Beer Cheese

Beer cheese, also known as pub cheese, comes in different forms—it might be spreadable like whipped cream cheese or a warm, creamy dip like Swiss fondue. We use sodium citrate, a salt that’s a key ingredient in the production of processed cheese, to keep the sharp cheddar silky and smooth even when heated and combined with liquid. Sodium citrate can be purchased online. We pair a pilsner or lager, beers that are light in flavor and color, with the bite of sharp cheddar, but you can use whatever type of beer and cheese you like. Leftover beer cheese can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. It reheats well in the microwave. To take a more classic approach to making beer cheese—that is, one made without sodium citrate—see the version below that uses a butter-and-flour roux as a stabilizer. Its consistency is not as flawless, but its flavor is equally good.