By Case D. Fischer

September is here and that means football season. For those of you who know the Fischers and Wiesers, you know that means Aggie Football. For many years we have had season tickets to the games and we are able to walk from our place to Kyle Field. One of our traditions is to stop by tailgates along the way for a visit with friends and snack as we make our way to the game. It always seems that half the town of Fredericksburg has decamped to College Station on game day weekends! Well, clearly football season will look a lot different in 2020. We won’t be in the stands and there will be no tailgates, but football spirit still lives on and I have a great recipe to go with it – Brat Haus Beer Cheese Dip. This is a “pub-style” dip that pairs well with soft pretzels, tortilla chips, crackers, bread, or anything else that you like to dip. It’s super easy to make and so tasty you may not save it for just game days.

Let me break it down for you: Brat Haus Beer Cheese Dip only takes 15 minutes to make and consists of cheese, milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and BEER. The flavor of this dip weighs heavily on the type of beer that you use. Light beers (like ales and IPAs) will give a lighter flavor. Dark beers (like stouts and malts) will produce a deeper, robust flavor. I used a dark beer in this recipe because it balances well with sharp cheddar. For an intense flavor, use darker ale. You’ll enjoy the bitterness of the beer and high flavors of the cheese. If you want subtle flavor use a pale or lite beer and a mild cheddar.

For this particular dip, avoid soft cheeses. You want a cheese that is hard and can be grated. For best taste and texture, shred cheese off the block yourself with a grater. Size doesn’t matter because it is going to be melted in the saucepan. Use freshly grated cheese because it has more moisture than packaged cheese. If using packaged cheese, add a few tablespoons of cream cheese to give the dip more moisture and a creamier flavor. For more variation in flavor, add a little Monterey jack, mozzarella (low moisture), cream cheese, or gruyere.

Last but not least, let me tell you about the mustard. I used our Brat Haus Beer Mustard because the beer in the mustard compliments the beer we will be adding to the dip. If you don’t have that on hand, any mustard will do. A spicy one is a nice substitute as well if you like a dip with a kick to it. Although nothing beats eating the hot fresh cheese dip when it is freshly prepared, you can store leftovers up to 5 days in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.

I hope your football season goes well and all of your team’s dreams come true!

Ingredients :

1⁄4 cup butter (1⁄2 stick)
2 tbsp flour (or more as needed)
1 tbsp Fischer & Wieser Brat Haus Beer Mustard ( or your favorite Dijon mustard )
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 oz dark beer
1⁄2 cup whole milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1⁄2 tsp onion powder
1⁄2 tsp cayenne
1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika

Directions :

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
   
2. Add flour and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes until flour has dissolved and mixture becomes thick and a slightly sticky paste.
   
3. Add milk and stir continuously. The mixture will thicken and become creamy. Add in mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
   
4. Pour in beer continually until the mixture thickens a bit, for about 5-6 minutes.
   
5. Add in seasonings and stir until seasonings are fully incorporated.
   
6. Pour in freshly shredded cheese (a bit at a time) and stir until melted and evenly dispersed. It will turn into a thick, creamy sauce.
   
7. Pour sauce into a bowl and serve with warm pretzel bites, bread, or use as a tortilla dip!