Bratwurst, or brats, are German sausages traditionally made from a blend of veal, pork or beef. Brats are one of the many summer grilling staples and are delicious straight from the package to the grill. To add another layer of flavor to your meat, as well as avoid over cooking on the grill, try soaking the brats in beer prior to grilling. The beer bath also creates a flavorful onion garnish that you can serve with your brats.

Combine the beer, onions and bay leaf in the large pot. Turn the heat to high to bring the beer to a boil.

Prick the ends of each brat with a toothpick. Add the brats to the beer.

Reduce the heat to simmer. Let the brats soak for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the brats from the beer bath. Grill or cook as desired.