Bushra Griffith
Beer cheese is a mouthwatering combination of cheese, beer, and spices. It's a bar staple and a game-day favorite, perfect for pretzels, bread, veggies, and more. But what kind of beer is best for beer cheese? The answer depends on the type of cheese and the desired flavor profile. For example, a nuttier cheese like gouda or aged cheddar pairs well with a brown ale or amber beer. For a cheese dip, an aromatic and herbal beer like an IPA is ideal, while a malty beer like a red ale or pilsner is better for cooking as they add a malty flavor. In general, when making beer cheese, opt for a lighter beer with a subtle flavor profile, such as a pilsner, blonde ale, or lager.
Characteristics of the best beer for beer cheese:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Flavour | Mild, not intensely flavoured, light, malty, aromatic, herbal, bready, crisp, subtly fruity, sweet, spiced |
| Type of beer | Lager, pilsner, blonde ale, German hefeweizen, Mexican, Vienna, Helles, non-alcoholic |
| Specific examples | Dos Equis, Amstel Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Fat Tire, Ballantine XXX Ale |
| Cheese pairings | Sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, Swiss, Gruyère, Fontina, American |
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What You'll Learn
Avoid intensely flavoured beers
When making beer cheese, it is best to avoid intensely flavoured beers. While it may be tempting to use a bold-tasting beer, it can easily overpower the cheese and other ingredients, resulting in an unpleasant bitterness.
India Pale Ales (IPAs), for example, are known for their bold and bitter flavours, with strong notes of florals, citrus, and pine. Similarly, stouts have a deep, rich maltiness with hints of coffee, chocolate, and caramel. These beers will dominate the flavour profile of the cheese and are therefore not ideal choices.
Instead, opt for milder beers with more subtle flavours. Wheat beers, such as German Hefeweizen, are excellent choices as they have a pleasantly bready taste with crisp undertones. Beers in the pilsner, blonde ale, and lager families are also good options. When choosing a lager, consider a malt-forward variety such as a Mexican lager, Vienna lager, or Helles lager. These beers will complement the cheese without overwhelming it.
Remember, the key to successful beer cheese is balance. Choose a beer that you would happily drink on its own and that pairs well with the specific type of cheese you are using.
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Opt for lighter beers
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 cooked into a fondue or beer cheese soup.
When it comes to choosing the right beer for your cheese, it's important to opt for a milder-tasting brew. While intensely flavoured craft beers may be popular, their strong notes can make the spread unpleasantly bitter and overpower the cheese, especially when it comes to sharp cheddars. Instead, choose a lighter beer with character but low bitterness.
A good rule of thumb is to go for a beer that you would happily drink on its own. Beers in the pilsner, blonde ale, and lager families are all excellent options. For pilsners, American styles are ideal as they are less hoppy, milder, and less bitter than European pilsners. Blonde ales from most places, except Belgium, are also light, malty, and refreshing. Lagers, including bright lagers, amber lagers, dark lagers, Oktoberfests, and pilsners, are another great option as they generally have a light body and subtle flavour profile.
Some specific recommendations include Dos Equis, a Mexican golden pilsner, and Amstel Light, a pale lager. If you're looking for a cheap option, beers like Bud, Miller Lite, or PBR are said to work well.
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Avoid hoppy beers for heated recipes
When making beer cheese, it is important to choose a beer with a light body and subtle flavour profile. Beers that are too bitter or intense in flavour, such as IPAs, stouts, or porters, will overpower the flavours of the cheese.
IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are known for their bold bitterness and strong notes of florals, citrus, and pines. When heated, these beers can develop an even stronger bitterness, which can be unappealing in a heated cheese dish. Stouts, while less bitter, have a deep, rich malty flavour with notes of coffee, chocolate, and caramel that can also overpower the cheese. Porters, though similar to stouts, have a slightly lower alcohol content and a smoother flavour, but are still considered hoppy beers due to their high IBU (International Bitterness Unit) value.
Oxidation is also a concern with hoppy beers. Oxidation can cause the beer to darken, taking on a muddy purple colour, and can strip away the bright hop character, replacing it with dull cardboard flavours. This is especially true when bottling or heating the beer, as the increased exposure to oxygen can accelerate oxidation.
Therefore, when making heated beer cheese, it is best to avoid hoppy beers and instead opt for milder, less bitter options such as pilsners, blonde ales, or lagers. These beers will complement the cheese without overwhelming its flavour, creating a well-balanced and delicious dish.
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Choose a beer you'd drink on its own
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 cooked into a fondue or beer cheese soup. It's often served with crackers, pretzels, and/or raw vegetables.
When choosing a beer for your beer cheese, it's important to select one that you would happily drink on its own. Opt for a beer with a light body and subtle flavour profile. Beers in the pilsner, blonde ale, and lager families are good options. For pilsners, American styles are best as they are less hoppy, milder, and less bitter than European pilsners. Blonde ales from most places other than Belgium are also light, malty, and refreshing. Lagers are generally easy-drinking.
If you're looking for specific beer recommendations, Dos Equis (a Mexican golden pilsner) and Amstel Light (a pale lager) are both featured in beer cheese recipes. A 6-7% porter is also recommended by one source, who notes that this is what a local restaurant uses in their beer cheese.
If you're making a cheese dip, an aromatic and herbal beer like an IPA can work well when served cold. However, IPAs can be boldly bitter and overpower the cheese flavour when heated, so they are not recommended for hot recipes. Instead, opt for a malty beer like a red ale, pilsner, or lager.
When it comes to the cheese, a sharper cheddar will give the dip some bite, while a sweeter cheese like fontina adds depth and balance. Gruyère can be used in place of fontina. For a nuttier flavour, you can use Gouda or English/aged cheddar, in which case a brown ale or amber beer would pair well.
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Pair tasting notes of the cheese with the beer
When pairing tasting notes of the cheese with the beer, it is important to consider the different types of cheeses used in beer cheese. For example, a sharp cheddar gives the dip some bite, while a rich, sweet fontina or nutty Gruyère adds depth and balance. A combination of these cheeses creates a complex flavour combination—sharp and bold from the cheddar, nutty and slightly sweet from the Gruyère, and depth and balance from the fontina.
When pairing beers with these cheeses, it is recommended to choose a milder-tasting brew to avoid overpowering the cheese flavours. Beers in the pilsner, blonde ale, and lager families are often good options for beer cheese. For instance, American pilsners are less hoppy, milder, and less bitter than European pilsners. Blonde ales from most places, excluding Belgium, are also light, malty, and refreshing.
When using a nuttier cheese like gouda or English/aged cheddar, a brown ale or amber could be a good pairing option. A porter, with an alcohol percentage of around 6-7%, is another excellent choice for beer cheese. Wheat beers, such as German hefeweizens, are also recommended as they have a pleasantly bready taste while remaining crisp and less fruity, sweet, and spiced.
It is worth noting that intensely flavoured craft beers, especially hop-forward IPAs, can make the spread unpleasantly bitter and overpower the cheddar flavour. Therefore, it is generally advised to choose a lighter beer with some character but low bitterness, such as malt-forward Mexican, Vienna, or Helles lagers.
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Frequently asked questions
Beer cheese is all about balance. Avoid intensely flavoured beers like IPAs and stouts, which can make the spread unpleasantly bitter and overpower the cheese. Instead, opt for a milder-tasting brew with a light body and subtle flavour profile, such as a pilsner, blonde ale, or lager.
Beer cheese is usually made with cheddar, but you can also use other cheeses like gouda, gruyère, fontina, or American cheese. If you want to add depth of flavour, incorporate smoked cheeses or a mix of sharp and nutty cheeses.
Yes, you can add various seasonings and sauces to enhance the flavour of your beer cheese. Some popular options include Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and hot sauce.
