Beer Cheese Dip

Party-ready beer cheese dip is savory, creamy, and full of flavor. Ready in 15 minutes or less, it's a must for any game-day, holiday, or tailgate.

Prep: 10

Cook: 15

Total: 25

Yield:8 servings

Place medium saucepan on stovetop over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons salted butter and let butter melt completely, swirling and tilting pan as needed to distribute butter across surface.
When butter is melted, add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and whisk until flour is fully incorporated into melted butter.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika over roux and whisk until spices are fully incorporated. Cook roux 1 to 2 minutes or until spices become fragrant and roux develops rich reddish-orange color.
Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. While whisking constantly, slowly add ¾ cup milk of choice (at room temperature) in small increments, whisking until mixture is smooth.
Add 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard and whisk to incorporate. Once mustard is incorporated, slowly pour in 1 cup beer of choice, whisking constantly until beer is fully incorporated.
Return saucepan to stovetop over medium heat. Simmer mixture 2 minutes or until thickened. Consistency should resemble gravy.
Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. Add 2 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar in small increments, whisking between each addition until cheese is fully melted. Once all cheese has been added, whisk mixture until all cheese is melted and dip is smooth and thick.
Transfer beer cheese dip to serving bowl and serve warm with desired sides for dipping.

Milk: For a thicker, creamier dip, use whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half. You can use 2%, non-fat, or non-dairy milks, but they'll give you a dip that's very thin, so keep that in mind.
Beer: The dip will taste like the beer you use, so it's important that you use one you love! I recommend a lager, but almost anything will work, even pale ales - they'll just give the dip a lighter flavor. Avoid any with strong floral or fruity flavors.
Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, buy a block of fresh cheddar and shred or grate it yourself, rather than buying prepackaged, pre-shredded cheese. They contain starches and fillers that can keep the cheese from melting like it should and give the dip a gritty or grainy texture. I recommend a mix of orange and white cheddar, but you can use any harder cheese like gouda, pepper jack, colby jack, etc.
Dairy Temperature: Dairy products can curdle or separate if they're heated too quickly. Let the milk and the cheese come to room temperature before starting the recipe, and let the saucepan cool slightly before adding them to it.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour and a gluten-free beer like Redbridge Lager.