A sharp dip was the dark horse winner in this Thanksgiving melee feast recipe decision.
I still didn’t know what else to make. After work I rode downtown for a coffee, and read the Northwest Brewing News. And there it was. Page 15’s "Old Rainier Brewery Beer Cheese Dip" floored me. (Besides, other than a 1-lb brick of cheese, I already had the ingredients.) Here are some other beer cheese dip recipes, but the victorious (and glorious) Beer Cheese Dip is below, with kindly wiseass commentary in italics:
Before we tuck into this recipe, do yourself a favor and check out the Northwest Brewing News, or any of the Brewing News publications in your area. If you’re curious about craft beer, homebrewing, beer events, seasonal releases, or just want to expand your appetite beyond Coors and Budweiser, these bi-monthly papers are where to turn. If the NW edition is any indication, they’re bloody hilarious, and you feel like you’re talking to the writers. They speak our language, and it is beer. Or something like that. Now go check them out…
Old Rainier Brewer Beer Cheese Dip (from old Rainier Brewery)
Pre-prep: Open a beer.
1 lb medium sharp Cheddar, grated (4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tsp minced onion
1 tsp dry Chinese-style mustard (or 1 Tbsp Dijon). **I used 1 1/2 Tbsp Guilden’s Brown Mustard, personally.**
Mid-pre-prep: Open another beer.
1/2 tsp Tabasco Sauce **1/2 tsp my arse. 1 tsp Chipotle Tabasco. I should’ve used 2.**
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce **Or did I use 2? Can’t remember. I was well into another beer by then.**
1 Tbsp. Butter. **Definitely well into my beer: I forgot to add the butter. Given the consistency and flavor of the results of my experiment, spare yourself the calories and fat, and leave it out.**
8 oz. "American" beer (Rainier). **Nah. It’s Thanksgiving. It’s festive. I used Deschutes Jubelale.**
Warm all ingredients to room temperature. [Open another cold beer for yourself. You’re working hard, after all.]
Grate or grind the cheese. Place all the ingredients, except beer, in mixer bowl. Gradually add beer and beat until smooth and fluffy. Store in covered container in refrigerator for at least one day. Serve at room temperature with crackers or dark bread. [In the morning, test dip while blogging about it. Ponder opening another beer. It is Thanksgiving, after all…]
Yield: one quart.
Credit: Northwest Brewing News
Hi, another Eugenean here… must say I think I have to try out your beer-cheese dip for the Christmas gatherings piling up this year! Sounds like it would be good stired in mashed potatoes or soup too!
In mashed potatoes or soup? Hadn’t thought of that, but you just may be on to something there. Let us know how your beer-cheese dip experiment goes!