Obatzda is a hard word to spell with the three consonants that don’t normally hang out mashed together in the middle. But o-batz-da is how I remember it. And it’s important to remember obatzda because it’s a delicious beer cheese spread that’s popular in German biergartens and should be a part of any beer drinking session, or if you have extra soft cheeses to use up before they go bad.

Obatzda origins

Using up cheeses is the reason obatzda exists. Before refrigeration, German fraus would need to do something with their quickly ripening soft cheeses like Camembert or Brie. Since it’s traditionally a “get rid of leftover stuff” creation, it can take on many forms depending on what needed to be gotten rid of quickest at the time. But let’s just assume today that we are not hustling off our aged cheeses and get to choose our own: always Camembert for the flavor. And then you can choose your own adventure. If you want a thicker spread, go for a Brie addition. Want something a little thinner? Add mascarpone. Don’t want to find another fancy cheese? Cream cheese will be fine.

German spices

Germany is not known for its love of spices or spiciness, but they do love their paprika. So definitely do use that in this dish, which gives it some extra color too. To stay traditional, use regular or sweet paprika, not smoked.

Caraway seeds, as I have learned, are not carried in most grocery stores in my area! I had to source mine from Whole Foods.

Proper Beer Selection

Use a hefeweizen, or a dunkel if you want a toastier flavor. But make sure your beer doesn’t have notes of clove or it’ll ruin this dish. I asked my local purveyor of craft beer and he recommended Tucher Helles Hefeweizen for its clean flavor profile, both in the cheese dip and as you’re drinking the rest of it while making the obatzda. It’s made in Nuremburg according to the German Purity Laws, and it is delicious. It’s easy to find this time of year when American beer stores and bars are stocking up for our version of Oktoberfests stateside. I have also used a Paulaner Hefeweizen before with good results.

If you’re not sure on the flavor profile, ask your bartender. If that’s not an option, check reviews online, or as a last result, buy a few different beers and have a taste test.

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Obatzda

This German beer cheese spread used to be made to use up ripening cheeses, but now it goes great with a beer and to share with friends.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine German

Keyword beer, cheese, cornbread

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

8 ounces Camembert cheese
8 ounces Mascarpone cheese (can sub in Brie or cream cheese as desired)
2 tablespoons European style butter
4 tablespoons Hefeweizen (see note above)
2-3 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
salt and pepper to taste
chopped chives to sprinkle for garnish
thinly sliced red onion for garnish
farmhouse bread, pretzels

Instructions

Cut the camembert into 1" cubes, leave the rind on.
Add the camembert, mascarpone, butter, beer, paprika, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Pulse until it is a chunky-smooth consistency. Add more beer if needed to loosen or if you're using Brie instead of mascarpone cheese.
Scrape out of the food processor and fold in caraway seeds. Adjust the seasonings to your preference. Use more paprika for a bolder color.
Once you're ready to serve and NOT before, add the chives and sliced red onion. If you leave the onions and chives in the mixture it will taste off after a while.
Serve with pretzels (hard or soft), or a rye or farmhouse style bread. I like Lidl's farmer's bread.

Notes

You don't have to be precious with the measurements here. My Camembert wasn't quite 8 ounces, and the marscapone was more than 8 ounces. It's just a guideline in this case!