History
Johnnie Allman began serving cousin Joe Allman's beer cheese at his Driftwood Inn on the Kentucky River near Winchester in the late 1930s, a salty, cayenne-hot spread designed to keep customers drinking. Hall's on the River now operates on the Driftwood site, Winchester runs a 13-stop Beer Cheese Trail, and the spread long ago colonised Lexington menus, where it arrives with saltines and celery before dinners and ballgames alike.
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Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 450g extra-sharp cheddar, grated
- 180ml flat lager or pale ale, room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 0.5 tsp cayenne, plus more to taste
- 0.25 tsp salt
Method
- Let the beer sit open for 30 minutes so it flattens; cold, fizzy beer makes the spread grainy.
- Blitz the cheddar, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, cayenne and salt in a food processor until crumbly.
- Stream in the beer with the motor running and process until the spread is smooth but still thick, about 2 minutes.
- Taste and push the cayenne to the edge of uncomfortable; beer cheese should bite back.
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving with saltines, celery sticks and pickles.
Tip from the editors. Extra-sharp cheddar and a genuinely spicy dose of cayenne are non-negotiable; mild versions taste like plain pub cheese.
Where to eat beer cheese
Beer cheese in Lexington
Winchell's ★ 4.1
Winchell's covers Southland Drive breakfasts, beer cheese and UK game days in one room, the Lexington neighbourhood standby that opens at 08:00 every day.
SignatureBeer cheese, Country breakfast
TipBreakfast runs until 11:00 weekdays and past noon on weekends; expect a wait after Saturday UK kickoffs.
More places near Winchell's
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- McLeod's Coffee House Café, under 100 m away
- Critchfield Meats Family Market Markets, about 150 m away
- Southland Bagel Bakery, about 300 m away
- Good Foods Co-op Markets, about 350 m away
- Ramsey's Diner Southern, about 1.0 km away
- Coffee Times Coffee House Café, about 1.7 km away
More cities are in research. Want beer cheese covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.