Does Beer Cheese Have Gluten?

Kentucky is famous for its delicious fried chicken (yeah, we all know about KFC), but the Bluegrass State is renowned for another amazing recipe. You probably have yet to hear of beer cheese or really taste it! This delicious spread comes from Kentucky, where it has a festival. Every year, thousands of people gather at the fantastic Beer Cheese Festival in Winchester, where they enjoy beer, arts and crafts, music, and, yes, beer cheese.

Beer cheese is everywhere in the Bluegrass State. Restaurants have it, bars have it, and people make it at home. You can even find it in grocery stores if you feel like you need to make it from scratch. So what is beer cheese? Let’s find out!

Beer Cheese – A Delicious Spread Made With Beer

Beer cheese is a type of eterogenuous spread that is widespread (no pun intended) in Kentucky. Although there are many similar beer products available across the country, beer cheese is not usually sold in other areas of the United States.

Served cold with crackers or crudites, beer cheese is based on sharp cheddar cheese (or any other processed cheese that has a sharp cheddar flavor) and includes beer, garlic, and a variety of spices, like cayenne pepper, dry mustard, or cayenne pepper. Handmade beer cheese may also include other spices or may be based on different types of cheese (although most are based on cheddar cheese).

Beer Cheese – A Short History

Beer cheese has an unclear history, with many conflicting stories. However, most suggest a common origin. Snappy cheese, as it was known when it was invented in the 1930s, was first served in a Clark County restaurant by Joe Allman. Customers sitting at the bar were greeted with a small plate of snappy beer cheese served with crackers, celery, radishes, and carrots. By the time the customers ordered a beer, they were already thirsty (the cayenne pepper in the spread made people thirsty), so many other restaurants started serving the spread.

After Joe Allman’s restaurant burned down the third time, his recipe was redone by another restaurant across the road. The tradition continued for decades until the 1980s, and more restaurants created their own beer cheese spreads. The original beer cheese recipe and the rights to the name was sold to a local businessman, J. Peterman, who sold it to a company in Louisville, which sells the spread in stores across the state.

Beer Cheese Varieties

While the original snappy beer cheese, sold by Joe Allman, was simple and included only sharp cheddar cheese, beer, garlic, and cayenne pepper, modern varieties are much more complex. Some include new spices, like dry mustard, Worcester sauce, anchovies, and a wide variety of beer types. Some beer cheese spreads are based on cream cheese, not on cheddar cheese.

Smoky, meaty varieties of beer cheese also exist – they may include bacon or gouda cheese, or even nuts. You can also find sweet varieties with fruity flavors, like cherry, apple, or mango. Although the original beer cheese is still popular, modern beer cheese has evolved a lot and now can be almost anything you want, as long as it has cheese and beer.

The Best Beer For Beer Cheese

Beer cheese has beer (duh…), but what type of beer? If you want to make beer cheese at home, the best beers for beer cheese are lagers and pilsners: Czech Pilsner or Munich Helles. These beers are very good for cheese spread because they have a discrete bitter taste and are not overwhelming. Simply put, these mild beers go great with cheddar cheese. Of course, you can use other beer styles, like:

• saisons (also known as farmhouse ales) or strong Belgian ales (but not the sour types, lake lambics)
• amber lagers, like marzen, doppelbock, and bock
• wheat ales, particularly those fermented with clean American yeast but not with fruity undertones
• English mild and pale ales
• other pilsners, yellow, brown, and amber ales, with low bitterness

Don’t use sour beers, as they overwhelm the cheese flavor. Also, don’t use IPA beers because they are too acidic and will make the spread much too bitter.

Is Beer Cheese Alcoholic? How Much Alcohol Does Beer Cheese Have?

During the cooking process, most of the beer alcohol content drops down. The beer is brought to a simmer, and only negligible amounts of alcohol remain, usually less than 0.5 percent. The spread is served cold, and is relatively bitter, making the alcohol virtually unnoticeable.

Beer Cheese Nutrition Facts – Does Beer Cheese Have Gluten?

Beer cheese spread is high in fat, protein, and calcium. Here’s the full breakdown for a 1 oz (29 grams) serving size:

• calories – 80
• fat calories – 50
• total fats – 6 grams (8 percent of Daily Value)
• saturated fats – 4 grams (18 percent of Daily Value)
• trans fats – 0 grams
• cholesterol – 20 mg (7 percent of Daily Value)
• sodium – 170 mg (7 percent of Daily Value)
• total carbs – 3 grams (1 percent of Daily Value)
• fibers – 0 grams
• sugars – 3 grams
• protein – 4 grams
• calcium – 110 mg
• vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D in low amounts

Does Beer Cheese Have Gluten?

Yes, original beer cheese has gluten. This is because beer is made with malted barley, which has gluten. Fortunately, gluten-free beer cheese spreads are also available – they are made of gluten-free beer. Similarly, you can make gluten-free beer cheese spreads at home, but make sure you choose a gluten-free beer.

Quick fact: You can also use beer to tenderize meat!

There are two types of gluten-free beer:

• truly gluten-free beer – they are made of sorghum, millet, brown rice, or buckwheat
• low gluten beer – these beers are made from gluten-containing grains, like barley or wheat, but the amount of gluten is reduced with the help of enzymes; the gluten should be less than 20 parts per million; keep in mind that these beers have gluten, but in very small amounts.

Wrapping It Up

Beer cheese is an amazing spread to enjoy at bars or at home. Served cold, it goes well with crackers and carrots or celery. It’s a great way to enjoy an evening with friends and beer!