Joliet Brats, Bourbon and Brews benefits veterans

Come enjoy Brats, Bourbon and Brews on Tuesday to help two organizations that serve veterans.

The fundraiser will be from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Jacob Henry Mansion, 20 S. Eastern Ave. in Joliet. Tickets are $60 each.

Tom Grotovsky, owner of The Curator’s Cafe in Joliet, founded the nonprofit Brats Bourbon in 2018, which hosts the fundraiser with the same name.

This year’s event benefits the VIP Service Dog Foundation and the Joliet Police Department Battle Buddy program.

[ Joliet police’s Battle Buddy program looks out for veterans in crisis ]

“It’s just a great community event,” Grotovsky said in 2023. “[There’s] nothing pretentious about it. [It’s] just a fun evening of doing good things for the community we all live and work in.”

The 21-and-older event will feature different bourbons to sample and will include a bratwurst competition, where local professional and amateur chefs will vie for the “wurst” chef in Will County, he said.

“We give then a golden bratwurst trophy, just to have a little fun with it,” Grotovsky said.

According to the Brats, Bourbon and Brews website, the event provides an opportunity to “sample high-quality, delicious bourbon.” People who prefer beer will enjoy brews from local, national and international sources, according to the website.

As a business owner in Joliet, Grotovsky previously said he wanted to support the community that supports him.

“I saw a need in the community for help in different situations,” Grotovsky previously said. “So, we started out with doing things for some of the social service organizations around here in Joliet.”

Grotovsky previously said the fundraiser began as a small “men’s night out” event, where guests brought a donation for a local homeless mission and enjoyed bourbon and brews in return.

The nonprofit has benefited the Joliet community in various ways, from giving canned foods to MorningStar Mission in Joliet to donating $10,000 to the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 to help provide restrooms on the first floor, Grotovsky previously said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Brats, Bourbon and Brews

WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 22

WHERE: Jacob Henry Mansion, 20 S. Eastern Ave. in Joliet

ETC.: Bratwurst by local chefs, samples of high-quality bourbons and brews, live music by the Jib Brothers Band. Proceeds benefit the VIP Service Dog Foundation and the Joliet Police Department’s Battle Buddy program.

TICKETS: $60. Purchase at eventbrite.com.

INFO: Visit bratsbourbonbrews.org.