as you soak it in beer, cook it over charcoal, + use heaps of sauerkraut. Let’s get into the meat of one 608 institution that’s been owning the brat scene for decades, State Street Brats.

⏳ Turn back time

Before it was State Street Brats, 603 State St. was known as Shorty and Lammy’s BratHaus. Seymore “Shorty” Kayes and Warren “Lammy” Lamm owned and operated the BratHaus from 1953 to 1989. In those 30+ years, they curated an iconic Madison landmark by serving up classic Wisconsin-style brats as well as their specialty, the red brat.

🔴 The (red) brat that started it all

A State Street Brats staple, the red brat is a smoked beef + pork bratwurst, grilled butterfly style — it’s been served up since day one. A local Madison butcher was responsible for this signature wurst, exclusively making them for Shorty and Lammy. The duo eventually bought the recipe from the butcher’s estate after his passing. That same recipe has been in use for generations and is now produced by Bakalar’s Sausage in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

🌭 The rest is history

In 1989, the BratHaus officially became the State Street Brats we know and love today. Along with a name change, new menu items were added as well. The traditional, Sheboygan-style, tailgate brat — better known as a white brat — made its debut. This pork-based product doesn’t contain any beef, the ingredient that gives the red brat its signature hue.


State Street Brats is a fixture of the Madison bar scene + a historical microcosm of WI brat culture. Whether you’re looking for a signature red, classic tailgate style, or even — gasp — a hot dog, you’ll find it here.
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Today
Tuesday
  • Wisconsin Veterans Museum Trivia Night | Tue., Oct. 18 | 7-8 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Sign up as an individual or as a team and go head-to-head with other history buffs to test your historical knowledge. 📚
Wednesday
  • Celebrities and Wine | Wed., Oct. 19 | 6 p.m. | Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., Madison | $50 | Learn about celebrities that have entered the industry, try their wines, and enjoy light appetizers. 🍷
Thursday
  • Pretty Woman - The Musical | Thurs., Oct. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Overture Center, 201 State St., Madison | $25+ | Enjoy the musical, based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories, during its opening week in Madison. 👢
Friday
  • 2022 Midwest Video Poetry Fest Screening | Fri., Oct. 21 | 7 p.m. | Arts + Literature Laboratory, 111. S. Livingston St. | Free | Enjoy multiple screenings, a family matinee + a live film and poetry event. 📽️
Plan Ahead
  • Terror on the Turf | Sat., Oct. 29 | 5-10 p.m. | Breese Stevens Field, 917 E Mifflin St, Madison | $10.00 | Madisonians are invited to celebrate Halloween with live music, a costume contest, a candy hunt, and more.*
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Weather
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Award
  • A UW-Madison faculty member, Monica Kim, has been named as one of 25 recipients of this year’s MacArthur fellowship. This so-called “genius grant” is one of the most competitive + sought-after awards in academia + the arts, sciences, and humanities. 🏆 (Cap Times)
Development
  • The City of Madison has given its final approvals on a 14-story housing + public plaza project. 121 E. Wilson St. will be home to a U-shaped structure allowing for public access to Lake Monona views. 🏗️ (Madison.com)
Edu
  • Meet Wanda White — a local welder with decades of experience, now working to help young girls follow in her footsteps + break barriers in the industry. Learn from her experiences during a Welding for Women class with the Dane County School Consortium. (Channel 3000)
Feel Good
  • A local SSM Health nurse is putting single-use medical waste to good use. Lauren Mahun repurposes plastic bits from medication vials to create mosaic-like artwork as a resourceful + relaxing creative outlet. 🖼️ (Fox 47)
Open
  • The Bubbling Teapot — a new cafe on Madison’s east side — is now open at 2611 E. Johnson St. Owner Meena Canaie is working to create a comfortable atmosphere + aesthetically pleasing neighborhood hangout. (Madison.com)
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Madison, WI
breast cancer awareness ribbon
When breast cancer is detected early in a localized area, the 5-year survival rate is 100% | Photo by Wikimedia Commons
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we would like to take this opportunity to remind our readers + their loved ones of the importance of prioritizing your personal health. Not sure where to start? We found a few local resources that you may find helpful.

📞 Wisconsin Well Women Program | Those with little or no insurance can sign up for this program via a quick, 10-minute phone call. The WWWP offers many resources including breast exams + mammograms at no cost to you.

🏠 BreastCancer.org | Find step-by-step instructions on how to perform an at-home breast exam on yourself. This can be a simple yet effective way to detect breast cancer early on + increase the chances of successful treatment.

🔎 Madison Women’s Health | This local resource describes signs + symptoms to look out for as well as what to expect with diagnosis and treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Ally.

Editor’s pick: I hit up the Madison Night Market this weekend, check out our Instagram (@608today) to see a pic of the spicy tofu bowl I got.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We carbo-loaded at local bagel shops.
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Editorial: Ally Geiger, Ryan Waldman, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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