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This classic beer cheese dip recipe is easy to whip up in just 15 minutes with whatever type of beer and cheese you love best.
Say hello to my go-to beer cheese dip! ♡
This simple dip is quick and easy to make and pretty much guaranteed to steal the spotlight at any gathering. Nothing quite beats serving it up fresh off the stove with a hot batch of buttery soft pretzel bites. But it’s just as amazing paired with crunchy chips, crusty bread, veggie sticks, apple slices and beyond.
I’m partial to this specific beer cheese dip recipe because you can whip it up in just 15 minutes with whatever combination of beer and cheese that you love best. (Feel free to opt for a non-alcoholic beer if you prefer!) And if you feel like jazzing things up a bit, you can play around with adding in some Ro*Tel for a zesty kick, hot sauce for some heat, or bacon, scallions or caramelized onions for extra layers of savory flavor. There are so many ways to enjoy this beer cheese dip.
So the next time you have a cheesy craving, grab a bottle of beer and let’s cook up a quick batch of this dip!
Beer Cheese Dip Ingredients
Alright, first, let’s talk ingredients. To make this beer cheese dip recipe, you will need:
Butter and flour: This classic duo forms a roux which thickens the sauce, giving it a rich and velvety texture.
Beer: A cup of beer brings a malty, yeasty, slightly bitter depth of flavor that always brings cheese dip to the next level. I love the hoppy kick of an IPA, but you’re welcome to use a pale ale, amber ale, lager, stout or whatever beer you prefer best. Feel free to also use a non-alcoholic beer if you prefer.
Milk: Plain cow’s milk helps to balance out all of these flavors and make the dip extra creamy.
Shredded cheese: I like to use a 50/50 mix of smoked gouda and sharp cheddar for a delicious balance of rich, smoky, salty flavors. But feel free to use any kinds of melting cheeses that you love best here. (Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, Fontina, Havarti and Monterrey Jack are all great options!) For the smoothest texture, skip the pre-shredded cheeses (which often contain anti-clumping additives) and grate a block of cheese yourself — it makes all the difference when creating a velvety sauce.
Dijon mustard: Dijon adds a hint of tangy, sharp flavor to balance the richness of the cheese.
Worcestershire sauce: I like adding a dash of Worcestershire for an extra layer of umami flavor to this dip.
Smoked paprika: This adds the perfect hint of smoky flavor to round out all of these flavors.
Salt and pepper: And finally, don’t forget to season the dip to taste!
How To Make Beer Cheese Dip
Step-by-step instructions for how to make this dip are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:
Use freshly-grated cheese. As mentioned above, please be sure to grate blocks of cheese by hand (or with the grating attachment on a food processor) to make this recipe! This will ensure that the cheese melts smoothly into the dip and you don’t have any pesky chunks or a gritty texture.
Choose melting cheeses. Be sure to select melting cheeses, such as a good cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, Fontina, Havarti and/or Monterrey Jack.
Don’t overheat the cheese. Be sure to turn the heat to low when it comes time to add the cheese to the recipe so that it doesn’t overheat and seize up. I find it’s best to add a handful at a time, then stir until it melts, and add another handful.
Serve immediately. This beer cheddar dip is definitely best served fresh off the stove while it’s still nice and hot, so enjoy immediately!
Recipe Variations
Want to customize your beer cheese dip? Feel free to…
Add some heat: Add a few dashes of hot sauce, diced jalapeño peppers or a pinch of cayenne to make spicy beer cheese dip.
Add bacon: Serve the dip swirled and/or sprinkled with crispy bacon bits for an extra smoky kick. (You can also use the leftover bacon grease in place of the butter for extra bacon-y flavor.)
Add Ro*Tel: Stir a can of drained Ro*Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles) for a zesty twist.
Add garlic: Sauté grated or minced garlic in with the butter before making a roux to make garlic beer cheese dip.
Make loaded beer cheese dip: Serve the dip topped with sour cream, green onions, diced tomatoes, and crispy bacon for a loaded baked potato-inspired twist.
More Cheese Dip Recipes To Try!
Looking for more crowd-pleasing dip recipes to try? Here are a few favorites from our dip archives:
This classic beer cheese dip is easy to make with whatever type of beer and cheeses you love best!
Ingredients
Scale
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beer
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (smooth or grainy)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly-shredded cheese (I used half sharp cheddar, half smoked gouda)
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the roux. Heat butter in a large saucepan or sauté pan over medium-high heat until melted. Add flour, and whisk until completely combined.
Add the remaining ingredients. Add in the beer, milk, Dijon, Worcestershire and smoked paprika. Whisk until smooth. Continue cooking until the mixture has thickened and almost reached a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Add in the cheese one handful at a time and whisk until smooth.
Season. Taste and season the dip with salt and pepper, as needed.
Serve. Serve immediately and enjoy! (The dip will thicken a bit the longer it sets.)
First time I made this I used all medium cheddar, Shiner Bock beer and added some cayenne; it was perfect and addicting! Second time I tried 50/50 cheddar and Gouda. The Gouda didn’t melt well even tho it was freshly grated. Kinda grainy. But still yummy. Third time, when I went to add the beer I discovered my husband had drunk the last bottle of Shiner Bock in the 10 minutes since I started cooking and all we had left was a really heavy, dark stout. It was Valentine’s Day so I forgave hubby but the sauce turned out a little bitter. We still ate it, though, lol! Lessons learned for me: we prefer all freshly grated cheddar, and from now on I’ll keep one bottle of Shiner Bock hidden since the decision to make pretzel dog bites with beer cheese sauce is usually spontaneous:) :)
It’s a perfect choice, especially for a fun dinner or snack time with friends. Its warm, creamy texture and the flavor enriched with beer is something cheese lovers will absolutely adore. When you add a bit of seasoning, it really brings the taste to the next level. It pairs wonderfully with chips, bread, or veggies. It’s both practical and incredibly tasty! Once you make it, you’ll definitely want to make it often. Preparing it and sharing it with a group of friends will surely be a fun experience! slopeplay.org
Hey, I’m Ali!
My favorite thing in life is time spent around the table. And all the better with some seriously tasty food to bring us all together. more about me »
OH EM GEE!! This looks delicious! Definitely pinning so I remember to make this.
Would I be able to leave this on “warm” in a crockpot to serve?
Do you think I could make this ahead of time and re-heat it in a lil dipper?
Unfortunately I’ve found that this dip doesn’t reheat all that well. I would recommend making it just before you plan to serve it. :)
If I made this without the beer, do you think I would need to substitute in another amount of liquid in its place?
Delicious!!! Made as written using 2 cups of shredded cheddar. It was quick and east to make and was perfect with pretzels. Will make this again!!!
Is there anything I can use in place of the beer? I’m pregnant and paranoid about drinking or eating anything with alcohol, even if it’s cooked off.
Use an non alcoholic beer.
See if you can find a good non alcoholic beer. As the beer is the flavour.
Delicious! Goes great with pretzel bites. I used cheddar and Gouda and Miller lite.
First time I made this I used all medium cheddar, Shiner Bock beer and added some cayenne; it was perfect and addicting! Second time I tried 50/50 cheddar and Gouda. The Gouda didn’t melt well even tho it was freshly grated. Kinda grainy. But still yummy. Third time, when I went to add the beer I discovered my husband had drunk the last bottle of Shiner Bock in the 10 minutes since I started cooking and all we had left was a really heavy, dark stout. It was Valentine’s Day so I forgave hubby but the sauce turned out a little bitter. We still ate it, though, lol! Lessons learned for me: we prefer all freshly grated cheddar, and from now on I’ll keep one bottle of Shiner Bock hidden since the decision to make pretzel dog bites with beer cheese sauce is usually spontaneous:) :)
Love it.
Turned out awesome.
Used my leftover cheese squares and fresh beer.
Everything you would expect in a great party dip. Works great in any hollowed out round loaf of bread.
Can I use American mustard instead of Dijon mustard?
It’s a perfect choice, especially for a fun dinner or snack time with friends. Its warm, creamy texture and the flavor enriched with beer is something cheese lovers will absolutely adore. When you add a bit of seasoning, it really brings the taste to the next level. It pairs wonderfully with chips, bread, or veggies. It’s both practical and incredibly tasty! Once you make it, you’ll definitely want to make it often. Preparing it and sharing it with a group of friends will surely be a fun experience! slopeplay.org