"Thüringer Rostbratwurst": Mühlhausen Kicks Off the BBQ Season

While many wouldn’t dare fire up the grill in March, Thüringen is already sizzling. With crackling sausages and smoky aromas, Mühlhausen officially kicked off the 2025 BBQ season on March 22.

The event, known as “Rostkultur” – the traditional season opening – once again attracted numerous visitors this year.

A Historic Sausage Tradition

The "Thüringer Rostbratwurst" is more than just a barbecue favorite – it’s a cultural icon. Its first recorded mention dates back to 1404, when a monastery in Arnstadt issued an invoice for bratwurst. Today, it even holds EU protection status: Only sausages produced in Thüringen can bear the name “Thüringer Rostbratwurst.” Additionally, it must meet strict size and weight requirements, measuring between 15 and 20 cm and weighing between 100 and 150 grams. With these dimensions, it lands on the grill – and this weekend, that meant the largest grill in the world.

How the 2025 Season Was Kicked Off

The official start of this year’s grilling season was marked by a symbolic “bratwurst relay”: The fire was traditionally brought from Arnstadt to Mühlhausen. Minister President Mario Voigt received it and ceremoniously lit the world's largest grill. More than 750 kg of "Thüringer Rostbratwurst" awaited their turn to be grilled and enjoyed – supplied by twelve different sausage producers.
Hundreds of visitors gathered at the Bratwurst Museum to celebrate the beginning of the grilling season. To conclude the event, Bratwurst King Norbert Abt and Sausage Queen Nicole Schenk shared a bratwurst – a fitting tribute to Thüringen’s deep-rooted grilling tradition.

The event’s move from Erfurt to Mühlhausen was mainly due to logistical and financial reasons, but organizers emphasized that the close connection to the state capital would not be lost.

A Fiery Start to the Season

In Thüringen, no one waits for summer to start grilling. The “Rostkultur” is more than just an event – it’s a cherished tradition.

And what could be a better way to kick off the grilling season than with a fresh "Thüringer Rostbratwurst", straight off the grill?

Photo by Levent Simsek via pexels