Bushra Griffith
Beer cheese is a spread or dip made from cheese, beer, and spices. It is often served with crackers, pretzels, or raw vegetables. While there are many types of cheese and beer that can be used, it's important to choose a beer that will complement the cheese rather than overpower it. For example, intensely bitter beers like IPAs are not recommended for beer cheese. Instead, opt for a milder beer with low bitterness, such as a pilsner, lager, or blonde ale. The type of cheese used can vary depending on preference, but sharp cheddar is a popular choice as it gives the dip some bite.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beer type | Lager, pilsner, blonde ale, wheat beer, stout, brown ale, German-style beer, local lager, IPA |
| Flavour | Light, malty, sweet, nutty, bitter, mild, deep, rich |
| Cheese type | Cheddar, American, Swiss, Gruyère, Gouda, Colby, Havarti, cream cheese |
| Other ingredients | Chives, green onions, parsley, thyme, bacon, hot sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper |
| Preparation | Melt butter, add flour, whisk in milk, slowly whisk in beer, add cheese a handful at a time, whisk until melted |
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What You'll Learn
Beer and cheese pairings
Beer and cheese are a match made in heaven, as long as you choose complementary varieties when mixing them together. The general principle for pairing beer and cheese is the same as pairing any two items: they should match, balance, or boost each other.
When it comes to specific pairings, it's best to start with a cheese or beer that you already love. Then, look for complementary pairings, like tangy chèvre with a lemony saison, or contrasts, like a salty blue cheese with a sweet barley wine. Remember to taste the cheese first, then the beer, and then try them together.
- Sour beers with lots of funky acidity pair well with indulgent, voluptuous cheeses that leave your lips feeling slick with butterfat. Avoid tangy cheeses like feta.
- Aged alpine-style cheeses with complex, lasting flavours (ranging from nutty to floral to grassy) pair well with farmhouse ales, which have a funky, earthy flavour and bring a dry crispness to refresh the palate. Try this pairing with Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Comté, or Gruyère.
- Yeasty, banana bread-flavoured robust ales pair well with washed rind cheeses like Époisses, Taleggio, and Grayson. Together, they create toasty, caramel notes that taste like crème brûlée.
- Amber ales, with their sweet, malty notes, pair well with salty, nutty sheep's milk cheeses like Ossau-Iraty, Manchego, or Pecorino. Add some Marcona almonds to take this pairing to the next level.
- Fresh and bloomy rind goat cheeses, like a basic soft chèvre, pair well with Belgian and German wheat beers. The clean, citrusy flavours of a witbier, like Blanche de Chambly, resonate well with the similar flavours in fresh goat cheese, and the spritzy carbonation keeps everything fresh.
- Pilsners, especially American styles, are less hoppy, milder, and less bitter than their European counterparts. Pilsners pair well with mozzarella, bringing out its creaminess and enhancing its spicy floral notes. They can also pair well with French Brie, bringing out the soft butteriness of the cheese while allowing the Brie's earthiness to shine.
- Amber ales, with their caramel notes, pair well with aged Gouda.
- Sour cherry beer, like New Glarus Belgian Red, pairs well with burrata. The acidity and carbonation of the beer cut through the buttery richness of the cheese, and the intense fruit flavour creates a berries-and-cream combination.
- Blue cheese pairs well with IPAs, as the bitterness of the beer serves as a blade through the creaminess and richness of the cheese.
- Smoked cheese pairs well with rauchbier, as it has similar smoky flavours.
- Imperial stout with blue cheese can become a decadent dessert when paired just right.
- A British cheddar pairs well with a best bitter.
When it comes to beer cheese dip, the best beer to use is a matter of personal preference. Lager, pilsner, and stout are all popular choices, with lager and pilsner providing a less strong beer flavour and stout resulting in a deeper, malty flavour. For a hoppy flavour, an IPA can be used, although some comment that this results in bitter notes. Wheat beers, blonde ales, and light beers are also traditional choices for beer cheese dip. Ultimately, it is recommended to use a beer that you would gladly drink on its own, as one with a light body and subtle flavour profile will ensure that the beer does not overpower the cheese.
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Beer cheese dip recipes
Beer cheese dip is a delicious appetizer that can be served with pretzels, chips, bread, veggies, or fruits. It is easy to make and can be customized with different types of beer and cheese. Here are some recipes to get you started:
Classic Beer Cheese Dip:
This recipe is a classic that can be made with your favorite beer and cheese. It has a rich and velvety texture with a slightly bitter depth of flavor from the beer.
Ingredients:
- Butter and flour for the roux
- 1 cup of beer (use a hoppy IPA for a bitter note, or a pale/amber ale, lager, or stout for a milder flavor)
- Milk
- Shredded cheese (a mix of smoked gouda and sharp cheddar is recommended, but you can use any melting cheese such as cheddar, gouda, gruyere, fontina, havarti, or Monterrey Jack)
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until melted.
- Add flour and whisk until a smooth roux is formed.
- Add the remaining ingredients, starting with the beer, and whisk until smooth.
- Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and almost reaches a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese one handful at a time, whisking until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with your choice of dippers.
Loaded Beer Cheese Dip:
This recipe adds some extra ingredients to the classic dip to create a loaded baked potato-inspired twist.
Ingredients:
- Classic beer cheese dip (see recipe above)
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Diced tomatoes
- Crispy bacon
Directions:
- Prepare the classic beer cheese dip as directed above.
- Top the dip with sour cream, green onions, diced tomatoes, and crispy bacon.
- Serve immediately with your choice of dippers.
Spicy Beer Cheese Dip:
For those who like it hot, this variation adds a kick of spice to the classic recipe.
Ingredients:
- Classic beer cheese dip (see recipe above)
- Hot sauce or cayenne pepper
Directions:
- Prepare the classic beer cheese dip as directed above.
- Add a few drops of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste.
- Stir well and serve immediately with your choice of dippers.
Feel free to experiment with different types of beer and cheese to find your perfect combination. Enjoy!
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Beer types for beer cheese
Beer cheese is a spread made from cheese—usually cheddar—blended with beer and a few spices until smooth. It can be served as a classic uncooked spread or versions that more closely resemble fondue or beer cheese soup. It’s become fashionable to use intensely flavored craft beers for beer cheese, but such beers—especially hop-forward IPAs—can make the spread unpleasantly bitter and overpower the cheddar flavor.
When making beer cheese, choose a brew with a light body and subtle flavor profile. No matter what kind of cheese you use, use a milder-tasting brew. Avoid anything with an intense flavor, like an IPA or stout, as they will overpower the flavors of the cheese. India Pale Ales can be boldly bitter with strong notes of florals, citrus, and pines. Stouts are typically less bitter but have a deep, rich malty flavor and skew in a coffee, chocolate, and caramel direction.
Instead, opt for a German hefeweizen, a type of wheat beer that is perfect for warm weather sipping. It has a pleasantly bready taste but is also very crisp. German styles are less fruity, sweet, and spiced, though they do still have some of those subtle undertones. You could also use a lager or a pilsner. American pilsners are less hoppy, milder, and far less bitter than their European counterparts. Some Belgian-style blonds can be overly hoppy, but blonde ales from most other places are light, malty, and refreshing.
If you're using a nuttier cheese like gouda or English/aged cheddar, a brown ale or amber could also work. For a unique twist, you could even use non-alcoholic beer.
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Beer cheese history
Beer cheese is a cheese spread or dip that is most commonly found in Kentucky, United States. It is typically made by melting cheese, beer, and other ingredients together. The cheese used is usually a blend of sharp cheddar and other cheeses, such as Gruyère, along with spices like cayenne pepper, mustard powder, garlic, and jalapeño peppers. Beer is added to the mixture to impart flavour and texture, and the type of beer used can vary depending on preference, although German-style beers, lagers, and IPAs are commonly used.
While there are conflicting stories about the origins of beer cheese, it is believed to have originated in Kentucky in the 1930s or 1940s as a salty bar snack. One story credits the invention of beer cheese spread to Joe Allman, a chef in Phoenix, Arizona, whose cousin, John Allman, owned a restaurant in Clark County, Kentucky, where the spread was first served. The Kentucky Legislature decreed Clark County as the birthplace of beer cheese in 2013.
However, some sources suggest that beer cheese may have been influenced by German immigrants in the United States, particularly in the Ohio River Valley and the Midwest, where there was a significant German population. In Germany, a similar dish called Obatzda, made from soft cheeses, butter, seasonings, and beer, has been popular in Bavaria since the 1920s. The German-American version of beer cheese may have been a result of the marriage between German and Kentucky traditions.
Over time, beer cheese has become a popular snack in Kentucky and is often served with Saltine crackers, carrots, celery sticks, pretzels, or other dippables. It can also be used in soups, as a topping for burgers and sandwiches, or as an ingredient in baked goods. While it is not widely distributed outside of Kentucky, it has gained popularity as a homemade snack, with many people creating their own versions using a variety of ingredients.
Today, beer cheese can be found in various forms, including cold pack cheese spreads, dips, and solid cheeses made by adding beer to the curds before pressing and shaping. The terms "pub cheese" and "beer cheese" are sometimes used interchangeably, although not all pub cheeses are made with beer. Beer cheese has become a beloved appetizer, especially for game days or gatherings, due to its rich, creamy texture and the endless possibilities for customisation.
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Beer alternatives for non-drinkers
Beer and cheese are a match made in heaven, but what if you don't want to use beer? Whether you're serving a non-drinker or just looking for a different twist on the classic, there are plenty of alternatives to beer that can be used in a beer cheese recipe or enjoyed alongside a cheese dish.
Firstly, it's important to note that the type of beer you use in a beer cheese recipe will depend on the type of cheese you're using. For example, a nuttier cheese like gouda or aged cheddar pairs well with a brown ale or amber beer. A sharp cheddar, on the other hand, is often used with a pilsner or lager. If you're looking for a milder taste, go for a wheat beer or blonde ale.
Now, if you don't want to use beer, there are a few alternatives you can try. Firstly, non-alcoholic beers are an option and there are now many hoppy, beer-like options available. These can provide the same flavour profile as regular beer without the alcohol content. Some specific recommendations include Self Care IPA from Three Magnets Brewing and NØ MØ IPA from Crux Brewing, both of which have less than 0.5% ABV.
If you're looking for an alternative beverage to enjoy with cheese, rather than cook with, there are several options. Tea is a popular choice, with black tea and oolong tea being particularly well-suited due to their tannin content, which provides a complex flavour. An aged Oolong or Pu'er tea is recommended by cheese professionals. Coffee is another option, especially with creamy goat cheeses or aged gouda. For those with a sweet tooth, hot chocolate is a surprisingly good pairing with blue cheese, providing a contrast of piquant and sweet flavours. Finally, non-alcoholic sparkling juices can be a good stand-in for wine, with pear juice being a popular substitute for white wine and cherry juice for red.
So, while beer is a traditional choice for a cheese recipe or pairing, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from, whether you're looking for a non-alcoholic option or simply something a little different.
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Frequently asked questions
A milder-tasting brew is generally recommended for beer cheese. Beers in the pilsner, blonde ale, and lager families are good options. For pilsners, American styles are preferable as they are less hoppy, milder, and less bitter than their European counterparts. A non-alcoholic beer can also be used.
Beers with intense flavors, such as IPAs, should be avoided as they can make the spread unpleasantly bitter and overpower the cheese flavor.
Dos Equis (a Mexican golden pilsner) and Amstel Light (a pale lager) are two specific beers that are recommended for beer cheese.
Yes, the type of cheese can affect the flavor and texture of the beer cheese. Sharp cheddar is a popular choice as it gives the dip some bite. Other commonly used cheeses include fontina, Gruyère, and Gouda.
