Creamy beer dip, made to go with pretzels. Can be made with any type of beer, including alcohol-free beer.
I picked this recipe up from a few college friends 2 years ago and have been making it ever since for small hangout get-togethers. Even though I love this recipe, I have discovered some of the things that make it not go so well. 1) Don't add too much beer, it will ruin the texture and make the flavor really bitter. 2) What type of beer you use makes the dip a hit or success. Amber Ale and regular light beers have always worked well, but I would avoid wheat beers and stouts. 3) Light cream cheese has a negative effect on the overall flavor and texture as well, but one package light and one package regular seems just about right.
Read MoreOn star: I didn't like the lumpiness of the shredded cheddar cheese (maybe the fine shredded would have been better); taste was very ok. I took this to a party, and word got around that it "isn't that good." I threw it all out, and won't make again. Even my husband, who eats anything not nailed down, didn't like it, and that says a lot. I made it exactly like the recipe, with no changes. I did like the kick from the beer, but there are much better dips out there.
Read MoreI picked this recipe up from a few college friends 2 years ago and have been making it ever since for small hangout get-togethers. Even though I love this recipe, I have discovered some of the things that make it not go so well. 1) Don't add too much beer, it will ruin the texture and make the flavor really bitter. 2) What type of beer you use makes the dip a hit or success. Amber Ale and regular light beers have always worked well, but I would avoid wheat beers and stouts. 3) Light cream cheese has a negative effect on the overall flavor and texture as well, but one package light and one package regular seems just about right.
Big hit wherever I go with this! I add 1 pint of sour cream and we like cheese (hey, we live in Wisconsin) so I usually put in an additional 2 cups of shredded Pepper Jack cheese and adjust the beer accordingly. DELICIOUS!!!!!!! People can't stop eating it!
Everyone raved about this all day! So creamy and delicious, and really does go best with pretzels. I tasted it to see with Tostitos, and it just wasn't the same, so continued with pretzels. Every one wants the recipe now, and my husband keeps asking for more! We've had it twice and will be having many more times to come! As of 10/26/06 I have made this numerous times now. My husband even wants it at home quite often and complains when we run out! I didn't take it to a tailgate that we decided to do breakfast for though. I was told that from now on if I don't bring it I would be banned from my own tailgate! Because everyone likes it so much, I now have to times everything by 5 as our tailgate neighbors come over for some too! I've also used various beers to find the perfect one. The best one I've used is Miller Lite. As good as it is already, it was a little better with this. I think I've given this recipe to more people than I have with any other ever! Thank you so very much for the perfect football tailgate dip!
This recipe is a keeper! I noticed some people had trouble with lumpy cheese. All you have to do is grate the cheese fine and mix together with the creamcheese in the food processor - let it run until it's smooth. The beer gives it a great flavor, and we love pretzels. The husband said, "don't lose that recipe!"
This was gone very fast. I've made it twice now and it turned out far, far better when I beat the cream cheese for a few minutes before adding anything, and then let it sit in the fridge overnight. It is good on pretzels or pretty much anything.
I have made a dip similar to this for several get-togethers as well and it's always a hit. A few things I add are, diced cooked bacon and diced green onions. Remember to garnish the final product with some extra cheese, a few pieces of bacon and some of the green onion to make it look extra yummy.
This is my absolute favorite party dip! We like it served with medium sized honey-wheat pretzel sticks (twists). I don't measure out the beer, I just pour in until the consistency is to my liking. It is better the next day so refridgerate overnight. It also thickens up quite a bit, so take that into consideration when adding the beer. I use any beer I have on hand, and it varies from cheap brand to well know brands. It is known that any get-together we have I bring this!! Very good, Thank You!!! *Forgot to mention that I add some green onions to the mix also.*
Made this for a Christmas party and served it with those new Fritos scoops... my family liked it, but I had plenty left over. I added cilantro and dried, minced onion to give it a little more zip. I'll probably try this one again, maybe adding some green onions next time. ----------Note added later (3/30/02): I discovered that keeping this dip in the fridge a few days really improves the flavor- we really enjoyed the left overs, even better than the first time I served it! The second time I made this recipe, I added green onions, chilled the mixture overnight, and turned it into a cheeseball by rolling it in chipped beef-- delicious!!
On star: I didn't like the lumpiness of the shredded cheddar cheese (maybe the fine shredded would have been better); taste was very ok. I took this to a party, and word got around that it "isn't that good." I threw it all out, and won't make again. Even my husband, who eats anything not nailed down, didn't like it, and that says a lot. I made it exactly like the recipe, with no changes. I did like the kick from the beer, but there are much better dips out there.
While we do very much enjoy fine craft beers (and some tasty mass produced ones, as well), we, ironically, do NOT like foods cooked w/beer. This is the exception to rule (perhaps because it's not *cooked*). Both Mr. LTH and I very much enjoyed this dip served w/pretzel rods and braided honey wheat pretzels. I used 1/2 ff sour cream and 1/2 1/3less fat cream cheese. I also added some chives, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (next time, I think I'll replicate the seasonings in the ranch packet myself). I used some yummy Sam Adams Octoberfest as my beer and it added great flavor (didn't measure, just added until dip was the desired consistency). I served this to Mr. LTH's band at a pre-gig get together and they all raved. TY for a great recipe!
This is a nice, easy recipe to throw together that uses minimal ingredients. If you are expecting a heavy beer flavor though, you should look for a different recipe. This beer dip has more of a ranchy cheese flavor, and then you are left with a slight beer aftertaste. The beer provides only a subtle flavor at the end of the bite, and I even added a little extra poor of beer into mine. I made mine using Miller Lite and I am serving it with beer bread and the recipe for Cayenne Pretzels on this website (highly recommend them.) If you want to add more beer into the dip than what it calls for, I would go ahead and do that. As the dip sits in the fridge, it thickens up, so a little extra beer won't hurt the texture of it all.
always a hit, but works best with crackers. Comes out a little thick. I usually need to add more beer. Always a family favorite.
wow wow what a weird combination but boy was it delish could not stop eating it its addicting made it for a baby shower it was a hit and an easy make i will be adding this to my party dishes for sure thanks
This is so delicious!!! I made it last night for our tailgate on Saturday and we can't wait to taste it tomorrow seeing as it is completely delicious right now! I made a few changes, though. I doubled the recipe and used 2 cups sharp cheddar and 2 cups pepper jack cheese. I used fiesta ranch packets to give it more kick and I added more beer than it called for, about 1 and 1/4 C total (I used Miller lite). I also added green onions and a few dollops of sour cream. We are serving it with pumpernickle and onion pretzels and honey wheat pretzels .
A big hit at work, everyone liked it alot. Me personally I would not add all of the ranch dressing mix because it tasted a little overpowing but everyone else couldn't stop eating it.
LOVE this dip and just wanted to share with you that it is fantastic with plain potato chips!!
This was WONDERFUL. I used a blend of cheeses, only about 1 1/4 cups though. I think that 2 cups would be too much. I wanted to try this before I took it to a super bowl party and it was a hit at my house. I think I would even try it with some crab in it!!
I made this dip for Easter. Took into consideration all the tips regarding using finely shredded cheese, using a pale ale beer, adding scallions, making several days ahead. Made it on Thursday; tried it - not good. Tried in Friday, Saturday - not good. Made the mistake of taking it to Easter dinner; came home with the bowl mostly full. This is bitter, and we did not care for it at all.
I have been making this for years now and it's always a big hit. I don't measure just dumb until I like the texture. I know for sure that I use more than 1/3 C beer. I shred my cheese fine because the big chunks of shredded cheese don't add anything. I highly recommend this be made the day before the flavors really blend that way and it tastes much better. The key is what pretzels you choose. We have found that the flat pretzel chips taste the best we didn't like the little rods at all.
This was so delicious! I accidentally used spicy ranch dressing dip and it was amazing. People asked if it was a Tastefully Simple mix.
I made this several days ago as a dip and was going to double the recipe, however, I only doubled the CHEESE, I forgot to double the ranch mix and beer. It turned out really thick, and...well too cheesy, but obviously it was my fault. However, I made stuffed jalapeno peppers night before last and just used that to stuff the peppers, they were great! So if you have any left over, add a little more cheese to it, and stuff some peppers.
this dip was easy to make and very well received at a party held last night. all the guests literally raved about it, and at the end my best friend said it better be at every future party we hold. i used one regular cream cheese and one light, and added 3 minced green onions. next time i'll add 4 or 5. and there will be a next time. had to refill the bowl. refrigerated overnight after preparing.
I brought this to work - everyone LOVED it! I did make a few variations - added the green onion as previous reviews had done - and I also added spinach (previously frozen). This is a winner!
This dip includes every flavor I love with pretzels...ranch, beer, and cheeder and cream cheeses. I use a bit more beer to make it soft enough to not break the pretzels. Everyone loves this.
WOW the ranch packet made this dip sooooo saltyyyy!! i added more lite cream cheese & lite sour cream to try to make it taste less salty - didn't work, so i added sugar to cut the salt. it's okay. i'm going to add some onions too. why not? it looks like an onion dip :) i wonder if it would be good baked and then served cooled so the cheese won't be in shreds still? might try that. anyhoo - just wanted to post that the ranch (hidden valley buttermilk ranch) packet made is super salty! (at least to me!)
Made this for a party where I knew a lot of people liked beer. This was a HIT! I made the recipe as is and everyone loved it...including me!
I love this dip, and i really hate beer! who knew! I used to use Hidden Valley brand ranch mix until i realized they use MSG, so I instead tried the Good Seasons garlic and Herb mix.....oh my goodness so much better! It has a deeper, herby, garlicky unctuousness. I also add a dollop of sour cream to make it even creamier.
I use the frozen pretzles cut up into pieces to eat with this recipe and it is so tasty! I highly recommend!!!
I made this for a family birthday and everyone loved it and requested it for the future. Super easy and delicious!
There is nothing creamy about this dip and anything softer than a pretzel would not stand up the texture. We made the mistake of bringing it to a party the day we made it and it was just ok, but after sitting in the fridge for a few days it was really good. My husband is addicted.
Used close to double the beer it calls for since we didnt like it so thick. Great flavor and good beer background to the ranch flavor. Great served with pretzel chips or regular pretzels. Friends and family always enoy it.
I love this stuff and make it all of the time. A little hint....next time cook and crumble 8 slices of bacon and add to the mix. My husband's favorite!! I always serve this with crackers as well.
Turned out awesome! I heated it on the stovetop to melt then blended the mix until it was a creamy consistency, everyone loved it.
I can't comment on how good it is after being chilled because my husband didn't want to wait! We both that it quite delicious immediately after making. If there's any left, I'll taste in a few hours! Easy and quick; definitely will make again.
I added chopped green onions that gave it a wonderful flavor and served it with pretzels.
We love this dip--easy to make and delicious. I've served this a couple of times at different functions and it is always a hit!
followed another reviewers suggestion and used port wine cheese. Tasted great - the only thing was, given its pink coloration from the port wine cheese, people thought it was a dessert.
Good dip! Needs more beer than called for (my opinion) or it is too thick I used Corona. I also used dill ranch (it is what I had on hand) and the flavor is great!! Thanks for the recipe.
This is a great recipe and always a huge hit at parties. For all of you who didn't like it....you have to use finely shredded sharp cheddar and serve with pretzel rods. I have never met anyone who doesn't like this and all of my friends use this as a staple for parties!
This dip is a hit at tailgate parties! I have been making dip like this for years but not with the ranch mix it's a plus!!! But I used a lager beer & wise pride cheese it's more of a port wine cheese it adds a TON of great flavors. Don't by cheep cheese!!! I also tried it w/ an Amber beer which also work better
This was very easy and easily transportable, so it was great to bring to a party. If you like cream cheese, you'll love this. I have made this using both Miller Light and Bud Light, and those are perfect. One time I tried a stronger, darker ale and it just wasn't the right flavor. Keep it cheap, keep it simple.
I did not care for this dip. I am glad I only made 1/2 the recipe. I found it way too salty. Not much was eaten either so it wasn't just me. I also added quite a bit of extra beer to try to get the saltiness out but it didn't help.
Perfect with honey-wheat twisted pretzels. I didn't feel the need to blend the dip because I like the shredded cheese chunks.
I wish i would have never made this for a function we went to. This dip is now reqested from us to every event we attend. Thanks alot!
Good flavor, I did find I needed to add more than 1/2 cup beer to get a consistency that didn't snap the pretzel twists. I used a reduced fat finely shredded cheese, maybe full fat really blends the dip into something more creamy, but no one complained about the extra beer and the cheese flavor wasn't compromised using the reduced fat cheese. Used High Life with good results, tastes as good if not better after sitting a few days: thanks very much for sharing.
This is a great dip for any party...if you use the Fiesta ranch dip (instead of regular) it goes great with tortilla chips!
Awewome...everyone should make it!! Perfect combination of cheese, ranch, and beer. Absoluely perfect for any party.
This is a favorite at our house - even kid friendly! We like to use pretzels best but if you're looking for a healthier option, try carrots! I've even spread this on a piece of lunchmeat and rolled it up for a low carb meal!
Always a favorite. Even better with the New Pumpernickel & Onion pretzels from Snyders!
This stuff is soooo good. It was a big hit at a party.
We've used this recipe for a long time. I always top with shredded sharp cheddar & chopped green onions :)
I took this dip to a potluck and everyone couldn't get enough of it. I used a gluten free ale (Green's Amber Ale) because the hostess and many of the fellow party goers are GF and it still tasted delicious. And to top it off, I supplied gluten free pretzels. I would highly recommend this. Just make sure you use a food processor so the cheese doesn't get clumpy.
I made this dip to take to the lake on Memorial Day Weekend and it was the first thing gone! Definitely a crowd favorite! I add just a little more beer to get the right consistency. This is my new "go-to dip"!
Followed recipe exactly and this was the only thing not devoured at the party. Sorry.
Not the best recipe. Sorry. It was too much beer and the shreeded cheese didn't look so good. Maybe use less beer and different kind of sharp cheese might be better. I'm not giving up on this receipe. lol. I will try different ingredients!!
I mixed by hand, so it kind of looked funny so I may use a mixer next time, but it was very good. My boyfriend could not stay away from it.
Excellent recipe. My friend made it while we camped but she used whipped cream cheese. It was ready in 4 min with no messy utensils. Must use a good beer. Dark beer is not recommended.
Not impressed. Boardered on gross. (And I love beer, so I thought it'd be a hit.) :-(
This was a big hit! The only changes I made was I added green onions and a couple of heaping tablespoons of sour cream to make it easier to dip into.
I made this for a party and it was a hit. I added the green onions and crumbled bacon and after trying it myself I would never serve it without those two ingredients. I would also suggest added more beer then the recipe calls for. I streamed enough in to make the mixture runny, refridgerated it overnight and it was perfect!
The bowl was empty after the party! Make sure you refrigerate overnight and maybe could use a bit more beer.
By the time a adjusted and tweaked and adjusted this recipe it was very yummy. The recipe as made was very salty and not enough beer taste. I ended up adding another brick of cream cheese and more beer. My advice for this recipe is add the ranch mix a little at a time and taste as you go to get the proportions right. I will make it again, but with my changes.
We tried this once with a strong beer and once with a mild beer and we definitely liked it better with the mild beer. It's good, just not my favorite dip.
This is just awesome. I've made it a couple times with other beer but so far 1/2 cup of Hoegaarden White Ale is the winner.
I would give this 20 stars if I could! So easy and tastes wonderful! Perfect for a tailgate party and my husband loves it! Honey wheat pretzels taste great with it.
Yum! There are many variations of this depending on what type of cheese and beer you use.
I made this for a Superbowl party and everyone loved it. I think next time I will put a little more beer and a little less cheddar.
very salty made as is but a good base to start. Once I added 3/4 a container of 16oz reduced fat sour cream it made the dish perfect. So next time I will do one package of cream cheese and 2/3 cup of sour cream. Everyone loved it once I made it less salty.
I was looking for something different but not too strange to take to a family picnic. It turned out really good. None left. I used finely shredded sharp cheddar, Miller Lite, and served with wheat crackers & 3 different pretzels. Made a really nice tray, will make again. So easy!!!
This dip was so quick and easy to make. I took some of the others advice and used finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese and also used a light beer, also used the new Snyders Pumpernickle and onion pretzel sticks. Everyone loved it at the octoberfest! Will be making this again for sure! Thank you so much! : )
This dip is the BEST! Every single time I make it at least one person asks for the recipe - and usually more. At work they call it creamy crack because it's so addictive. I always use finely shredded extra sharp cheddar, and an IPA for the beer. I serve it with Utz medium size sourdough pretzels. Not too thin, not too thick.
I substituted one of the regular cream cheeses with an onion and chive cream cheese, and it was amazing. Such a quick and easy recipe!
I liked this dip a lot. I read the reviews and decided to use the ingredients listed but add a half cup of sour cream, double the beer (Miller Lite), and add some chives. It was so good, even right away, despite other reviewers saying that it should sit for several hours. I "tested" quite a bit of it right away. I did serve with pretzels and also rye chips, which I preferred hands down.
I tasted this right after I whipped it up in my food processor. It was terrific! I made it a day early as suggested, but if it is this good now, I can't wait for the party tomorrow night! Thanks for the recipe.
I made this for the 4th of July and it was a hit with everyone! I loved that it was so easy to put together. We had it with braided pretzel sticks. Mmmmmm!
My family has been making this for as long as I can remember. We take it to every superbowl, cookout and potluck type dinner. I make it for game night at my house and it is always gone. This is fast, easy and everyone always wants the recipe.
I liked this dip, but I've found that the flavor can and will change based on the beer you choose. I've found that my male friends really like it regardless of the type of beer. My female friends are a bit more select; I have to stay with a more lighter beer to suit their tastes.
I've taken this to several functions. It's a hit every time. I love it!!
Good Dip with honey pretzel sticks. I put in 1 cup sharp cheddar & 1 cup regular cheddar. It was a little too flavorful since the dip itself has so much flavor. I would stick to all regular cheddar next time. Also, I softened the cheese & cream cheese in the microwave for 45 seconds & it made it smooth enough to stir & then put it in the refrigerator to harden up.
This was really, really tasty. And quite addictive. Only difference on my end was using homemade ranch dressing, also from this site. Be careful you only make this when you have company....it's NOM.
I have been making this for a few years now, and it's always a hit at a party!! I make one major change though that I guarantee you will love: Ditch the pretzels, and serve with Frito's scoops!!
Oh my gawd this dip is a hit everywhere I go. My friends always ask for the recipe and ask that I bring it to the next function. I use crackers with mine. I let it sit overnight and have had no problems with kids eating it.
Made this one for the Superbowl. OH MY..good stuff! Let it sit overnight. Flavor really intensifies nicely if you let it sit.
Very good. Added more beer and green onions as suggested. I doubled it, but it was way to much. Will def make again.
Delicious and easy dip to make. I make this whenever we tailgate and it is always a crowd favorite.
I was unsure of whether or not I'd like this, but I had all the ingredients on hand and decided to make it for a party. I was wrong to be skeptical because it's delicious! Used half sharp cheddar and half colby jack cheese and threw it together in the food processor. Will definitely make again!
