Washington Island is a small island of about 700 people off the tip of Door County. Like the rest of Door County, it’s mostly visited by tourists in the summer. You have to take a ferry ride from the mainland just to get there. But there’s a pretty amazing little state secret hidden up there, as well. Nelsen’s Hall and Bitters Pub is Wisconsin’s longest continuously running tavern. It holds another distinction, as well. They are the world’s single largest purveyor of bitters, that dark brown, tangy liquid we most associate with a few drops shaken into the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass to help muddle the sugar.
In operation since 1899, first as a dance hall and then as a pub, this small spot survived Prohibition by becoming a pharmacy that prescribed bitters for stomach ailments. Angostura bitters are 90 proof and suddenly folks were lining up for shots of the stuff to cure all kinds of stomach issues.
The bar's original owner, Tom Nelsen, swore by the stuff. He is said to have drank up to a pint of it a day and lived until he was 90. While other bars turned to doctors to bypass Prohibition, Nelsen got a pharmaceutical license.
Prohibition was repealed, but the tradition of bitters at Nelsen's lived on. In the mid-20th century, Nelsen's nephew took over the bar and the Bitters Club became a tradition.
Nelsen's is the largest single purveyor of bitters in the world. In peak season, they can go through 10,000 shots of Angostura in a day - up to thee cases worth.
Once visitors take their shot, they become full-fledged members of the Bitters Club and get a membership card that says "This certifies that [new member’s name] has taken 'the Cure' by consuming the prescribed medication of bitters and as such is a fully initiated member of the BITTERS CLUB. You are now considered a full-fledged islander and are entitled to mingle, dance, etc. with all the other Islanders." It’s only official when the bartender dips their thumb into the empty shot glass to mark the Bitters Club card with an Angostura thumbprint.
Legend says that local authorities tried to shut down Nelsen's during the Prohibition years, but when the judge took his own shot of bitters, he thought it was so disgusting that he said anyone crazy enough to drink it regularly should have at it.
Nelsen's is a charming bit of Wisconsin history that's gotten somewhat famous for this unusual tradition. People from all over travel here to join the Bitters Club and be part of a tradition that dates back 100 years.
