Beer Cheese Dip (Crock-Pot Version)

If you have a crockpot and enough energy to dump a handful of ingredients into said crockpot, you have all you need to make the most decadent, velvety-smooth, and seriously addictive beer cheese dip. This pub-style appetizer is a crowd pleaser, perfect with everything from pretzel rods to carrot sticks or for drizzling over a pan of sheet pan nachos.

You can’t go wrong with a pot of beer cheese for any game day or party spread, especially when you need a hands-off dish. The slow cooker works its magic, slowly melting the cheese and melding the flavors into a smooth and pourable dip. Just keep in mind that, like our beer bread, this dip gets a boost of flavor from lager, but unlike our beer bread, all the alcohol will not cook out of this one (thanks to the slow cooker holding steam and alcohol into the dip).

How to Make Beer Cheese Dip

The only thing we love more than the texture and flavor of this dip is how easy it is to make. After dumping simple ingredients including sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar, spices, and lager in a crock pot, you let the low and slow heat do its magic, with just an occasional stir to help everything melt together.

A late addition of heavy cream helps thin the rich dip to a smooth, silky texture, and it’s ready to serve. If your crockpot has a “warm” setting, you can serve it straight from the slowcooker, or place it in a serving dish and watch it quickly disappear.

What is Beer Cheese Dip?

Beer cheese is a staple pub appetizer, gaining fame originally in Kentucky bars, although beer and cheese have been combined for ages all over the world. Beer adds depth and a touch of bitterness to the rich, cheesy dip, and mustard and garlic further balance the flavor. What you’re left with is a warm, creamy, and seriously addictive dip or sauce that goes with everything from pretzels to chips, brats, nachos, and more.

Ingredients

Process

1. Place all ingredients, except green onion and cream, into a slow cooker and place over low heat for about 3 hours. Stir dip every 30 to 45 minutes.
2. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in heavy cream until smooth.

3. When dip is done, top with green onions. Serve beer cheese dip with dippers of choice.

How to Achieve the Silkiest and Smoothest Beer Cheese Dip in a Crock-Pot

While you really can’t mess this recipe up, there are a few tricks to keep in mind if you want that pub-quality ultra-smooth texture.

• Use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese often has anti-caking agents added to help prevent the shreds from combining into one big blob. This is great when you want to sprinkle some cheese on a salad, but not so great when you want a silky smooth dip. Shred a block of cheddar cheese yourself for the best results.
• Keep the heat on low. Even if you’re a bit short on time, resist cranking the heat up to high. High heat can cause the cheese to separate and become oily and grainy.
• Stir every 20-30 minutes. While this dish is relatively hands-off, you still need to give it a good stir to help everything melt evenly and prevent the edges from burning.
• Add the heavy cream near the end of cooking. This helps thin the dip so it’s pourable, while reducing the risk of it breaking or separating by letting it get too hot.

Some Flavor Variations

You can’t go wrong with the savory, cheesy flavor of this original beer cheese dip, but it’s just as easy (and fun) to add some personality and make it your own. Try some of these favorite flavors:

• For spicy beer cheese, stir in a half cup of diced pickled jalapeño peppers and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce.
• Make it smoky and perfect for a BBQ spread by replacing some of the cheddar with smoked Gouda cheese and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
• For a rich and salty bacon-filled variation, crumble a few slices of crispy cooked bacon into the dip in the last 30 minutes. This is perfect for topping baked potatoes along with a sprinkle of green onion.

And if you want this dip to be alcohol free, just use a favorite alcohol-free lager for all the flavor and none of the booze.

Some Recipes to Use with Our Beer Cheese Dip!

This beer cheese is ready to be scooped up with chips, pretzel rods, and pita, but it also goes incredibly well with these recipes:

• Carne Asada Nachos
• Bratwursts
• Pretzel Dogs
• Juicy Lucy
• Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Loaded Smashed Potatoes
• Tri Tip Sandwich
• Roasted Cauliflower

More Delicious Dip Recipes You Will Love