Did you miss out on Oktoberfest festivities this year? Are you slightly jealous after seeing all of those pictures on social media of your friends clanging steins of beer together and eating sausages on a bun? Have no fear – with this beer cheese recipe, you can feel part of the party in no time while still enjoying the comfort from home. And oh yeah, it’s not just any ol’ regular beer cheese… it’s PUMPKIN beer cheese. A super easy and quick appetizer to pull off, especially when you buy pre-made pretzels for dunking.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp of all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup of whole milk or half and half
- 2/3 cup of pumpkin beer of choice**
- 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1.5 cups of shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1.5 cups of old cheddar cheese
**I used a beer from a brewery that holds a special piece in my heart — The Gahan House located in Charlottetown, PEI. Their Blueberry Ale is right up there listed as a core memory thanks to my family trips to the island growing up.
You better believe I screamed internally when I saw that they were sold at my local LCBO. When I saw that they had released a pumpkin beer for fall… oh it was a party. Now, although I am not usually a big pumpkin beer lover , I felt that I owed it to Gahan House to try out this new flavour since they’ve never disappointed me in the past. If you’re looking for something…well, very pumpkin-y…you may not be that impressed, but for someone who doesn’t mind a slight ~eSsenCe~ of flavour when it comes to craft beer, it did the trick for me.
For some other pumpkin beer alternatives, check out this LCBO list.
First things first, shred all of your cheese in advance and set aside for later. I prefer shredding my own cheese since pre-shredded usually has a coating on it to prevent it from clumping and releasing moisture, which will make your beer cheese come out gluey more than silky.
Next, in a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it together, cooking out your roux for 2 minutes.
After, whisk in your milk/half n half and your pumpkin beer in a slow steady stream and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.
Next, add each of the remaining ingredients one at a time and whisk in between. Leave the cheese for last and add in batches to ensure it all melts evenly.
Lastly, remove the beer cheese and pour into a serving dish. The dip may be thin when you first remove it off the stove, however it will thicken up after a few minutes. Top with pumpkin seeds and a little extra smoked paprika and enjoy with salty pre-made pretzels or crusty bread.
This beer cheese can be served at either room temperature or warm. I suggest only keeping leftovers for up to a week in the fridge and reheat slowly on the stovetop or in microwave intervals before serving again.
This is going to be the next appetizer all of your friends ask for you to bring to events…guaranteed!
As always, peace and good eats!
-A❁
P.S Down to make your own pretzels? Try out this past recipe!
Little Girl, Big Eats 
Kudos to you for merging all the good things that come with October in one dish!