Mac and Cheese and Homebrew




Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 55 mins
Yield: 6-8 servings

I’m all for convenience, but some things are flat-out worth the effort. Like this recipe, which combines two of my favorite hobbies – homebrewing and cheesemaking. Sure…you could make mac n’ cheese out of a box mix. Just like you could buy beer someone else brewed. But one browned and bubbling bite is all it takes to prove homemade is best.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz uncooked noodles
  • 1 cup of your favorite homebrewed beer (ambers are my preference)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • ¼ Tsp. smoked paprika
  • ½ Tsp ground mustard
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 8 oz Farmhouse Cheddar, grated
  • 6 oz Gouda, grated
  • 2 oz aged Parmesan
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
  2. Combine the beer, milk and cream cheese in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until well incorporated. Whisk in spices, then add cheddar and gouda, stirring over low until melted and slightly thickened, around 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture, then toss to combine and pour into a baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine parmesan, breadcrumbs and oil, then sprinkle overtop the pasta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!
See our Cheese Making How To for all of our Cheese Knowledge


About the Chef

Larry Janke

I am a firm believer that cheese makes everything better. And when you can make and use fresh cheeses in your favorite recipes...Well, life just doesn’t get much better than that. Except maybe if you’re eating homemade cheese while drinking your own homebrew. That would certainly qualify. I started out homebrewing years & years ago. And since then, I’ve become an avid cheesemaker, and winemaker, too. Sharing some of my favorite recipes is my way of converting new makers to the cause!