I absolutely love beer cheese. It’s my go to for cheese dip. I’ve had it often, and don’t misunderstand, I’m gonna love it no matter how it’s made….usually. I don’t prefer the recipes that start with a roux. That’s kind of funny coming from a gal from Louisiana, where most dishes start this way!
My go to beer cheese, is just that, beer and cheese with some spice and spices added to it. This is an easy recipe with minimal ingredients and doesn’t take too long to prepare.
I like that the spice is subtle. This is pretty funny coming from me. My philosophy is, usually, that if you aren’t sweating or crying a little, it’s just not worth it. I add a little spice from the Rotel, I did use the hot variety, but the regular will work and tone down the ever so very slight heat.
What to serve this with? There are so many options. If you aren’t making homemade pretzels or chips, I prefer to use Kettle chips, tortilla chips, or soft pretzels. You could also offer cut celery, carrots, or peppers for this. Or….a spoon. There’s really no wrong answer for this.
I choose a light beer for this dip, and melt my cheese in it while it’s cooking. It’s a subtle beer flavor. You will definitely change that by changing the beer. If you like a hoppy or dark beer, you will get a completely different flavor. I haven’t tried either variety so cannot give any opinions on the taste. If you are a beer drinker, my guess is you will love it either way.
For this recipe, I used Stella. I find that is a very balanced, light variety and works well with my cheese blend. Oh the cheeses. I love cheese, always have. Did I ever tell you my nickname was ‘cheese’ when I was younger? I’m not really a cheese snob though. I think that every cheese has a place.
This recipe needs a bit of American. American creates the smoothest balance for the dip. I prefer Land’ O’ Lakes white American cheese. I love the flavor and it mixes well with Gruyere and cheddar. If you opt for Velveeta, use the white cheese instead of the orange. The flavor is a bit milder. #tailgate #footballfix
Beer Cheese Queso
Ingredients
- 4 Cups American Cheese *I used Land O Lakes Easy Melt
- 2 Oz Cream Cheese
- 1 Cup Gruyere Cheese shredded
- 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 Cup Light Beer *I used Stella
- 1 can Rotel Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Combine beer and grated American cheese in a saucepan and whisk until cheese melts on medium heat.
- Add spices, cream cheese, Gruyere, and cheddar cheese and continue to mix until melted.
- Serve with chips or pretzels. Serve warm.
