Beer Cheese Dip
Whenever I need a crowd-pleasing dip, I make my Beer Cheese Dip. It’s ready in just 15 minutes, so I can pull it together even when I have unexpected guests. It tastes fantastic, and it’s also gluten-free and low in carbs. If you like beer and cheese, then this recipe is a must-try. This pub staple is a hit, especially when served with soft pretzels for dipping.
Cheese dips are so easy to make, and they are great for parties, game nights, or when you have friends over to watch a game. I love the simplicity of putting them together and that you can easily feed a crowd with minimum effort. Among my favorites are this Spinach Artichoke Dip with pull-apart rolls, Buffalo Crack Chicken Dip, and Million Dollar Dip.
Table of contents
Beer Cheese Dip is one of my favorite appetizers to serve during football parties and game nights. Since it’s so easy to make, I can spend more time with my guests instead of being in the kitchen. I love serving it with a tray of crunchy veggies like celery sticks, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and obviously chips and pretzels, as they are amazing dipped into the cheesy goodness. The dip is all you can hope for, velvety smooth and cheesy, with a beautiful beer aroma.
Why you will love this recipe
- Cheese and beer: Yep, all I use in this delicious dip is three kinds of cheese and some beer seasoned with my favorite herbs and spices.
- Takes minutes to make: It takes me less than 15 minutes, so I can whip this up if my friends pop up unexpectedly.
- Very versatile: I can use this as a dip for chips, pretzels, veggies, sausages, or even as a spread for sandwiches or chicken.
- Inexpensive: I can make this dip for less than $10 to serve a whole group of people!
What you will need
- Cheeses: I use three kinds of cheese in this dip. The softened and cubed cream cheese makes everything smooth and velvety. The cheddar adds a tangy taste, making it the most prominent flavor. Be sure to use freshly grated cheese for the best melting. With its mild flavor and soft texture, mozzarella helps everything blend evenly.
- Beer: I prefer my favorite kind of beer, such as Guinness or Samuel Adams. Any kind will work, including light beer or alcohol-free versions.
- Seasoning: I add garlic powder since garlic is my favorite flavor. The robust and slightly sweet taste of garlic in this dip makes it stand out from plain old cheesy beer dip. I also add smoked paprika for a slightly smoky flavor. Instead of using mustard, I use mustard powder for that sharp, tangy taste, which helps keep my dip thicker. As always, I add salt and pepper to taste.
How to make
Melt the cream cheese: First, I chop the softened cream cheese into cubes and melt them in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the beer: Once the mixture melts, I add the beer while stirring slowly until it is well combined. Then, I stir in the mustard powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
Remove from heat: Next, I remove it from the heat and add the cheese a little at a time, stirring continuously, until the cheese is melted.
Season and serve: Finally, I add salt and pepper before serving in a dipping bowl.
Expert tip
Best cheeses for beer cheese dip
Because it is being melted, the best kind of cheese is the type that is soft with a moderate amount of moisture in it, such as mozzarella, cheddar, American, Fontina, Asiago, pepper Jack, and Monterey Jack. The really soft cheeses, such as cream cheese, ricotta, brie, camembert, and mascarpone, are also possible choices. The ones you should avoid are aged cheeses, as they have very little moisture. Some of these include Parmesan, pecorino, gorgonzola, blue cheese, Romano, cotija, and Manchego.
More tips to consider:
- Do not add the cheese while the liquid is still boiling or too hot. Please wait for it to cool slightly, or it will get curdled and stringy.
- Store-bought shredded cheese contains added ingredients to prevent clumping. While that may sound good, these added ingredients are made from wood pulp (yuck!) and also prevent it from melting well.
- The best beer to choose is the one that you like. Otherwise, any beer is fine.
- Serve while warm, as it may develop a dry film on top if left at room temperature. If that happens, heat it for 20 seconds in the microwave, stir it up, and it will be good as new.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Make it addictive: Adding some of my homemade ranch seasoning and crumbled bacon makes this dip totally addictive, so I usually double the recipe.
- Add a kick to it: For extra tangy flavor, I use Dijon mustard instead of regular and add Worcestershire sauce to the dip.
- Spicy cheese dip: Add a kick to this dip with chopped jalapenos and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.
- Add veggies: For a heartier dip, I like to add some diced tomatoes, green onions, chopped bell peppers, and minced onions.
- Cajun beer dip: To make this dip even more special, I sprinkle in some of my Cajun seasoning, and it adds heat as well as flavor from other herbs and spices.
Serving suggestions:
This dip pairs well with a variety of snacks, including soft or hard pretzels, veggie sticks, chunks of baguettes, veggie chips, or air fryer potato chips. Always serve the dip warm to prevent a film from forming on top. If you plan on keeping it at room temperature for longer than 3- minutes I suggest to use a crockpot or fondue to keep it warm.
You know what drink goes great with this beer cheese dip? My beermosa cocktails! This drink is effortless to make and tastes fantastic with just orange juice and beer. They are much better than those citrus-flavored beers they serve at the bar. I also like to serve this dip as a sandwich spread. The meat doesn’t even matter. I really love it on my roast beef sandwiches, though.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: I save any leftover beer cheese dip in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dip. It will not thaw properly because of the cream cheese.
- Reheating: I reheat my dip in a saucepan over medium-low heat while stirring until it is warm. But do not let it boil, or it may seize or separate.
Frequently asked questions
Since it is cooked, the alcohol burns away, leaving only the flavor. That being said, I usually use alcohol-free beer when I make it for my kids or people who do not drink alcohol.
It may be from having too much liquid. Make sure only one cup (8 ounces) is used. Not a whole can or a bottle, which is usually 12 ounces. It could also happen if the sauce were not cooked long enough to reduce. The beer and cream cheese must be thoroughly mixed before removing from the heat. Finally, if the cheese is added while the pot is still on the heat or while the beer mixture is too hot, it can cause the cheese to separate.
Grittiness is caused by the separation of the cheese, which usually happens when it is added to hot liquids. I always make sure to remove the beer mixture and let it sit for a minute while I prepare the cheese. Then, I add the shredded cheese a little bit at a time, stirring constantly to make sure it does not separate. I also grate my cheese right before use, ensuring it is finely grated for easier melting.
This almost always happens because of the beer. That is why I recommend using your favorite kind of beer. But I also recommend tasting it first. Some beers are intentionally sour due to their style. The cheese could also be spoiled or old. I always be sure to buy it fresh and taste it before going through all the trouble of shredding it. If the batch is sour, it can be discarded and remade. Luckily, there are only a few ingredients.
Best party foods to try:
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Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature and cubed
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup beer your favorite
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add cubed cream cheese and melt it. Gradually add beer, stirring constantly, until fully combined with the cream cheese.
- Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, and mustard powder, then stir the mixture to combine.
- Remove from heat and add cheese little by little, stirring continuously until all the cheese is fully melted.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour Beer Cheese Dip into a dipping bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
Best cheeses for beer cheese dip
Because it is being melted, the best kind of cheese is the type that is soft with a moderate amount of moisture in it, such as mozzarella, cheddar, American, Fontina, Asiago, pepper Jack, and Monterey Jack. The really soft cheeses, such as cream cheese, ricotta, brie, camembert, and mascarpone, are also possible choices. The ones you should avoid are aged cheeses, as they have very little moisture. Some of these include Parmesan, pecorino, gorgonzola, blue cheese, Romano, cotija, and Manchego.More tips to consider:
- Do not add the cheese while the liquid is still boiling or too hot. Please wait for it to cool slightly, or it will get curdled and stringy.
- Store-bought shredded cheese contains added ingredients to prevent clumping. While that may sound good, these added ingredients are made from wood pulp (yuck!) and also prevent it from melting well.
- The best beer to choose is the one that you like. Otherwise, any beer is fine.
- Serve while warm, as it may develop a dry film on top if left at room temperature. If that happens, heat it for 20 seconds in the microwave, stir it up, and it will be good as new.