What's The Origin Of Beer Cheese?

Kentucky is actually the home of beer cheese — not Wisconsin, as you might have thought. No, this spread-cum-dip has Southern roots, though it has been adopted by the Midwest (thanks in part to its resemblance to cold pack cheese, which hails from America's Dairyland). It all began in the 1930s, when the owner of the Driftwood Inn, open for business along the Kentucky River, looked to his cousin, Chef Joe Allman, for help in creating something to whet his patrons' appetites (much like the origin story of beef on weck, Buffalo's iconic sandwich).

What Chef Joe Allman came up with turned out to be legendary, and what started as a free snack intended to make people thirsty for beer and other beverages turned into a veritable food group all its own. The beer cheese, which earned the moniker "snappy," was sharp, spiced, and thick — more like a spread than a cheese sauce. Much like today, patrons ate it with vegetables and crackers.

Now, the restaurant where the Allman cousins worked eventually burned down, and the original recipe has since diverged into two main versions: one from the grandson of Johnnie Allman, the owner of the Driftwood Inn, and the other from a recipe approved by Chef Joe Allman's son. But naturally, as with any recipe that has been replicated again and again over the decades, everyone has their own style based on their personal preferences.

As mentioned, beer cheese resembles cold pack cheese, and can be made from a variety of cheeses, though it should always feature a sharp cheddar. Now, the cheddar can do the work on its own, or it can be accompanied by other cheeses, like Monterey Jack and sometimes even cream cheese. After that, the typical ingredients may include flat beer, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard, horseradish, and cayenne pepper (these last two ingredients are part of what gives the beer cheese its kick).

Obviously, if you're making beer cheese at home, you'll want to open the beer can or bottle some hours ahead of time in order to ensure proper flatness. And the type of beer you might use matters, because anything with too strong a flavor profile can be overpowering. A crisp lager will do the trick, like a Heineken or Michelob. If you're booze-free, you can absolutely sub non-alcoholic beer, as long as it's a pale lager. All of the ingredients get blended together, then packed away into the fridge to sit for at least a day to ensure proper texture and taste.