Beer And Cheddar Fondue: The Perfect Pairing Guide

Beer and cheese fondue is a fun and delicious way to bring friends and family together. Fondue, which is a French word meaning 'melted', is a communal experience where people dip bread into a pot of melted cheese. While traditional Swiss fondue is made with wine, using beer as a base has gained popularity worldwide, likely due to Switzerland's rich brewing traditions. The addition of beer gives the fondue a unique flavour and richness. When making a beer and cheddar fondue, it is important to use a beer that is light on hops and not too bitter, such as a lager, to avoid overwhelming the mellow cheese flavour.

Beer and cheese fondue ingredients

The Basics

The key ingredients for a beer and cheese fondue are a good melting cheese, a low-bitterness beer, flour, and cream. The cheese is typically shredded or grated, and the beer is brought to a light boil or simmer before the other ingredients are added. The fondue is served in a special fondue pot, or a crock pot, or slow cooker set to low heat.

Cheese

The best cheeses for beer and cheese fondue are good melting cheeses such as Swiss cheeses like Gruyere, Emmenthaler, and Vacherin, Gouda (especially smoked), Cheddar or white Cheddar, and less traditional options like Gloucester cheese with chives. Mild or sharp, shredded or grated Cheddar is a popular choice, as is a combination of Cheddar and Swiss cheese.

Beer

The best beers to use for a cheese fondue are those with low bitterness, bready/biscuity notes, and herbal, earthy aromas. This includes Pilsner lagers (like Bohemian or Czech and Munich Helles), Dunkel and bock lagers, Doppelbock lagers, Saisons and strong Belgian ales, wheat ales, English pale ales, and Amber and brown ales. Sour beers should be avoided as they may cause the cream to curdle.

Seasonings and Flavourings

Fondue recipes often include seasonings and flavourings such as minced garlic or shallots, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, ground cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or chives can also be added for a bright freshness.

How to make beer and cheese fondue

Beer and cheese fondue is a fun and delicious dish that's perfect for bringing friends and family together. It's also incredibly easy to make! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create this tasty treat:

Ingredients:

• Butter (unsalted)
• All-purpose flour
• Beer (lager or light beer, such as a Belgian Saison, German Bock, or American lager)
• Heavy cream
• Cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère, or a combination of both)
• Seasonings (dry mustard, cayenne pepper, black pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc.)
• Dippers (bread cubes, soft pretzels, vegetables, meats, etc.)

Step 1: Prepare the Cheese Mixture:

Start by combining your shredded cheese and flour in a bowl. You can use a single type of cheese or a combination of cheeses, such as Cheddar and Gruyère. Mix them together thoroughly.

Step 2: Prepare the Beer Mixture:

In a separate bowl, mix the beer with any seasonings you'd like to add, such as mustard, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or Worcestershire sauce. You can also add minced garlic or shallots to infuse more flavor.

Step 3: Heat the Beer:

Pour the beer mixture into your fondue pot or a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat. Bring it to a light boil or a simmer, depending on the recipe you follow. This will cook off the alcohol and reduce the bitterness of the beer.

Step 4: Add the Cheese:

Gradually add the cheese mixture to the beer, stirring constantly. Add small amounts at a time and allow each addition to melt and blend before adding more. Continue until all the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and lump-free.

Step 5: Season and Serve:

Once the cheese has melted, you can season the fondue with salt and pepper, and/or add a dash of hot sauce to taste. Transfer the fondue to a pre-heated fondue pot and serve immediately. Keep the fondue warm, around 200°F, so that it doesn't cool and clump together.

Dippers:

Fondue is best enjoyed with a variety of dippers! Bread cubes, soft pretzels, vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or peppers), and meats (such as cooked ham, meatballs, or sausage) are all excellent choices. Cut your dippers into bite-sized pieces for easy dipping.

What to serve with beer and cheese fondue

Beer and cheese fondue is a fun and delicious way to bring friends and family together. The traditional Swiss fondue uses wine as a liquid base, but using beer has gained popularity worldwide, likely due to Switzerland's rich brewing traditions. The addition of beer gives the fondue a unique flavour and richness.

When serving beer and cheese fondue, it is best to use a fondue pot, slow cooker, or small saucepan to keep the fondue warm. You can also use a microwave-safe bowl if you need to reheat the fondue. Offer your guests small plates, napkins, and dipping forks or long bamboo skewers.

Dippers for Beer and Cheese Fondue

• Bread cubes (French bread, rustic artisan-style loaf, ciabatta, sourdough, or pretzel bread)
• Soft pretzel bits
• Vegetable sticks (carrots, celery, asparagus spears, broccoli or cauliflower florets, avocado, mini peppers or charred shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or steamed new potatoes)
• Fruit (apples, Granny Smith apples, or mini tomatoes)
• Meat (grilled steak, sausage bites, pigs in a blanket, mini meatballs, ham cubes, or smoked sausage)
• Other (roasted thick potato wedges, French fries, grilled chicken skewers)

Tips for Beer and Cheese Fondue

• Cut your dipping foods into bite-sized pieces (cubes, strips, or sticks) so they are easy to eat.
• If you are using bread, cut it into cubes about 30 minutes to an hour in advance so it will dry out slightly.
• Make sure all vegetables are washed and thoroughly dried before serving, or the cheese mixture won't stick to them.
• If the cheese mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit of milk, cream, or beer to thin it out.
• If you are making the fondue in advance, adjust the consistency with a splash of beer or cream before serving.

The history of fondue

The earliest known recipe for modern fondue comes from a 1699 book published in Zurich, Switzerland. The recipe, titled "Käss mit Wein zu kochen" or "to cook cheese with wine", calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, and for bread to be dipped in it. However, the name "cheese fondue", until the late 19th century, referred to a dish composed of eggs and cheese, similar to a cheese soufflé. The first known recipe for the modern cheese fondue under that name, with cheese and wine but no eggs, was published in 1875 and was already presented as a Swiss national dish.

Fondue was popularized as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) in the 1930s as a way of increasing cheese consumption. The Swiss Cheese Union also created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defence of Switzerland". Fondue was then popularized in North America in the 1960s, with the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 New York World's Fair promoting it to Americans. In the 1950s, the term "fondue" began to be generalized to other dishes in which food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid. Konrad Egli, a Swiss restaurateur, introduced fondue bourguignonne (hot oil instead of cheese, with chunks of meat in place of bread) at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in 1956. A few years later, he invented chocolate fondue as part of a promotion for Toblerone chocolate.

The word "fondue" is derived from the French verb "fondre", which means "to melt". Swiss cuisine, owing to its largely mountainous Alpine climate, has always favoured heartier foods, with much pastureland for dairy products even for the poorest peasants. Fondue originated as a way for Swiss peasants to make the most of stale bread, hardened cheese, and wine during the cold winter months. The traditional cheeses for making fondue are Swiss cheeses, mainly Emmental and Gruyère, although different regions in Switzerland use a variety of cheeses, including Vacherin, Appenzeller, and Sbrinz.

Best beer styles to use for cheese fondue

When making a cheese fondue, it's important to use a beer that is low in bitterness and not too hoppy, as this can overwhelm the flavour of the cheese. Styles with bready, biscuity, herbal and earthy aromas are the best candidates. Here are some specific beer styles that are recommended for cheese fondue:

Pilsner lagers

Pilsner lagers, such as Bohemian (Czech) and Munich Helles, are a good choice for cheese fondue. They have a good balance of malt and hops, with a crisp, smooth character that will complement the cheese without overwhelming it.

Dunkel and bock lagers

Dunkel and bock lagers are another excellent option. They have a slightly sweeter, more malty character than Pilsners, which can pair well with the savoury, salty flavours of the cheese.

Doppelbock lagers

If you're using a more aged cheese, a Doppelbock lager is a particularly good choice. The stronger, maltier flavour of a Doppelbock will stand up to the more intense flavour of aged cheeses.

Saisons and strong Belgian ales

A Belgian Saison is a good choice for fondue, as long as it's not too sour. Strong Belgian ales can also work well, as they often have a fruity, spicy character that can complement the cheese.

Wheat ales

Wheat ales, especially those fermented with clean American yeast, can be a good choice for cheese fondue. Avoid fruit-flavoured or sour wheat ales, as they can clash with the flavours of the cheese and other ingredients.

Amber and brown ales

Amber and brown ales tend to have a lower bitterness and more aroma hops, which makes them a good choice for cheese fondue. They often have a malty, caramelly character that will complement the cheese without being too overwhelming.

Frequently asked questions