Your favorite Beer Cheese (Store/Restaurant)??

I do love Paul's white cheddar pimento cheese, but Joe Divola's also makes an excellent one.

I had a very good smoked gouda / o'fallon's black hemp ale beer cheese at Eiderdown last week. It was not quite as thick as most beer cheeses I have had, but it had a wonderful taste! It went great with the fresh / hot pretzel loaf.

DD

I'm not certain if their quality is still up since last time I've tried, but Halls on the River in Winchester Ky served darn fine Beer Cheese.

I haven't had the beer cheese at any other place mentioned, but my hat is off for Eiderdown's rotating version. The type changes daily and it's served warm, yummmm. I'm thinking it's a signature item for them so I would bet it stays fresh and rotates well. Always high quality cheese and beer.

Have to keep it real and say my sister makes the best beer cheese, though. It's very snappy and sassy!

It's not hard to make at home either

I had some friends who tried to reverse engineer the NABC beer cheese. It isnt THAT easy.

I've used this recipe with success for the harder/spreadable version:
Miss Hurley's Kentucky Beer Cheese

Ingredients
3/4 bottle of flat beer of your liking (in Kentucky, that would be BBC Altbier)
16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated; use a combination of your favorites or one that always speaks to you
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 medium onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco or hot sauce of choice
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (in Kentucky that would be Bourbon Barrel Aged) -- vegetarian Worcestershire would be fine here as would Pickapeppa sauce
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne
1 teaspoon dry mustard (this is a KOD addition)

Method
Pour a 12-ounce bottle of beer of your choosing into a glass and allow it to sit until it looses its effervescence. This could take up to an hour, but don't worry if you don't have that much time.

Combine all ingredients except beer in food processor and PULSE until slightly blended. Then turn processor ON and slowly pour beer through food chute. Mixture will be soft, but will harden in refrigerator.

Make one or two days ahead of time, as taste is better once flavors have time to blend. Serve in a ceramic crock or ramekin with pretzel rods, crackers, celery sticks, carrot sticks, and radishes. Act like you've lived in Kentucky all your life.


And I've used this in a pinch:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened
1 (8 ounce) package processed cheese, cubed
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup beer, room temperature
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
blend in food processor

I'm not certain if their quality is still up since last time I've tried, but Halls on the River in Winchester Ky served darn fine Beer Cheese.

While you can buy it in stores, it isn't what is made in the restaurant. When I worked there ages ago, Ms. Bell wouldn't let you even watch her make it. She'd worked there for decades, and by her own admission had never left the state of KY. I hope she is still around!
This is where I learned to peel lamb fries. Talk about the bottom rung!

We had dinner at NA Exchange tonight.. The bourbon beer cheese and pretzel bread - OMGood!

It's not hard to make at home either

I had some friends who tried to reverse engineer the NABC beer cheese. It isnt THAT easy.

I seem to remember the recipe getting published in the Courier a few years ago.

It's not hard to make at home either

I had some friends who tried to reverse engineer the NABC beer cheese. It isnt THAT easy.

I seem to remember the recipe getting published in the Courier a few years ago.

I believe this is the recipe:

Rich-O's beer cheese

Some beer cheese is thick enough to spread; this one is thinner, more suited for dipping. Make ahead and refrigerate. It will set up. Reheat, stirring, to get a workable dipping consistency.

2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese, grated
16 ounces cream cheese
8 to 12 ounces New Albanian Brewing Co. Community dark beer or other dark beer
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

In a double boiler, melt the cheddar and cream cheese. When melted smooth, add one cup of beer and spices. Stir well to blend. Add more beer for thinner texture.

We had dinner at NA Exchange tonight.. The bourbon beer cheese and pretzel bread - OMGood!

THIS!
I had lunch there (1st time being there) yesterday and had the beer cheese and it was easily the best I've ever had. Went there earlier this afternoon to score some more to bring home and nibble as I was prepping my own 'at home for Thunder' cookout, only to find that NA Exchange doesn't open til 5 on Saturday. Was a litlle bummed, but no biggie.I will definitely be back again and again.
Also, Olivia, our server, was awesome.

Johnny Allmans restaurant is widely considered the birthplace of beer cheese. It was located almost in the exact location as Halls on the River which is on the Kentucky River near Winchester. The place burnt down in 1978 and was never rebuilt. The grandson of Mr Allman is producing product from the original recipe and sells it in several stores around the Lexington area. You can also order it online at the Kentucky Proud store. I remember going there years ago with my dad.
http://www.allmansbeercheese.com

@ Leah. Hope you enjoyed your evening Friday night @ The NA Exchange. Glad to hear you enjoyed the beer cheese and pretzel bread, hope the Porter Fish Sandwiches were good as well.

@ Matt, Olivia and I were just talking about you guys earlier. I'm a huge fan of 732 and it makes me proud when others I hold in such high regard enjoy what we do as well. Sorry you weren't able to grab that beer cheese today, as we are not open for lunch on Saturday's. Hope to catch you next time. And yeah, Olivia is pretty awesome!

I was spotted!

I was spotted!

Indeed!! You are always "spotted" in my book! Love ya!