Making Beer Cheese Dip is super easy. Plus, it’s a great appetizer to serve for parties like the holidays, football games, March Madness basketball games, baseball games, tailgating, Father’s Day, and so much more. Made with freshly shredded monterey jack cheese, milk, beer, and spices, this cheese dipping sauce is the perfect appetizer to indulge in frequently. This pale yellow and white cheese sauce is exclusively made without Velveeta cheese and packs a bold beer taste.
Best thing about this recipe is that it can be used over a large variety of food. Did you know this creamy dip can also be poured over your next dish of loaded nachos, carne asada tacos, baked potatoes and hot or cold veggies such as broccoli? Get creative and pour some leftovers on your next serving of wings, Air Fryer Steak Bites or on your hamburger, chicken, turkey, ham or beef sandwich.
How to Make Beer Cheese Dip
- Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually stir in milk.
- Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour in beer.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Stir in mustard, paprika, onion, garlic powder, salt, and jalapenos.
- Turn heat to low.
- Stir in room temperature freshly shredded cheese.
A few key points worth mentioning prior to making this. Use block cheese, shredded yourself, make sure cheese is at room temperature when you add it and do not exceed a medium-low heat.
Beer Cheese Dip Ingredients
BEER: I use HopSlam Ale but any good ale or IPA which is hoppier will do.
BUTTER: You’ll need to make a roux made of butter and flour to ensure the cheese sauce is smooth and not lumpy. A roux works perfectly and the butter adds a richness to the base.
FLOUR: Don’t forget this step. Use all-purpose flour and melted butter to make the roux. Stir the hot mixture constantly to prevent it from burning. Cook it for 1-2 minutes to remove any raw flour taste.
MILK: Use a whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream. The liquid in combination with beer will add a nice velveting smooth texture to the cheese once it melts and make it a sauce.
CHEESE: Buy monterey jack cheese in the block form. Shred it and allow it to come to room temperature before melting it into the saucepan. Buying pre shredded cheese comes with a coat of starches that will not melt well so I do not recommend using this variety. Monterey jack cheese is noted for its mild flavor and slight sweetness that pairs deliciously with a hoppy ale beer.
SPICES: For this recipe, I use spices I like such as mustard powder, paprika, garlic, onion, and salt. Adding salt brings out the flavor of the cheese so adjust it as desired. In addition, to add some heat, a freshly chopped or sliced jalapeno adds the perfect amount of spice but feel free to experiment with different peppers, or hot spices such as red pepper flakes, or chili sauce/paste.
Making a Roux for the Sauce
Do I need to make a roux to make this dip?
Yes. I have made this recipe a few times without a roux using a variety of different melting cheeses and I had varied results that included curdled cheese, and a batch where the liquids separated from the cheese. In addition, I also lowered the temperature of the stovetop and still wasn’t able to make it work.
A roux is easy to make. It’s the base for many sauces and soups and will ensure that the dipping sauce is smooth and well, a sauce that looks like a cheese sauce.
To make the roux, simply combine melted butter and flour and whisk it over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes. Next, slowly pour in a little milk at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Once the thickness of it thins, whisk in the remaining liquid such as the milk and beer.
Reader Questions and Tips
Will I get drunk off the beer?
No, there is not that much alcohol in here and what is will burn off during the heating. You don’t have to use real beer, you can use a non alcoholic beer if that is all you have on hand, the beer taste will still be there, but again, the alcohol in the real beer will evaporate.
Can I use a different type of milk?
You can use a half and half or heavy cream. If you want you can also go for an unsweetened rice, almond or soy milk, although I have not used it officially to make this dip.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Yes.
Why is my dip stringy?
The number one mistake I see people make is to use pre shredded cheese bags. Always buy a block of cheese and shred yourself, after all, this is the highlight ingredient. Also, after shredding, leave it sit to get to room temperature, that way when you add it to the hot mix on the store it won’t drop the temperature down and cause the stringy.
Help! How do I fix my stringy or lumpy dip?
Place in a bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds at a time, then stir.
Why did my dip curdle and how do I fix it?
A high heat is the enemy of a homemade cheese dip. This aids in separating the protein and water in the dairy
and will produce those curds. If you see this start to happen, immediately take it off the heat and add a splash of something cool to bring down the temperature such as a few teaspoons of cold milk or beer then whisk like crazy for 10-30 seconds. If this doesn’t work you can try a tablespoon of flour which will help to bind the separated sauce. If all else fails, try a teaspoon of lemon juice of half a freshly squeezed lemon.
Can I make this cheesy beer dip ahead of time?
Yes, it’s perfect for making ahead of time and a great time saver. Reheat in the microwave or slowly on the cooktop while stirring it.
How long will this last?
You can keep this in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. Be sure to explore the other ways to use it as listed above.
Beer Cheese Dip
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This extra creamy and tasty Beer Cheese Dip will become a crowd pleaser and can be whipped up in just 10 minutes. Made with monterey jack cheese, milk, beer, and spices on the stovetop, it is sure to become a regular at your parties. We like to use the beer cheese dip with our favorite dippers such as thick restaurant style tortilla chips, baguette slices, sliced sausage or bratwurst, little smokies, and pretzel bites. We love setting out a little cheese dip bar with bowls of all these favorites so our guests can choose!
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 379 kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup beer I use HopSlam Ale
- 1½ tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 jalapeno chopped
- 3½ cups monterey jack cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add flour and continuously whisk for 1-2 minutes.
Gradually stir in milk, whisking it into the mixture until smooth.
Gradually stir in beer, whisking it into the mixture until smooth.
Stir in mustard powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and chopped jalapenos.
Turn heat to low. Stir in freshly shredded cheese.
Frequently whisk cheese into mixture until melted and smooth.
Serve with pretzel bites, pretzels, tortilla chips, little smokies (co*cktail wieners), or cooked sausage slices like brats.
Nutrition
Calories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 19gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 152mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 848IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 556mgIron: 1mg
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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