Beer cheese has become a popular dish, so in this article, we will explore the best beer for beer cheese so you can wow your friends watching the next game.
There are plenty of options when it comes to beer and cheese to use in your beer cheese dip. Typically, beer cheese dip is made using a low-carbonation, darker-style beer. These beers have a malty, nutty flavor that compliments a variety of cheese types.
These milder, smoother beers also are ideal for making a cheese dip that allows you to enjoy your beer cheese with everything from vegetables to crackers and bread. If you are looking for the best beer for beer cheese, we’ll offer you several choices. We will give you some things to consider when you are selecting a beer.
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What To Look For In The Best Beer For Beer Cheese
The first consideration that you need to consider when selecting the best beer for beer cheese is the type of cheese you will be using. Typically, beer cheese is made using sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even Colby. These cheeses have a nice flavor profile.
The second thing you need to consider when selecting a beer for beer cheese is the amount of beer flavor you want to impart to your final product. Darker beers tend to give a more robust flavor, while light lagers and pilsners won’t give your beer cheese much of a beer-ish flavor.
The third consideration for selecting the best beer for your beer cheese is the level of carbonation from the beer. A very bubbly beer will also make your beer cheese seem bubbly. Generally, a lighter carbonation beer will result in a smoother beer cheese result.
Finally, consider the color of the beer that you are selecting. Dark beers give a good flavor, but if they are too dark, they may cause your beer cheese to turn a strange color.
How To Pick The Best Beer For Beer Cheese
Just because a beer is good to drink does not mean it is good for beer cheese. You may love a hoppy, bitter IPA for your drinking beer, but it probably won’t make your beer cheese taste good. Nutty beers like brown or amber ales or even lighter stouts offer a nice flavor pairing to most cheeses.
You may also want to consider the time of year when selecting the brew to use in your beer cheese. Seasonal beers, particularly Oktoberfest-style beers, can be a great choice for beer cheese.
Price is another consideration when you are making beer cheese. While you may love to drink a fancy, more expensive beer, you may not want to use these for your game-day dip. There are plenty of moderately priced beers that are great for beer cheese.
Finally, as with other beverage choices, if you don’t like to drink a particular type of beer, you probably won’t like it in your beer cheese. Pick a beer style or beer brand that tastes good and will give you tasty beer cheese.
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale
English brown ales are a nice malty option for beer cheese. Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown ale is just a little sweet, which pairs nicely with stronger cheeses like sharp cheddar.
Because English brown ales do not have a lot of hops, they are less bitter than American-style brown ales. This makes them ideal for beer cheese.
Pros
- Nutty flavor with hints of almonds, beech nuts, and walnuts.
- Mild flavors of caramel and toffee
- Minimal bitterness
- Rich brown color
Cons
- Not as common
- More expensive than other options
Hofbräu Original
German beers are always a nice option when you are making beer cheese. These beers, while light in profile, have a more balanced flavor than other beers. Hofbräu Original is a nice example of a good quality German beer for beer cheese.
This beer has a slightly spicy flavor with a bready nose. There is a bit of hoppy bitterness, but not enough to overpower foods. This is a nice beer if you want to taste the beer in your beer cheese but don’t want to overwhelm the flavor.
Pros
- Mild flavor doesn’t overpower the cheese
- Spicy and bitter but just enough for a good balance
- Fairly easy to find in most places
Cons
- Doesn’t give much of a taste to beer cheese
- This beer is more expensive in some locations.
Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier
Oktoberfest beers are the traditional beer brewed specifically to celebrate the fall and harvest in Germany. These beers are light and easy to drink but also have a rich flavor of malts, bread, nuts, and toast.
Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier is brewed only in the late summer or early fall in Munich, Germany. This beer is a traditional Oktoberfest-style brew.
It uses German noble hops for a slight bitterness that adds to the flavor without overwhelming the beer. Oktoberfest lagers tend to be darker, so they give your beer cheese a nutty, malty taste.
Pros
- A great pairing with typical beer cheese
- Nutty and sweet flavors add to the flavor of your beer cheese
- Good example of a traditional German beer
Cons
- You can only purchase this beer near Oktoberfest
- More bitter than other beer options
Fat Tire
Fat Tire was one of the first beers to make craft beer popular. This Belgian-style amber lager has a light, nutty flavor from caramel, as well as Munich and Vienna malts.
These grains are roasted just a bit longer, so they give this beer a beautiful color and a full-bodied flavor. This beer is a popular choice for beer cheese because it works well with a variety of cheese styles.
Pros
- Gives a bold flavor to your beer cheese
- Slightly bitter
- Goes well in beer cheese and with beer cheese
Cons
- Bitterness may be too much for some pallets
- Only available in some areas
Shiner Bock
Bocks are another traditional German-style beer. These beers are known for their sweetness and smooth taste. There are minimal notes of hops in bock beers, so they will not impart bitterness to your beer cheese.
Bocks tend to be a little sweeter, so they work well with cheeses with strong flavors. The darker color of this beer will add a nice bit of color to your cheese.
Pros
- Not an import
- Rich with a sweet toasty flavor
- Not very bitter
- Low alcohol content
Cons
- Color is pretty dark
- Can only find this beer in the US
Boston Lager
Samuel Adams Boston Lager is another beer that revolutionized the craft beer industry. This beer has a beautiful red color paired with a sweet but malty flavor.
Boston Lager uses German noble hops, so it has a slight bitterness that complements the rest of the flavors well. This amber lager gives your beer cheese a warm color and does not leave an aftertaste.
Pros
- Easy to find
- Reasonably priced
- Not as carbonated
Cons
- A bit more bitter than we like
- Dark color can be too much for some cheeses
Yuengling Light Lager
If you are looking for a flavorful but light beer to go with mild cheese, the Yuengling light lager is a good pick. This beer has flavors of bread and caramel. It has a bit of bitterness from the hops but just enough to keep the flavor of your beer cheese interesting.
Pros
- Just enough bitterness
- Great for lighter cheeses
- Bready and sweet
Cons
- Light flavor
- A higher-priced option
Testing Criteria
To come up with our list of the best beers for beer cheese, we made a lot of cheese sauce. We used different combinations of beer and cheese styles. From this cooking experiment, we were able to narrow down our list to seven beers that taste great in our beer cheese.
Why You Can Trust Me
We like beer, we like to cook, and we like to cook with beer. We are passionate about experimenting with foods and finding combinations that make our taste buds excited. You might also like our guides on the most popular Irish beers and Belgian beers.
