Makes 12 servings

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp white flour
• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 1 cup Miller Lite® beer
• 1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce

STEP 1

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and continuously whisk for 2 minutes. While still whisking, pour milk into the flour mixture and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Slowly add beer and whisk until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.

STEP 2

Reduce heat to medium-low and add cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

STEP 3

Serve with hard pretzels or veggies.

STEP 4

Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.

STEP 5

Pair with an American Light Lager, like Miller Lite®.

• Bavarian cheese
• Black Forest Ham
• Westphalia breads
• Düsseldorf hot mustard
• Munich sweet mustard
• Swabian pickles
• Sauerkraut and red cabbage
• Dumplings and spaetzle

German-style pretzels, also known as brezen, are traditionally paired with butter. When it comes to the meats, you have several options, including pork roasted with dark beer and onions (schweinebraten), roasted ham hock (schweinshaxe), and crispy roast chicken. Plus, German sausages, or würstl, of which there are a variety, including bratwurst.

Beer is an essential part of any Oktoberfest celebration. If you want an authentic experience, there are six German lagers to seek out: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten, and Hofbräuhaus. For a simple celebration, start with the basics. There are more than 100 genuine German brands imported into the United States. Let our knowledgeable beer stewards help you find the right beer for your celebration.

Whether you tap a keg or crack open some bottles, as the host you should be the first to do so and proclaim "O’zapft is!"