Creamy Beer Cheese Dip (Tear Apart Bread Bowl)

This cheesy, creamy Beer Cheese Dip Tear Apart Bread Bowl is a crowd-pleasing appetizer that your guests will love! Made with gooey cheese, spiked with your favorite beer, and served in an edible bowl!

Beer Cheese Dip in a Bread Bowl

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love a good cheese dip. This easy beer cheese recipe is quick to put together and uses simple ingredients. 

This cheesy dip is perfect for football season (think Super Bowl), game night or your next potluck party. Watch it disappear at your next gathering! This beer cheese sauce would also be a good dip for a warm, homemade soft pretzel. Mmm…hungry yet?

Why do they call it beer cheese?

Beer cheese is a type of cheese spread with added beer and spices to smooth out the texture and add some different flavors and spice layers.

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Ingredients Needed

Bread bowl (boule) – This is a round loaf of rustic bread – often a sourdough bread.

Cream cheese – For a lighter version you could use neufchatel cheese.

White cheddar cheese – You will need shredded cheese for this recipe. You can substitute regular cheddar cheese. 

Mozzarella cheese – You can buy pre-shredded cheese in the grocery store or a block of cheese and shred it yourself with a box grater.

Beer – I use a lager beer, but you can use any type of beer that you prefer. Lighter beer such as pale ale or wheat beer will yield a lighter dip. Dark beer such as stout beer or a hoppy IPA will result in a dip with more beer flavor.

Garlic powder – Alternatively you can use fresh minced garlic.

Hot sauce – Other options to add a little kick would be sriracha sauce, dijon mustard or worcestershire sauce. You can also add spice with cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or good ol’ black pepper.

Parsley – This is optional but makes a beautiful garnish. You can also garnish with chopped green onions or both!

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How to Make Beer Cheese Dip

First: Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Cut a circle in the top of the bread leaving about 1 inch around the edge. Remove the top and tear out the inside of the bread to make room for the dip, leaving about 1-inch wall around the middle and bottom.

Cut slices around the edge of the bread about 1.5 inches apart. Slice about 3/4 of the way, but not all the way through the bottom. This will make pull apart pieces for people to tear off and dip.

Second: In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese until smooth. Add the grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the grated mozzarella, stir to combine. Add the garlic powder, beer and hot sauce, stir until completely mixed.

Third: Pour into the prepared bread bowl and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of mozzarella on top. Replace top of the bread. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is golden.

Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve with additional slices of bread and/or crackers for dipping. Serve in a dish with edges to catch any of the cheese dips that might spill out.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What is beer cheese dip made of?

Beer cheese dip is a cheese spread made with sharp cheddar, beer, garlic, and spices.

Can kids have beer cheese dip?

The alcohol content of this dip is very low and some dissipates during baking, so it is most likely safe for kids. However, in my opinion, this would be up to the parents.

If making this for kids and adults alike you could substitute apple cider, ginger ale or broth for the beer. However, this will change the flavor of the dip and will no longer be called Beer Cheese! 

Is pub cheese the same as beer cheese?

Although the term is used interchangeably, beer cheese is always made with beer, but pub cheese does not have to use beer as one of its ingredients. Pub cheese is also usually served cold – it is more of a spreadable cheese.

What kind of beer should you use?

You can use any beer that you like to drink! A “hoppy” beer like Dogfish Head will add some bite to it.

An IPA like Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra will add some zip to it for sure. If you are looking to accentuate the richness, I would go with a stout like Guinness or a Red Ale like Boulder Beer Co.

Is it served hot or cold?

In Kentucky, it is traditionally served cold, but in this gooey, cheesy bread bowl, it is hot and melty!

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Can you make it ahead of time?

I wouldn’t recommend it. The cheese dip will separate!

How long does it last?

If you make just the dip portion and not put it in the bread bowl, it will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Once it is baked in the bowl it won’t last longer than a few hours.

Does it need to be refrigerated?

Yes, once the dip is made, refrigerate until ready to bake.

Can I use other cheeses?

You can use whatever cheese you like!

What goes good with beer cheese dip?

Because of the richness of the beer dip, I would go with crusty bread, sturdy crackers, pretzels, and veggies like broccoli and cauliflower!

This Beer Cheese Dip is fun because the bread is sliced to make it easy to tear and dip. You could also serve it with additional slices of bread and crackers for more dippabilities.

One thing to note is that the Beer Cheese Dip Tear Apart Bread Bowl is like a delicious cheese volcano, so when people start tearing away at the sides of the homemade bread bowl it WILL start to spill over. 

Check out all my dips and spreads!!

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• When people start tearing away at the sides of the bread bowl the dip will start to spill out. I suggest serving it in something with edges to catch the cheesy dip, or just have people dip other bread such as baguette slices into the bowl and don’t start tearing away the sides until most of the dip is gone. As an alternative, you could use a fondue pot on low heat to keep this dip melty and warm for serving.
• You can use a lager-style beer but stout beers work well too!
• Some other great options for dippers would be celery sticks, carrot sticks, cauliflower florets, hard pretzels, soft pretzels bites, sausage or tortilla chips.
• You can experiment with the cheeses in this dip. Some good melting cheeses are Monterey jack, pepper jack, gouda and sharp cheddar cheese. Swiss cheese would result in a dip similar to a traditional cheese fondue. Sharp cheese is always a great flavor choice!
• Crock Pot Beer Cheese Dip: You can make this dip in a slow cooker and then transfer to a bread bowl or serving dish. Simply place all the dip ingredients in a crock pot and heat on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Should you have any leftover beer cheese, let it cool down to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can remelt it in a pan over medium heat.
• Serve it with any of these sour cream dip recipes too!

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Is it happy hour yet? It will surely feel like it with this Hot Beer Cheese Dip. Cheers!

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