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At a stand for the annual "Beer and Brats" event in front of Barden's Bar of Waseca's State Street business district, (from left) John Wabner, co-owner Shane Wendland, Griffin Hager, and co-owner Carrie Wendland were setting up for a busy night. This marks the fiftieth year since the bar first celebrated the now-annual event.
Pioneer photo by Ben Reveramann

Beers and Brats in the books

Annual event held Oct. 3
Waseca’s yearly “Beers and Brats” night began at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, and continued either until 7 p.m. or until the food was gone. This annual event happens on the first Thursday in October and includes five area saloons and taverns. It is a unique Waseca staple. Welcome to Barden’s Bar and welcome to Beers and Brats.
There’s a cash register from the 1930s sitting in front of a large mirror surrounded by liquor bottles. Early participants were sitting at tables or waited for serving to begin while bellied up to the bar; all had beers in their hands. Out on the sidewalk, tables were being set up with steam cookers full of brats and a grill to get the meat close to perfection. Plastic Tupperware containers waited over ice with sauerkraut. Onions or tomatoes were further down the line next to plastic bottles of ketchup and mustard. Shane Wendland, who acquired Barden’s Bar from his parents in 2001, remembers Beers and Brats night as far back as 1974 when Barden’s was the first to hold the event; his recollection is that Katie O’Leary’s soon took up the celebration, as did Damon’s. “Yeah, I was single digits old, but I remember them doing it, I’m pretty sure that was the year.” Wendland, along with sister and co-owner Carrie, continues the tradition to this day, 50 years later. When asked what the best toppings on a brat are, his assessment is, “The works: sauerkraut, tomatoes, onions, ketchup and mustard.”
Wendland revealed he purchased all 700 of his brats from Morgan’s Meat Market of Waseca. He says it’s a priority for him to support local businesses. Melissa Nelson, current Bar Master for Barden’s, was getting the behind-the-bar area ready for the rush, which can be impressive on Beers and Brats night. Three years ago, it rained, last year it was really windy. This year, however, everyone is anticipating a pleasant 70 degrees, no rain, and only a light wind. Every Beers and Brats night, Wendland says he makes it a point to be here. “I always look forward to this,” he says. Also present to help hold down the fort for Barden’s is Ava Wendland, server; Griffin Hager, grill master and bartender; Katie Bluhm, bartender and brats; and Shelby Barber, bartender and brats. A note about Hager, by the end of the night the whites of his eyes were red because of all the smoke from the grill, but not one word of complaint came from him all night.
Beers and Brats traditionally goes till about 7:30 or 8 p.m., unless the brats are gone before then. “Once,” Wedland said, “I got 800 brats and we were out of them by 6:30, ain’t nothing you can do about it.” But even if that happens, he continued, “It’s always fun to see the people out and about getting together and having a good time.” Stephanie England, who was going to be one of the first people to eat said, “It’s a great night for Barden’s, I always look forward to it.”
Melissa Nelson said when the dust settled on Beers and Brats Thursday night, “There were about 40 brats left I think…but don’t quote me. Until next year Waseca.
 

 

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