Hermann Wurst Haus takes Best of Show at Wurstfest competition

(From left) Mike Sloan, owner of Hermann Wurst Haus, and Assistant Wurstmeister Patrick Mallory receive Best of Show award at the 44th annual Hermann Wurstfest Competition.

| Source: Hermann Wurst Haus

HERMANN, MO. — During the 44^th annual Hermann Wurstfest Competition, sponsored by the Hermann Area Chamber of Commerce on March 22, Hermann Wurst Haus won Best of Show along with 13 other prestigious awards for the company’s artisan, hand-crafted smoked sausages and meats.

Based in Hermann, Mo., Hermann Wurst Haus is a meat and sausage shop located within Missouri’s wine country. The German-hybrid deli features more than 46 varieties of award-winning bratwurst and sausages, grand champion house-smoked bacon, a line of Wurst Haus ale, lager, wine and craft soda, gourmet foods, and gifts.

Owners Mike and Lynette Sloan have over 70 years of combined experience in the meat processing industry.

Their expertise was evident at this year’s Hermann Wurstfest Competition. In addition to winning Best of Show for its Braunschweiger, Hermann Wurst Haus received the following awards at the event:

Grand Champion awards for Braunschweiger, Natural Old Fashioned Summer Sausage (Aged Olde Fashion Sommer Sausage), Andouille and Best of Show Bratwurst uncooked (Fresh Bratwurst).
Reserve Grand Champion awards for Head Cheese (Olde World Style), Hickory Smoked Mango Chipotle Bratwurst (Specialty Wurst, Cooked), Caramelized Pear & Gorgonzola Bratwurst (Smoked Bratwurst) and Knackwurst (Specialty Sausage).
Champion awards for BBQ Flavored Jerky (Smoked Jerky Whole Muscle), Original Hickory Smoked Summer Sausage (Summer Sausage, Cooked), Venison German Bologna (Exotic Sausage), Italian Bratwurst (Italian Sausage), and Rhine Valley Smoked Pork Sausage (Smoked Pork Sausage).

Every year, the statewide Wurstfest competition draws in both professional and amateur sausage makers. This year, judges evaluated 150 entries. Winners were selected by a panel of meat industry judges from across the state, including Discovery Channel’s Josh Owens from “Moonshiners” as a celebrity judge.

Over 2,000 visitors attended the event held at Stone Hill Winery and the Hermannhof Festhalle in Hermann. Visitors sampled several gourmet sausages from vendors while enjoying German music and a performance by the Wurstjaeger dancers.