Do you like beer, but don’t like the taste? Even if you’re not a beer fan, beer works well as an ingredient in several types of recipes; in fact, you can have your beer and eat it, too. Literally!
For this recipe, I used Anchor Steam Beer from Anchor Brewing out of San Francisco to make beer cheddar dip.
Anchor Brewing Beer
The particular beer used for this recipe is called Anchor Steam, and its bitter, golden notes add a nice contrast to the sharpness of the cheddar in the finished product.
Anchor Steam Beer is 4.9% ABV and is bursting with flavor, thanks to its hops. It has a bright amber color and because of how it is processed, it tastes rich and smooth.
The Process and the Recipe
The website describes this process as involving “a blend of pale and caramel malts, fermentation with lager yeast at warmer ale temperatures in shallow open-air fermenters, and gentle carbonation in our cellars through an all-natural process called kräusening.”
This recipe only requires half a can of beer (as a substitute for milk) and was concocted by a local culinary talent who lives in the area. You can see the finished product below-we used homemade soft pretzel nuggets (recipe here) as the anchor for the cheese.
Ocean City, Maryland’s Premier Beer Cheddar Dip Recipe
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 can Anchor Steam beer
1 tablespoon dijon or yellow mustard
1 package (6.84 oz.) Sargento thinly sliced sharp cheddar squares
*Heat a small pot on the stove at medium heat.
*Make a roux by mixing the butter and flour together until there are no lumps.
*Mix in garlic powder, onion powder, and beer. Whisk until smooth.
*Add in cheese slices, which will begin to melt immediately.
*Stir until smooth.
*Let cool for 10 minutes.
*Enjoy!
Soft pretzels are the Vehicle
When the Beer Cheddar dip is finished, you can put the cheese on anything you like. We used homemade soft pretzel nuggets.
Are you going to make this? Did you make it? Please comment and let us know how it turned out!
Author: Jack Bradley
Jack Bradley is a contributor to Oceancity.com and ShoreCraftBeer.com and works as an Academic Counselor at Delaware Technical Community College. He assists students with academic advisement, teaches first year seminars, manages the food pantry, and serves as advisor for the Alpha Zeta Kappa Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the Community College Honor Society. An English major at the College of the Holy Cross, Jack has always loved to write and is grateful for the opportunity to be a contributor to this site. He received an an M.B.A. from Clark University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware. When he is not working or writing, he can be found out and about in Ocean City and surrounding towns, enjoying the amazing attractions they have to offer.
