Beer. Cheese. Dip.
Need I say more? Probably not, but if you know me at all, you know I will anyways.
This beer cheese dip is bursting with rich cheese and robust lager flavor, all melted together into a creamy dipping sauce- perfect for my homemade everything bagel pretzels, crackers, chips, crisp veggies. It’s also insane on a stacked up burger! Oh my yum.
And did I mention it’s fast? You can make it in 10 minutes or less. Dreams really do come true, my hungry friends!
Looking for more cheese dip recipes? Check out my super popular Skinny Queso Dip recipe here!
What you’ll need for Beer Cheese Dip:
- Butter + Flour- basics, you guys.
- Milk- this will be the body of our sauce. Once whisked into the cooked flour and butter, it will become a béchamel, or a creamy sauce.
- 2/3 – 1 cup of your favorite ale, or other crisp + well balanced beer. I used a full cup and it was on the beer-y side, and really brought out the sharpness of the cheese. For a more mellow beer flavor, use just 2/3 cup. I used this blonde ale from target . If in doubt, a classic lager like budweiser would work well for this dip too!
- Mustard + garlic powder + salt + black pepper + paprika+ Worcestershire sauce. These will all round out our beer cheese dip, and create a more complex flavor.
- 12 ounces bright, sharp cheese. Think cheddar. White, medium, sharp… maybe a touch of Gouda. Use what you have. Use what you like. If you’re not sure, a combo of white and sharp cheddar is heavenly. Grate the cheese ahead of time. If you do buy pre-shredded, look for a brand with no additives. Sometimes, pre-shredded cheese will be processed with a powder coating which just doesn’t make a nice finished texture in our beer cheese dipping sauce.
How to make the most delicious beer cheese dipping sauce:
- Start with a roux. Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour, cooking for a few minutes and whisking constantly. You’ll be left with this magical golden colored thickening paste. We call that a roux, and it will help thicken the beer cheese dip.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Let it simmer on medium heat until it thickens a bit. This is called a bechamel. A basic foundation to a cream sauce. Neither of us may be a professionally trained chef (I’m not talking to you Amanda, my beautiful and talented head-chef friend) but we can sure learn from them and make wonderful food at home!
- Whisk in the other ingredients at this point, and the cheese. Keep stirring over a low heat for a few minutes, until the cheese is completely melted. Give it a taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve in a cute dipping bowl like the one I used here!
And that’s it! The homemade beer cheese dip is ready for some dipping and some devouring. Make sure to have my homemade everything bagel pretzels on hand to dunk right in.
Beer Cheese Dip
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk not skim or 1
- 6-8 ounces beer
- 1 tsp mustard dijon, if you have it
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 10 ounces cheese- cheddar or gouda fresh grated
- 1/2-1 tsp salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and let bubble up, whisking constantly for 1-2 minutes, until its a golden colored paste.
- Slowly whisk in milk, and let simmer over medium heat for a few minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.
- Turn heat to low and stir in the beer and the rest of the ingredients.
- Keep stirring until cheese is thoroughly melted. Taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with pretzels, crudites, or spoon onto burgers and sandwiches. Enjoy!
