Okay, a good beer cheese dip is fantastic -- a standard of group gatherings and pub-house pretzel dipping during Oktoberfest (and beyond). Still, there is always room for improvement, even in the most iconic dishes. While the savory, buttery tastes of beer cheese dip are undeniably delicious -- and pair well with sausage, bread, pretzels, or potatoes -- it might be time to take this dip in a new, more bubbly direction. By swapping beer for Champagne (or any sparkling white wine), you can breathe new life into your cheese.
The sharp, acidic taste of Champagne makes for a perfect flourish for your cheese dip, cutting through the rich, butteriness of your cheese base. And its fruity, sparkling notes can lighten up even the richest of cheese dips. To make this dip, you can simply swap your beer for Champagne. However, you might want to go a bit further in your customization. You can alter the roux-base of your dip by adding in spices such as nutmeg or cloves. Or, if you want something more herbaceous, you can add a bit of sage to your butter base (bonus points for browning your butter or roux for a richer, warmer flavor profile). You can also brighten up your dip with a squeeze of lemon juice, a bit of lemon zest, or even a few cracks of black pepper if you're feeling spicy.
Read more: 13 Types Of Beer Glasses And When To Use Them
Of course, it's no secret that wine and cheese are a match made in heaven. The pairing of complementary flavors formed when the perfect wine is paired with the ideal cheese is undeniable. And adding wine to a cheese dip is just another way to meld the two into a delightful and transcendent snack. If you're using a true Champagne, for example, using a Champagne cheddar as your dip's base can make for the perfect pairing. Like the wine for which it is named, the cheddar is slightly sweet and subtle in flavor. It pairs very well with fruits such as strawberries, which can make a great dipper for this cheese.
If you want something a bit sharper in flavor, you can use prosecco as the wine of choice for your dip. Unlike Champagne, which has fruiter, sometimes cheesy or toasty tasting notes, prosecco can have greener, more floral qualities, which makes it a great pairing for saltier cheeses such as Parmesan. Now, if you're feeling more subtle, you can also use Swiss cheese, or blend several meltable cheeses into your dip for the perfectly customized and complex flavor profile.