Wisconsin Book Festival – Authors Robin Shepard and Jesse Brookstein discuss “Brewers & Butchers: How Beer & Sausage Shaped Wisconsin History”

The Wisconsin Book Festival welcomes authors Robin Shepard and Jesse Brookstein, celebrating Wisconsin’s rich heritage of beer and sausage

Beer and Sausage have long been staples of the Wisconsin diet, perfectly complementing each other and proving an indispensable addition to festive gatherings, backyard cookouts, and tailgating in the Badger State. Take a deeper dive into the history of these iconic flavors with authors Robin Shepard and Jesse Brookstein as they explore the storied heritage of brewing and sausage making in Wisconsin and celebrate the innovative brewers and butchers who are keeping those rich traditions alive today.

Beer expert Robin Shepard is the author of A Keg of Their Best: Brewing in the Beer State Capital—From the Beer Baron Era to Modern Microbrews, an authoritative, illustrated history of brewing in the Madison area from the 1830s to the present. Shepard is a four-time honoree of the North American Guild of Beer Writers and has been a regular beer columnist and reviewer for the Isthmus for more than two decades. His previous books include Wisconsin’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs and Minnesota’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs.

Jesse Brookstein is the author of Best of the Wurst: Weird and Wonderful Stories of Wisconsin Sausage. In it, Brookstein travels the state to meet the people behind the links, capturing the culture, craft, and quirks that make Wisconsin sausages unlike those found anywhere else. Brookstein’s previous books include A Perfect Pair: The History of Landjaeger in Green County, Wisconsin and 910 Mayer Ave: Exploring the Legendary Oscar Mayer Facility Eight Years After Its Closure. He is also the founder of Third Lake Sausage Shop, which specializes in sausage-related books and gifts.

This event is presented in coversation with Ashley Rodriguez of the Cap Times.