Beer Cheese
intro
Rich, tangy, velvety pub-style beer cheese is a classic shareable dip, perfect for pairing with pretzels, veggies, and crusty bread at casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and shred cheese
First, freshly shred 340 grams (3 cups) of sharp yellow cheddar cheese (avoid pre-shredded cheese, which has anti-caking agents that cause a grainy final texture), then cut 113 grams (4 oz) of room-temperature softened full-fat cream cheese into 2cm cubes. Set both cheeses aside at room temperature while you prepare the sauce base.
Make the roux base
Place a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, add 28 grams (2 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, and melt fully for 1 minute until foamy but not browned. Whisk in 16 grams (2 tablespoons) of all-purpose flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour flavor, until the roux is pale golden and smells faintly nutty.
Incorporate beer and dairy
Slowly pour 240ml (1 cup) of room-temperature amber lager into the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, followed by 60ml (¼ cup) of half-and-half. Raise heat to medium, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon.
Stir in seasonings
Reduce heat to low, then whisk in 15ml (1 tablespoon) of Worcestershire sauce, 3 grams (1 teaspoon) garlic powder, 2 grams (1 teaspoon) dry mustard powder, 1.5 grams (½ teaspoon) smoked paprika, and 3 grams (½ teaspoon) kosher salt. Stir continuously for 30 seconds until all seasonings are fully dissolved and evenly mixed into the thickened base.
Melt cheeses gradually
Add the cubed cream cheese first, stirring with a heatproof silicone spatula for 1 minute until fully smooth with no visible lumps. Add the shredded sharp cheddar in 3 equal small batches, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes total, waiting for each batch to fully melt and incorporate before adding the next to avoid clumping or a grainy texture.
Adjust and serve
Turn off the heat, taste the dip, and add extra 1-gram pinches of salt if needed to balance flavor. If the dip is too thick, stir in 15-30ml (1-2 tablespoons) of extra beer or half-and-half to reach a smooth, dippable velvety consistency. Serve warm immediately, or hold in a small slow cooker on the 'warm' setting for up to 3 hours for serving.
Tips
2.Select a malty, low-hop beer such as amber lager, märzen, or nut brown ale for the best flavor; highly hoppy IPAs or bitter dark stouts will make the cheese taste unpleasantly bitter.
3.If your dip develops small lumps during cooking, blend it for 10 seconds with an immersion blender on low speed to restore a perfectly silky texture, taking care not to overblend which can make the cheese stringy.
OMG this beer cheese is a total game changer for our weekly movie nights! I served it with soft pretzel bites and celery sticks, and even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds. So creamy, not too bitter from the beer, exactly the pub taste I was craving. 10/10 will make again for our next neighborhood potluck too!
Made this for my Sunday football watch party yesterday and the whole crew went wild for it. Only took me 20 minutes start to finish which was perfect because I was running late on all the other snacks. Quick question though - would this hold up in a small crockpot on warm for a couple hours during a party?
Wait, what kind of beer works best here? I have a super hoppy IPA in the fridge and a lighter lager, don’t want to mess this up because I’m making it for my book club meetup tonight! Super excited to try it, the recipe looks so easy.
Brought this to my office potluck last week and people were literally scraping the bowl clean! I added a tiny pinch of smoked paprika on top for a little extra kick and it was chef’s kiss. So easy to throw together before work, I didn’t even break a sweat. Will be adding this to my permanent rotation for sure.
Made this to go with our homemade soft pretzels for family dinner and my teenagers devoured half of it before we even sat down at the table. Only thing I changed was adding a little extra sharp cheddar because we love that tangy cheese flavor. SO good.
Has anyone tried adding a little diced jalapeño to this? I love a little heat in my dips and was curious if that would work well with the beer and cheese flavors, or if it would be weird.
This looks so good! Is there a gluten free beer you’d recommend using so my whole family can enjoy it? I have a kid with celiac so I have to be super careful about cross contamination too.
I made a big batch of this on Sunday for meal prep snacking all week and it reheats like a dream! Just 30 seconds in the microwave with a tiny splash of milk, stir it up, and it’s just as creamy as the day I made it. Paired it with steamed broccoli, pretzel thins, and apple slices for easy work snacks. Total win.
I’ve literally never made a homemade dip before in my life and this was so easy! I was so nervous I’d mess it up but it came out perfectly creamy, no lumps at all. My roommate said it tastes better than the beer cheese we get at the pub down the street from our apartment. So proud of myself!
Wow, just finished making this and the flavor is insane! I used a local amber ale from the brewery down the road and it added such a great depth of flavor. Only tiny note is that mine came out a little thicker than I expected, is that normal?