Smoked Beer Cheese Dip

Made with sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mustard, and a splash of your favorite beer, this beer cheese dip is perfect for game day or anytime you need a crowd-pleasing snack.

Smoking the dip gives it a rich depth you won’t get on the stovetop. The cheddar sharpness, tangy mustard, and malty beer come together in a warm, velvety blend with just the right hit of smoke.

Why you need to try smoking beer cheese dip

This recipe requires only a few ingredients. It pairs perfectly with pretzels, chips, and vegetables as a dip and tastes great on top of a hot dog or bratwurst.

Since it doesn’t need long on the smoker, I like to throw this on while I’ve already got the smoker going as a snack while I wait, or sometimes I’ll add it near the end of the cook. If the smoker is on, you may as well fill it up!

In a previous version of this recipe, I used Miller Lite, but after more testing, I found that using a dark beer like a Porter, Stout, or Dark Ale gives a much better flavor. 

Key Ingredients for Smoked Beer Cheese Dip

• Hard cheese – I used cheddar, sharp, and Velveta. You can use other cheeses, just remember you want something with flavor.
• Cream cheese – A block of cream cheese is essential to making your dip extra creamy and to bind it all together.
• Dijon mustard – a touch of mustard adds a flavorful zing. 
• Worcestershire sauce – for adding a salty, spicy kick. 
• BBQ seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought rub or make a batch of our BBQ Pork Rub which is a fantastic general-perpose seasoning.
• Beer – I find that using a dark beer gives a better flavor but any beer will work!

Beer Selection Tips

You can’t have beer cheese dip without beer! In a previous version of this recipe, I used Miller Lite, but after more testing, I found that using a dark beer like a Porter, Stout, or Dark Ale gives better flavor. 

I went for Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale, a festive beer with deep malt and notes of toffee and caramel. 

Using a lighter beer certainly won’t ruin the recipe but if you need a trip to the store anyway, grab something dark.

How to make smoked beer cheese dip

1. Cube your cheese and combine in an oven safe dish

Start by cubing the white cheddar, sharp cheddar, and Velveeta cheese into 1-½” thick cubes.

Once cubed, pop it into your oven-safe dish. You can use a cast-iron skillet or an aluminum pan. I like to use a cast iron skillet when I’m smoking dips, but you can use a disposable aluminum pan to make clean up easier if you’d like. 

Add the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce directly to the cheese. It will all come together when the cheese has melted, so no need to spread it out. 

Place the block of cream cheese on top and sprinkle the barbecue seasoning all over. 

Now you can’t have beer cheese without beer, so the final step is to add the beer. Pour the entire bottle (or can) of beer over the cheese.

2. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your smoker to 250°F.

You can use any smoker, pellet grill, or charcoal grill for this recipe. You can use a gas grill, but it won’t have the smoky flavor. I used my Weber Searwood XL and hickory blend pellets for classic smoke flavor. 

3. Smoke it

Once your smoker is preheated, place the pan on the grates, shut the lid, and let it smoke for about 45 minutes.

This portion of the cooking process involves melting the cheese and preparing all of the ingredients for combining. 

You’ll know it’s ready to stir when the cheese is melty and the cream cheese is nice and soft. Then, grab a spoon or spatula and give it all a good mix. 

Initially, it may appear watery due to the beer, but if you give it a good stir for about a minute, everything should mix together nicely.

Once it’s an even, creamy consistency, shut the smoker and let it cook for another 30 minutes. Then it’s ready to enjoy! 

You want to serve this dip when you pull it off the smoker, as it hardens and cools.

If you want to serve it for a longer period of time, I recommend transferring it to a crock pot or placing it in a warming dish to maintain the temperature.

The best things to scoop smoked beer cheese with

We like to have a pile of tortilla chips, crackers, soft pretzels, or pretzel bites on hand to scoop this out of the skillet (but one of my favorite ways is to pour it on top of a hot dog with a bit of crumbled bacon and green onions!).

Smoky, creamy, and packed with flavor, this beer cheese dip is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you try this recipe, let us know if it becomes your tailgate go-to as well by leaving a rating and a comment below!