Beer Cheese Dip Recipe | Wisconsin Cheese (2024)

Beer cheese dip: a match made in wisconsin

Beer cheese dip is a spicy spread that takes inspiration from a pairing that Wisconsinites can't get enough of – cheese and beer. It's a basic recipe – cheese, beer, milk, and spices for flavor – with infinite variations usually that run from moderately mild to super spicy. Whether served in your local bar or at home during the game, beer cheese dip is an appetizer that's got something for everyone to love.

They say beer cheese dip was born in Kentucky, but around here, we like to think it's Wisconsin native. Maybe that's because beer cheese is best when it's made with Wisconsin cheddar or colby cheese. For more of a fondue experience try using an Alpine-style cheese like swiss or emmental Whatever your preference, when it's a Wisconsin beer cheese dip, you know there will always be a stampede to get to that appetizer first.

How to make beer cheese dip delicious

The best thing about beer cheese dip is that you can make it in 10 to 15 minutes at home. It's basically mixing beer with ingredients for flavor, reducing it down a bit, adding the cheese until it's melted, then serving it warm or refrigerating it to serve cold.

Adding additional flavor to that basic recipe is what separates brilliant a beer cheese dip from the fair to middling variety. Here are a few of our favorite variations from our website:

• Warm Beer-Cheese Dip, with cream cheese, roasted red pepper jack cheese, cayenne pepper, and lager.
• Queso Beer-Cheese Dip, featuring queso quesadilla cheese, red and jalapeno peppers, and a Mexican-style lager.
• Beer Braised Onion Dip with Brick, with cream cheese, brick cheese, braised onions, sour cream, and mayonnaise along with ale or hard cider.
• Three-Cheese Roasted Cauliflower Dip, with gouda, cream cheese, and parmesan along with cauliflower, garlic, sour cream, and beer.

What is beer cheese dip?

Beer cheese dip is a cheese spread typically made with sharp cheddar, beer, garlic, and spices, served with crackers or crudités as an appetizer.

How is beer cheese dip made?

Beer cheese dip is typically made by heating beer with ingredients like garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan until the beer reduces, mixing in cheese and milk, and continuing to cook until the cheese is melted. The resulting mixture is a cheesy spread that can be served warm or cool.

Who invented beer cheese dip?

Beer cheese dip is thought to have been invented in the 1930s by a chef in Clark County, Kentucky. This was recognized as the birthplace of beer cheese in 2013 by the State of Kentucky.

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Why beer cheese dip is better in Wisconsin

Wisconsin beer cheese dip rules. That's because, in Wisconsin, you've got your choice of more flavors, styles, and varieties of cheese than anywhere else in the world, so you can make beer cheese dip combinations that are out of this world. You want your standard cheddar cheese beer cheese dip? Wisconsin cheesemakers are cheddar champs. Considering a quick beer cheese dip with quark cheese? You don't have to go to Germany for this creamy spread – Wisconsin can hook you up. Got a beer cheese dip with muenster in mind? Our award-winning muenster cheese brings gobs of flavor to any cheesy spread.

What makes Wisconsin cheese so good, you ask? Some would say it's our 175-year tradition of cheesemaking. Others think it's our cheesemakers' innovation that's helped us win more awards than any other state or country in the world. But probably, it's because we're a state that dreams in cheese, wholly dedicated to doing one thing really well: making the tastiest, highest-quality cheese in the universe. (Wait…is that why they call us cheese heads?)

Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?