Cheese balls are pretty confidently an All-American thing. The first reported cheese ball didn’t shy away from being the star of attention either, as it weighed over half a TON. Yep. 1,235 pounds. Carried from Massachusetts to the White House lawn, it was a gift from a Baptist Minister to President Thomas Jefferson to express his gratitude to the religious freedom the Baptist community had. It was also used as an opportunity to vocalize his support for the abolitionist movement, proudly declaring the cheese ball free of the work of slaves.

So what makes a cheese ball? Basically, ‘Anything, plus Cheese’. Cheese balls can be sweet or savory, smoky, salty, themed, shaped like hedgehogs… the sky is truly the limit. Our cheese ball was a chance for us to highlight our new blend, the Hoppy Citrus Sucker Punch. Inspired by the flavor of beer cheese, Hoppy Citrus Sucker Punch takes the classic (albeit slightly generic) pub dish to more of a sharp, punchy IPA direction. BUT! This formula and ratio is perfect for making other fun concoctions. Maybe do a little Bourbon Maple Hops instead, or try our El Paso Hot Chili Powder, leave out the dried fruit and add some corn nuts, then serve with Fritos instead of more buttery crackers.

There is definitely a reason that has become such an entertaining staple in American households around the Holidays time. Not only is it flexible in terms of flavors that it can be the ultimate crowd-pleaser, it’s also extremely adaptable in the sense that it can be prepared a few days in advanced in a food processor, and then ready to go for whenever you have company over to munch on while dinner is being prepared. Just be sure to serve with some knives or else leave it out of the fridge for a few minutes so that it’s easy enough to spread!