THOMAS- A local brewery is collaborating with Wendling’s Foodservice to put some “oompahpah” into one of its products during this Oktoberfest season. Blackwater Brewing Company in Davis is working with Wendlings to create Kolsch Bier Bratwurst.
Both companies are West Virginia family run businesses. Wendling’s has been in business for more than a hundred years in meat processing and supplies restaurants in several states. Blackwater Brewing Company’s owners Lincoln and Amanda Wilkins purchased the business in 2012 and have been re-energizing and rebranding the once thriving pub over the last two years.
Wilkins is no stranger to the area having had many generations of his family living in the Potomac Highlands region. Wilkins has a background in biology and chemistry and has self-taught himself the brewing sciences since 2006. He serves as his own Head Brewer for the restaurant serving up different artisan beer offerings. It is one beer in particular that they are using for the bratwurst, the Canaan Valley Kolsch. It was this particular beer that Wilkins received a gold medal for and placed 3rd best in show at the prestigious Bramwell Fest last year. This year the brats were sold in the V.I.P. tent and the Wilkins received a new gold medal for his Angus Macker Hardy County Sweet Oatmeal Stout.
Wilkins integrates his beers into many of the food products sold at the pub, dishes like Irish Stout Stew, and Beer Bread. Not to worry if you have a family, the alcohol content burns out during the cooking process. When Wilkins ran into Chris Wendling at a food show in Canaan Valley the two put their heads together and a fall season specialty was born. Wilkins also collaborates with other West Virginia business and farms in making his specialized brews. He uses Healthberry Farms honey in making his Goldenrod Gold Ale and locally sourced maple syrup in his Wood Hick Vanilla Maple Baltic Porter.
Wilkins says he’s always looking for new opportunities to collaborate with local folks. He considers his return on investment of working with Wendlings is two-fold: he gets to work with another local business and he gets his (Blackwater Brewing Company) name out there His beer is being distributed all over the region now and can be found in Fairmont, Morgantown, Keyser, etc. and he’d love to get it in at Timberline Resort.
Locally the Kolsch Bier Bratwurst can be readily found at The Highlands Market in Davis. An informational flyer from Wendlings describes the brats like this: starts with locally brewed Kolsch Bier- a traditional German Pilsner. When added as an ingredient in the processing of bratwurst and other meats, the residual sugars of its malty backbone impart a subtle, sweet balance to the core meat flavors. Hop oils present in Kolsch accentuate and round out the spice components of these sausages.
Just another example of how delicious West Virginians working together can be.
For more information on Blackwater Brewing Company call 304-259-4221, Wendling Food Service 304-472-5500.
