I’m almost on the verge of letting us all down.
Every year around Saint Patrick’s Day I share a recipe featuring Lucky Charms cereal. I’ve done boozy shakes, a one-bowl chocolate cake and cereal-milk chia pudding. This year, though, my Lucky Charms ideas felt tapped out. I tried a snack cake last week and it came out just… meh. Not something I wanted to post. I won’t share a recipe unless I truly love it.
So instead I’m offering something better: homemade pub cheese.
Please tell me you know pub cheese. It’s a beer-cheese spread—mousse-like, bold with cheddar, and utterly addictive. It’s fantastic on crackers and phenomenal on pretzels. I’ll even admit I enjoy it on vegetables sometimes. If that surprises you, you clearly haven’t tried a good pub cheese.
Let’s talk about it.
If you’ve never had pub cheese, the idea might sound odd or unappealing. But if you’re a dip person, you’ve probably encountered something similar and wondered how anything that creamy and cheesy can be so irresistible. It’s a classic party dip—perfect for snacking after a few drinks, for game day, or just when you need something comforting and savory.
I didn’t realize you could make this at home until recently. When I found out how simple the recipe is, I was surprised—almost horrified—by how few ingredients are involved. But sometimes ignorance is bliss: it’s a treat, not an everyday food. A party snack, a drunk snack—call it what you want, but it’s dangerously good.
The method is straightforward: blend cheese with beer. Yes, really. Thinking about it might sound strange, but the result is mousse-like, cheesy, and tangy. I made it and let my brother taste it first; he declared it “REALLY GOOD” and insisted it was better than the store-bought tubs. I tried it and agreed. If you like pub cheese, making it at home will change your life.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day—serve it with Lucky Charms on the side if you must, but maybe keep the cereal out of the cheese.
How to make Pub Cheese
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Ingredients
- 6 ounces amber or brown ale at room temperature
- 8 ounces mild cheddar freshly grated
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar freshly grated
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons freshly snipped chives
for serving
- crackers
- pita chips
- pretzels
- veggie sticks
Instructions
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First, flatten the beer by whisking it in a bowl to remove most of the carbonation. Whisk off and on for 5 to 10 minutes and set aside.
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Place the grated cheddars and minced garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, hot sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper, then blend to combine. With the processor running, slowly stream in the beer until the mixture is smooth and mousse-like, about 5 full minutes. Transfer to a bowl, top with chives and serve.
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I appreciate you so much!
Just don’t eat Lucky Charms IN your pub cheese.