A sausage company owner and a former brewery president meet at a Green Bay Packers tailgate. No, it’s not the setup for a joke, it’s the story of how a partnership started for the new Summer Shandy Beer Bratwurst.
The collaboration started when Johnsonville Owner and Chairwoman Shelly Stayer (a real life Abe Froman) met fifth-generation Leinenkugel and former brewery president Dick Leinenkugel at a Green Bay Packers tailgate last fall.
Some things just belong together, and beer and bratwurst are no exceptions. As a family-owned company that takes great pride in our products, developing a beer brat with Leinenkugel’s to bring the flavor of Summer Shandy to our fresh grilling sausage is a match made in Wisconsin.
Johnsonville Owner and Chairwoman Shelly Stayer
As a Michigander that’s enjoyed many Johnsonville brats and bottles of Leinenkugel’s, I applaud the thinking of the new product. You probably can’t eat one without being instantly transported to a pontoon boat on the lake.
Leinenkugel’s teaming up with Johnsonville for the ultimate beer and brat pairing was only a matter of time. We’re thrilled to bring folks the Summer Shandy Beer Brat, which adds a new flavor to our fans’ lakeside get-togethers this year. With our strong innovative history, the Summer Shandy Beer Brat encourages everyone to enjoy Summer Shandy in a whole new way.
Tony Bugher, President of Leinenkugel’s
Even though the collaboration is a Midwest BBQ dream, the boozy sausage isn’t being kept from other select states. The VIPs that will get the product at select retailers include Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, and Oregon until late July. You can check Johnsonville’s website to find a nearby retailer.
For those states that couldn’t make it past the ropes to gain admission, there’s still hope. A limited supply will be available for purchase online at the Johnsonville Marketplace.