If you follow my blogs, you know that I was born and somewhat raised in Minnesota before moving to Park City over 30 years ago. Haute cuisine for me is beer boiled brats, pickled herring and a good smelt fry at the local fire station. To be tasked with writing about the beer and brat aprés at Waldorf Astoria gave me flashbacks of cold winters and lip-puckering saurkraut.
First off, the brews and brats are shamelessly offered right up front in their aprés lounge by the grand entrance. You can smell the brats smoking on the Traeger Smoker from the Frostwood Gondola. Get a bit closer and you can hear the sizzle. This is where they have taken the traditional brat experience and elevated it to award-winning Waldorf Astoria style. Serving smoked elk and jalapeno, pale ale and jackalope brats is only the beginning of this culinary aprés tour. Condiments include housemade saurkraut and each brat comes with its own beer pairing. Featuring Park City Brewery beers on tap, feel free to ask for a recommendation on what to drink to wash down your smoked sausage of choice. Not a beer drinker? No worries. The beer and brat bar has wines in a can to sip and savor.
So kick up your tired feet by the fire, relax and aprés in style at Waldorf Astoria. Believe it or not, I found a true Chicago native to test drive the brats for me. Thanks Dom! Wherever you are!
Enjoy après at the Waldorf Astoria beer and brat garden from 2-5 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday.