Recipe:
Baked Beer Mac & Cheese
Updated on March 23, 2016
Beer and cheese make a great pair (like in our
Beer & Artichoke Dip) and we've brought them together again for our Baked Beer Mac & Cheese. We use our deliciously nutty
Chestnut Brown Ale, but any brown or amber ale will do the trick. Made with aged cheddar and buttermilk, this cheesy dish is as lactose-intolerant friendly as possible. And with a sprinkling of dried spent grain over the top before baking, we think you'll find yourself unable to stop after just one serving.
What You Need
- 1 lb chiocciole (snail shaped) or large elbow pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup brown or amber ale (we love the nutty Chestnut Brown Ale in this)
- 8 oz aged cheddar, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- pinch cayenne
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Dried Spent Grain (or panko)
What You Do
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Boil pasta in heavily salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat melt butter and whisk in flour (to make a roux) cook 1-2 minutes. Add milk and beer, whisking constantly. Add in cheese in 3 parts and stir until cheese is completely melted. Lower heat and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in spices.
- Add pasta to a buttered casserole dish, pour cheese sauce evenly over. Top with Dried Spent Grain.
- Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
We make all-grain beer brewing kits that make it easy to make beer at home. Whether it's your first batch or your hundredth.