Made with two types of melty cheese, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and beer, this dip pairs well with homemade soft pretzels, tortilla chips, toast points, and vegetables. My easy beer cheese dip recipe comes together quickly on the stovetop using light or dark beer and makes the perfect addition to your next gathering or game day celebration. For more dip recipes, try my buffalo chicken dip, spinach artichoke dip, or queso dip recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Beer – use your favorite type of beer for this recipe. For a more bitter taste, use a hoppy IPA or amber beer. For a lighter taste, use a light-style beer like a lager or pilsner. Worcestershire sauce – this zesty sauce adds lots of flavor in one simple ingredient and pairs well with the beer and cheese flavors. Spices – paprika, garlic powder, and salt round out the spices in this recipe. You can vary the spices by adding Cayenne pepper, chili powder, or onion powder. Cheese – I always use a combination of two or more smoothly melting cheeses. Use one cup each of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and shredded gruyere cheese. For the creamiest dip, buy a block of cheese and shred it using a large box grater and skip the pre-shredded bags. Chives – a handful of freshly chopped chives is the perfect garnish for this recipe. If you don’t have chives, garnish with green onion, red onion, or fresh parsley.
How to Make Beer Cheese Dip
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and bubbly, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk.
- Add in the beer and whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the Dijon, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and gradually whisk in the cheese a little bit at a time until all of the cheese is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and serve immediately with your favorite dippers and garnish with chopped chives.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Grate your own cheese. Most recipes are enhanced when you grate a block of cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese adds the best flavor to this dip. Some shredded cheeses are coated in flour or other ingredients to prevent them from sticking together in the package, and these cheeses won’t melt as smoothly. Whisk while adding each ingredient. For a smooth dip, whisk as you gradually add each ingredient. When adding the cheese, add just a little bit at a time while using medium-low heat. Cook just until the cheese is fully melted. Overcooking the cheese dip will result in a grainy texture. Be sure to heat just until the cheese is melted, and adjust to low heat if the mixture starts to bubble up or stick to the pan. Optional: hot beer cheese dip variation. Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper along with the other spices and a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce for a spicy kick. Garnish with sliced jalapeno peppers. Keep the warm dip in a crockpot. Use a small crockpot or a fondue pot set to the warm setting if you plan to serve this over an extended period. The dip will thicken as it sits at room temperature, so keeping it warm or reheating it occasionally will make it the most dippable. Reheat slowly while whisking. To reheat, place the beer cheese pretzel dip in a small saucepan, whisk in 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk, and cook, whisking often, over medium-low heat until heated through. Alternatively, place leftovers in a medium-sized heatproof bowl, and microwave on high in 30-second intervals, whisking after each interval until heated through.
If you’ve tried this beer cheese dip recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
