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11 Things Wisconsinites Are Weirdly Obsessed With

Wisconsin
by Sarah Puckett Apr 2, 2019

There are some things people everywhere are weirdly obsessed with, like cat videos and Game of Thrones. Other obsessions are solely for Wisconsinites. From the specific characteristics of our favorite sausage to anything having to do with water, here are 11 things Wisconsinites are weirdly obsessed with.

1. Harley-Davidson

It’s not just about the bike. It’s the T-shirts, leather jackets, hats, pens, the paint job on your hog, and the quantity of your chrome. For Wisconsinites, Harley-Davidson is a lifestyle.

2. Wisconsin beer

With hundreds of breweries throughout the state, we have little reason to drink anything else. Miller Lite will always be the best light beer in the world, and New Glarus’ Spotted Cow will ensure our out-of-state friends are always eager to visit.

3. The Packers

Wearing foam cheese on your head in support of a sports team is weird, as is serving Packers-themed food on game day and sitting in below-zero temperatures at Lambeau. Decorating your bathroom with green and gold Packers memorabilia would be the tip of the iceberg of our obsession with this team.

4. Cheese

Everyone loves cheese, but nobody obsesses over it like a Wisconsinite. And I mean “waking up at 6:00 AM on a Saturday to be the first to the farmers market to get your favorite cheese before it sells out” obsessed.

5. The difference between brats and hot dogs

Don’t you dare say they are the same. We will fiercely defend the beer-battered brat’s superiority over a measly hot dog any day.

6. Lakes

We love the lakes so much that we’ll keep the boat out of storage until the very last mild day of fall, just in case a good boating day happens. In the middle of winter, we’ll even sit outside in a tiny shack just to fish on them.

7. Deer meat

Venison steaks, deer jerky, stew, meat sticks, livers, and even hearts — it is a Wisconsinite’s favorite meat and we’ve come up with some delicious (if questionable) ways to enjoy it.

8. Tricked out hunting cabins and ice fishing shacks

We might be in the middle of a forest or a frozen lake, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it luxurious. The best hunting cabins and ice-fishing shacks have TV, cable, a kitchen, a place to sleep, and heaters to make it comfy all season long.

9. Up North

That it doesn’t have a distinct location makes Up North all the better for getting away from it all. Whether cozying up in a cabin in the woods or boating the day away on an otherwise empty lake, Wisconsinites love this locals-only destination.

10. Themed drinking events

Merely drinking with friends is too mundane, but pair a day of drinking with a clever theme, and you have one of Wisconsinites’ favorite pastimes. Whether it’s a ’90s pub crawl, a pseudo-athletic 5K bar run, or sporting pastel polos for a competitive day of pub golf, we can never resist a creatively themed drinking event.

11. Cook-offs

The best way to eat with friends is to compete with them over who made the best brat/chili/booyah/dip. We love a good cook-off because it merges our love for meaty and cheesy food with our competitive spirit.

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