The Bemidji Brewing Brat is our hometown collaboration in a casing. Real Bemidji Brewing Company beer mixed into the grind, the same recipe we've served at our retail counter on Paul Bunyan Drive for years. Whole-muscle pork, natural casings, no liquid smoke or extender — just a butcher's brat with a local-beer story.
How To Cook It
Hot smoke at 225°F, pulled at 160°F internal.
Typical timing: 60–90 minutes
- 01Bring smoker to a steady 225°F. Apple wood is the safe pick; hickory works if you want a stronger profile.
- 02Lay brats on the grate with space between each one. Do NOT poke holes — every hole leaks fat and flavor.
- 03Smoke 60–90 minutes depending on brat size.
- 04Pull at 160°F internal using an instant-read thermometer in the center of the brat.
- 05Rest five minutes off heat before slicing or serving.
Best for: Grill day, tailgate, weekend cookouts, a Saturday afternoon when somebody says "I miss real brats."
What’s In It
Short list. Real ingredients.
Ingredients
- · Pork (whole-muscle, ground in our shop)
- · Bemidji Brewing Company beer
- · Salt
- · Black pepper
- · House seasoning blend
- · Natural hog casings
Sourcing: Pork from Upper Midwest farms. Beer from Bemidji Brewing Company — two blocks from our retail shop.
Whole-muscle pork. No fillers. No mechanically separated meat. Short, real ingredient list.
Why Butcher Shop Matters
Most "craft brats" at the grocery store are co-packed in industrial facilities with ingredient lists that run two paragraphs. Stittsworth brats are made in our Bemidji shop, stuffed in real natural casings, with seasoning we mix on-site. The Bemidji Brewing collab works because two family-owned local businesses can sign off on a recipe at the cutting block — not a corporate procurement chain.
Pairs With
Goes well with these.
FAQ
Quick answers.
What temperature do I cook Bemidji Brewing Brats to?
160°F internal temperature. We recommend hot smoking at 225°F chamber temp for 60–90 minutes — pull when internal hits 160°F.
Can I grill them instead of smoke?
Yes. Indirect heat on a 350°F grill, turning every 5 minutes until 160°F internal — typically 15–20 minutes. Avoid direct flame to prevent the casings from splitting.
Do they actually contain Bemidji Brewing beer?
Yes. The beer is mixed into the grind during production. We use a rotating selection from Bemidji Brewing Company.
Are these gluten-free?
No. They contain beer, which contains gluten from barley.
How do they ship?
Frozen, vacuum-sealed, with dry ice. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.