While bratwurst is a type of sausage, these two foods have a few differences in how they are made as well as their ingredients. Sausage is made from any type of ground meat and can come in a fresh or dried variety. Bratwurst, on the other hand, comes as a fresh link and is specifically made from pork or veal. Sausage is a broad term for ground meat that is encased and made into links, but bratwurst is a specific and unique type of sausage.