You're standing at the grocery store, phone in one hand, grill tongs mentally in the other, and you realize you have no idea what to type into the search bar. How do you spell brauts? It feels like one of those words that should be easy, but the moment you try to write it down, your brain just short-circuits. Is it braut? Brought? Brot? Honestly, if you’ve been typing "brauts" into Google, you aren't alone, but you are technically—and phonetically—tripping over a bit of linguistic history.
The short answer? You don’t. At least, not like that.
The actual, factual spelling is bratwurst. If you’re shortening it, which most of us do while hovering over a charcoal grill, it’s brats. That "au" spelling is a classic case of "sounds-like-this" spelling because of how we pronounce it in the States. We say "broughts," so we write "brauts." But if you want to be correct next time you’re writing out a summer BBQ invite, stick to the one without the "u."
Why we get the spelling so wrong
Language is messy. When German immigrants started flooding into the American Midwest—places like Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Cincinnati—they brought their culinary crown jewel: the Bratwurst. In German, the word comes from Old High German. Brät means finely chopped meat, and Wurst, well, that’s just sausage.
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Somewhere between the 19th-century butcher shops and modern-day Johnsonville commercials, the spelling started to morph in the American imagination. Because Americans tend to round the "a" sound into something resembling an "aw" or "au," the spelling followed suit. It’s a bit like how people write "should of" instead of "should have." We write what we hear. But in this case, "brauts" is a ghost word. It exists in search bars and on handwritten chalkboard menus at local pubs, but it doesn’t exist in the dictionary.
The regional divide
If you head to Wisconsin, the "Brat Capital of the World," you'll rarely see it spelled with an "au." There, it’s a matter of heritage. They know their brats. However, as you move toward the coasts or into regions where German influence is thinner, the spelling "brauts" starts to pop up more frequently. It’s a fascinating look at how regional dialects actually change the physical way we write words.
It’s not just about the letters
Let’s talk about what a brat actually is, because if you’re worried about how to spell it, you should probably know what you’re eating. A real-deal bratwurst is usually a mix of pork and veal, though all-pork versions are the standard at most American tailgates. The seasoning is what sets it apart from a standard Italian sausage or a hot dog. You’re looking for ginger, nutmeg, caraway, and sometimes a hint of sage.
If you see someone spelling it brauts, they might be thinking of the word "braut" in German, which actually means "bride." So, unless you’re planning on marrying your lunch, you definitely want to stick to the "brat" spelling.
How to use the word like a pro
When you’re writing about these sausages, there are a few ways to go about it. You can be formal and use the full "bratwurst." This is great for menus or when you’re trying to sound like you know your way around a charcuterie board.
For everything else? Just use "brats."
- Correct: "I’m tossing some brats on the grill for the game."
- Incorrect: "How many brauts should I buy for the party?"
It’s worth noting that the plural of bratwurst in German can actually just be Bratwürste, but we aren't in Munich. In English, we just add the "s." It’s simpler that way.
The Beer Brat factor
One reason the spelling gets even more confusing is the "Beer Brat." This is the pinnacle of backyard cooking. You simmer the sausages in a bath of cheap pilsner and sliced onions before they ever touch a flame. This process makes the casing supple and infuses the meat with a malty richness that you just can't get otherwise.
People often search for "beer brauts" because the word "beer" feels heavy and round, and they feel the second word should match that vowel weight. It’s a psychological trick of the English language. We like patterns. "Beer" and "braut" look like they belong together in a way that "Beer" and "brat" don’t, at least to the untrained eye.
Common misspellings to avoid
Aside from the "brauts" mistake, people get creative. Here are some of the weirdest ones I’ve seen in the wild:
- Broughts: This is just a verb gone wrong.
- Brots: This is actually closer to the German pronunciation, but it’s still wrong in English.
- Braughts: This looks like something out of an 18th-century poem. Just don't.
- Brut: That’s a dry champagne. Very different vibe for a tailgate.
The cultural impact of the Bratwurst
The brat is more than just a sausage; it’s a cultural touchstone. In 1970, the city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was officially designated the "Bratwurst Capital of the World" by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after a battle with other cities claiming the title. They take it that seriously. In Sheboygan, you don't "grill" a brat; you "fry" it. And you definitely don't put it on a hot dog bun—you use a "hard roll" or a "semmel."
When you understand the weight of the history behind the food, the question of how do you spell brauts becomes less about grammar and more about respect for the tradition. These sausages have fueled centuries of festivals, from the original Oktoberfest in 1810 to the massive Brat Fest in Madison today.
Tips for the perfect "Brat" experience
Since you now know how to spell it, you might as well know how to cook it. Most people overcook their sausages until the casings burst and all the juice—the flavor—leaks out onto the coals.
- The Simmer: Never put a raw brat directly on high heat. Simmer them in liquid first. Beer is best, but even water with some aromatics works.
- The Heat: Medium heat is your friend. You want a golden brown color, not a charred black husk.
- The Toppings: Mustard is mandatory. Sauerkraut is highly recommended. Ketchup? That’s a controversial move that might get you some dirty looks in certain parts of the country.
Real-world spelling examples
If you look at major brands, they all agree on the spelling. Johnsonville, the heavy hitter in the sausage world, exclusively uses "brats" and "bratwurst." Usinger’s, the legendary Milwaukee butcher shop that’s been around since the 1880s, does the same. When the experts who have been making the product for over a century use a specific spelling, it’s usually a good idea to follow their lead.
It’s also helpful to look at how the word is used in sports culture. Tailgating is the natural habitat of the brat. You’ll see "Brats and Brews" signs at every stadium from Lambeau Field to Soldier Field. You will almost never see "Brauts and Brews" unless someone didn't use spell-check.
Language evolves, but "Brauts" hasn't yet
Will "brauts" ever become an accepted spelling? Probably not anytime soon. Dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Oxford are pretty slow to adopt "phonetic errors" unless they become the overwhelming standard. Since "bratwurst" is tied so closely to a specific culture and language (German), the traditional spelling has a lot of staying power.
It’s kind of like the word "espresso." People say "expresso" all the time, and you know exactly what they mean, but it’s still considered incorrect in any formal context. "Brauts" is the "expresso" of the meat world.
The Takeaway for Writers and Foodies
If you’re a food blogger, a restaurant owner, or just someone trying to write a grocery list that won’t make your German grandmother cry, stick to the basics.
Bratwurst = The full name.
Brat = The singular.
Brats = The plural.
Avoid the "u" entirely. It’s an interloper. It doesn’t belong there. It’s a vowel that’s trying too hard to represent a sound that the letter "a" is already handling perfectly well on its own.
Actionable Next Steps
- Update your menus: If you’re running a business and have "brauts" on your signage, change it to "brats" to look more professional and authentic.
- Check your SEO: If you’re writing content, use "bratwurst" as your primary keyword, but keep "brats" as a close second. You can even mention the "brauts" spelling to capture those searching for the common mistake, just like we did here.
- Host a tasting: Go buy a pack of authentic German-style bratwurst and a pack of the "Americanized" version. See if you can taste the difference in the spice profiles (hint: look for the mace and nutmeg).
- Master the "Sheboygan Double": Try serving two brats on one large circular roll. It’s the traditional way to eat them in the brat heartland and a guaranteed way to impress your friends at the next cookout.
Stop worrying about the "u" and start worrying about the sear. Now that the spelling mystery is solved, you can focus on the important stuff: finding the perfect spicy brown mustard to go with your properly spelled brats.