Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

How To Make Beer Cheese, A Rich, Versatile Comfort Food

Steven Johnson
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There aren’t many words in the English language that elicit as strong of a response as beer or cheese for guys. Like Pavlov’s dog, sensory neurons in the brain start firing at the words’ mere sound. So, the creation of beer cheese is almost an act of cruelty towards any man trying to exhibit a modicum of self-control.

But, self-control be damned, we say! There are times when we have to cut loose and enjoy one of man’s most outstanding achievements in comfort foods. Some of those best times are while watching the game with your pals, at holiday gatherings, during dinner parties, or while shame eating after a breakup. The truth is, anytime is a great time to enjoy beer cheese.

Recommended Videos

The problem is, it can be hard to find in grocery stores since it’s a specialty item. The good news is, you can make beer cheese anytime you want in your home. All you need is a nonstick saucepan, a few simple ingredients, your favorite beer, and your favorite cheese.

The great thing about beer cheese is that you can experiment with different beers, cheeses, and seasonings if you enjoy variety. The recipe below includes some of our favorite ingredients. The only thing that remains constant is the amount of butter and flour you need to make the roux for the cheese sauce and the milk to stir in for creaminess.

So, think more of this recipe as a guide, and go nuts making homemade beer cheese.

Related Reading: How to Throw the Ultimate Fondue Party In 2022

Beer Cheese

Ingredients

  • One stick of butter cut up in pads
  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 & 1/3 cup of beer (we used Guinness)
  • 2 cups shredded white cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan 
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic (garlic powder works)
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated onion (onion powder works)
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

Method

  1. Heat 2qt, nonstick saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add butter and melt.
  3. Whisk in flour and seasonings and let cook for 2 minutes, not letting the roux get too dark.
  4. Whisk in milk and beer until smooth, letting the mixture reach a low simmer.
  5. Reduce heat to low and fold in cheese a half cup at a time until beer cheese is nice and creamy.
  6. If the mixture is too thick, slowly stir in more milk until you reach the desired consistency. 

What Beer To Use For Beer Cheese?

As we mentioned before, you can use any beer you want for beer cheese, even non-alcoholic. Think about what you’re dipping in your cheese. If it’s something salty, like a pretzel or chip, think of using a heavier beer (stout or IPA beer) that won’t be overshadowed by the saltiness. If your dipping veggies or pita, a lighter beer (lager, wheat beer, or kolsch) would complement the freshness nicely.

What Cheese To Use For Beer Cheese?

Like the beer, what cheese you use for beer cheese is entirely up to your taste preference. The main thing is to use cheese that melts well. So steer clear of feta, blue cheese, brie, and gorgonzola unless you like chunky beer cheese. We like to use a majority of sharp cheese such as cheddar (which is common for most beer cheese) cut with a very melty, mild cheese for texture (fontina, mozzarella, provolone) and add in a pungent cheese for flavor (parmesan, pecorino, swiss).

Fun Things To Add to Beer Cheese

You can always spice up your beer cheese by adding some fresh veggies, herbs, and spices. Here are some ingredient ideas for your next batch.

  • Fresh, diced jalapenos
  • Minced garlic
  • Minced shallot
  • Finely chopped rosemary
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Paprika
  • Celery salt
  • Truffle oil
  • Minced mushrooms
  • Spicy/Dijon mustard

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Steven Johnson
Steven Johnson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven Johnson is a chef-turned-content strategist. He now helps companies attract and retain more customers through content…
How to make the perfect Paloma drink, a summertime favorite
Want to make the best version of a classic Paloma cocktail? Here's how
Paloma cocktail

Step aside Margarita, the Paloma is the real drink of Mexico. The zesty cocktail is delicious any month of the year but it's especially mouthwatering on a hot day. In a situation such as this, we like to pick the wise brains of cocktail gurus like Alicia Perry and Garret Dostal. Perry used to make incredible drinks at Polite Provisions and now work as a drinks guru at Consortium Holdings. Garrett Dostal is a cocktail consultant and brand ambassador for Hiatus Tequila.

"In terms of the Paloma cocktail, I am really looking for a cocktail that is juicy, acidic, and thirst quenching," Perry says. She adds that there are three major components at play -- the tequila for the Paloma, citrus, and soda. "In the process of creating my perfect Paloma I found that specific Blanco Tequilas were either too dominant, or were not able to stand up to the ingredients of the cocktail," she says. "Fortaleza Blanco allowed for subtle notes of citrus, agave, and vanilla to be well represented in the cocktail."

Read more
Out of brown sugar? Here’s how to make your own
Here's how to reverse-engineer brown sugar to create the ultimate version
A jar of brown sugar.

In all its forms, sugar plays a fundamental role in baking, but none more prominent than as brown sugar. Brown sugar often stands out with its distinctly warm caramel notes, perfect for your favorite cookies. But what if you’re out of it? While it's readily available in stores, you can easily make your own brown sugar at home using a combination of white sugar and molasses.

Read on as we reverse-engineer this amazing ingredient to create the ultimate brown sugar at home. Here’s what you should do.
How to make brown sugar
Gather the ingredients
To make brown sugar, you'll need two primary ingredients: White granulated sugar and molasses. White sugar is refined and devoid of molasses, which is responsible for the distinct color and taste of brown sugar. Molasses, a thick syrup obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet processing, is the key to achieving the desired result. By adding the molasses back into the white sugar, you can create the ultimate brown sugar.
Determine the ratio
The ratio of white sugar to molasses will determine the darkness and flavor intensity of your brown sugar, so it’s highly customizable.

Read more
How to make the best spaghetti sauce, according to Jamie Oliver
Anybody can make a red sauce. Here, Jamie Oliver reveals how to make the best spaghetti sauce
Sunday gravy tomato sauce pasta pot

Spaghetti sauce is subjective stuff. Most who make batches claim their recipe is the best, thanks to a few extra ingredients or a few secrets they're unwilling to make public.

Regardless of how it's put together, it's impossible to go wrong with a good red sauce. As renowned chef Jamie Oliver says, the sauce serves as a lovely base atop which you can tinker and experiment. Once you get the gist of the sauce taken care of, you can spend the rest of the week fine-tuning and playing with various riffs on the traditional spaghetti. And for the record, Oliver's spaghetti sauce is arguably the best out there, for a couple of key reasons.

Read more