Homecoming is one of my favorite times of the year. There is a crisp chill in the air, friends from far away return for a weekend, and the campus is abuzz. It is an opportunity to celebrate the common experience we enjoy at the University of Wisconsin.

This weekend will be exceptional for a number of reasons. First is Homecoming, a huge party in itself. Then there is Halloween; Madison always gears up big for this holiday. To ice the cake, this Saturday is Daylight Savings Time, which means we are afforded an extra hour of bartime. The planets must be in alignment!

In anticipation of Homecoming, I got a head start last weekend with some friends at State Street Brats. This particular group was a mixture of alumni and current students — a composition similar to what one should expect this weekend.

Although several in the group hadn?t recently been to Madison, there was a certain feeling that none of us had ever left. Part of this sensation is due to the fact that Brats, like other campus-area taverns, is a model of consistency — an environment we find familiar and comfortable.

Perhaps even deeper, however, was the magical feeling that we had gone back in time, back to when we were all undergraduates, back to the original joy our camaraderie could bring.

I know I?m not the only who has experienced such a feeling. Think of the upperclassman you looked up to, or an old roommate you haven?t seen in a while, or the sight of an old romantic fling — when people get together after being apart, there is magic. Call it sentimental nonsense, but it is something I enjoy, and I know it will occur in taverns across Madison this weekend in great numbers.

State Street Brats has more than its fair share of these types of encounters. Brats has its roots in an establishment originally called the Brathaus, which existed in the same location and format from 1952 to 1989. New ownership changed the name to State Street Brats and added a second story, among other renovations.

Aside from these alterations, Brats maintains the soul of the original Brathaus. The long wood bar is original and made from old shuffleboard tables. Directly underneath the bar are specifically designed shelves where students can stash their books while enjoying a beer and a brat.

General manager Ross Johnson says, “It is fun to hear stories about how generations of students — grandparents, parents, sons and daughters — enjoy coming to this place and make it a destination when they visit Madison.”

Brats indeed has developed a reputation as an icon in Madison. Not surprisingly, this status owes much to Brats? famous bratwurst. When Madison was chosen the number one city in America, there was a picture of Brats in USA Today. When ESPN?s Gameday crew makes a visit, they usually request some brats delivered to their truck. Performers have requested them backstage while in Madison, and dedicated fans from New York to California request to have them shipped.

Brats? mascot, Bratman, a human-sized bratwurst and bun, is a fixture on State Street and at special events, handing out Brats gifts to passersby. “We really put an emphasis on our food,” Ross says, “and we continue that tradition.”

Food aside, Brats is well known as a place to drink. There are 16 beers on tap, ranging from Miller Lite to local microbrews such as Capitol Brewery and Grey?s. There are nightly drink specials, including the popular Tuesday night “Flip Night,” where calling heads or tails correctly can get you 75 percent off regular price for your drink (losing the toss means you just pay the regular price).
Brats? specialty drink is called the Rose Bowl. Created in 1989, the Rose Bowl is a reddish concoction of five liquors and two juices. As for the recipe, “It?s a closely guarded secret,” Ross explains, “but you can buy your very own during the special on Saturday nights for $2.50.”
State Street Brats is open from 11:00 am until bartime, seven days a week. Major credit cards are accepted.

Bartime?s “Campus Legends Tour,” a three-part series culminating with Homecoming Weekend, examines three of the most famous campus bars, the Pub, State Street Brats, and the Kollege Klub. For the third and final leg of the tour, Bartime will explore the Kollege Klub tonight, Friday, Oct. 26. Cheers!