When You Wish Upon a Brat: The Pig Has One for Every Taste

Looking for something a little off the beaten path for your next cookout? Head over to Piggly Wiggly on Washington Avenue to try one or more of the 30 flavors of brats they offer.

Yes, we're talking bratwurst, but these links are done up in increasingly unique ways, featuring everything from fruit to peppers to different kinds of cheese and even a chicken variety flavored like hot wings. Customers are loving the selection, and they told us on Facebook about their favorite flavors.

"They are awesome. My favorite is the Rueben. Nice and cheesey. Mushroom Swiss is good too. Do you see a cheese theme here?" posted Linda Soukeyasian Jacob. "I love to support a local business."

Store owner Ralph Malicki said the response to the brats has been nothing short of amazing, but he admits he was worried in the beginning.

"Yeah, we were nervous about how customers would respond," he admitted. "But we're ordering more every week because of how fast they move. Even people who say they don't like brats will buy these."

Full disclosure: I am one of those people. I don't like traditional brats, but I eat these because the flavors really make a difference. My favorite is the bell pepper/mozzarella cheese.

The key is quality and freshness, Toby Schlenker said. Schlenker is the meat department manager, and he likes that the brats are made with real ingredients fresh to order.

"These are quality, handmade sausages that come to the store within a day of being made, and you can taste that," he said. "The jalapeno and cheddar has real pieces of pepper and chunks of cheese, and the Door County cherry has real cherries. That matters to us and to our customers."

Brats made of chicken are proving a popular choice as well, Schlenker added.

"There's probably the thought that chicken might be healthier than pork, so we're seeing chicken brats get more popular," he added.

Beth Russell Stropes agreed.

"My family loves the chicken ones in every flavor. We like that they are healthier and still have really good flavor," she said on Facebook.

Malicki said giving customers products that are different from what's offered at other stores but that are top notch quality is the goal.

"We want to offer small shop variety at a value price so the brats are affordable for everyone," said Malicki. "Offering these unique products, I hope, says to customers the kind of store we want to be."

A package of four brats sells for $3.99.

Malicki gets his brats from Stoneridge Piggly Wiggly in Wautoma, WI, where Tyler Detjens, 29, is a third generation sausage maker and the creative brains behind the brats.

Dwayne Detjens, 53, is Tyler's dad, and he owns the store. He said he leaves the flavor ideas to Tyler and is constantly surprised by the combinations Tyler puts together.

"You know, 20 years ago a brat was just a brat," Dwayne said. "Now, it's just about anything you can think of to put in a brat. I think we're making about 40 different kinds of brats every day."

Malicki features a brat tasting station every Saturday where varieties are cooked up for customers to try. Samples are usually available between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.