Cheese & Beer Soup

This is a serious cheese soup, not a timid bowl of broth with a sprinkle of cheddar. Two pounds of cheese (a mix of cheddar and provolone) melted into a butter-flour roux with three quarts of milk, bacon drippings, sauteed vegetables, chicken bouillon, and a half cup of beer. It’s rich, thick, and deeply savory.

The roux is the foundation. Butter and flour cooked together on a warm burner until it starts to brown, then milk added slowly while stirring constantly. That gradual addition is what prevents lumps. Dump all the milk in at once and you’ll be fishing out flour clumps for the rest of the cook.

Sauteing the bell pepper, onion, and celery in bacon drippings rather than clean oil builds a smoky, savory base before they even hit the soup. The crispy bacon gets reserved and added back in, so you get rendered fat for flavor and crispy bits for texture.

Adding the cheese at medium temperature (not high) is critical. High heat causes cheese to seize, separate, and turn grainy. Stir in the grated cheddar and provolone gradually, letting each handful melt before adding the next. The beer goes in after the cheese is fully incorporated, adding a yeasty, slightly bitter note that keeps the soup from tasting flat.

Kitchen Tips

• Grate the cheese yourself from blocks. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starches that make the soup grainy.
• Never let the soup boil after the cheese goes in. Keep it at a gentle simmer for the full 20 minutes.
• The parsley stirred in at the very end adds color and a fresh note that lifts the heavy, rich soup.
• This freezes well. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently.

Variations

• Use a darker beer like a brown ale or stout for a maltier, more robust soup.
• Stir in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard with the beer for a sharper, more complex flavor.
• Serve in bread bowls with extra crumbled bacon and chopped chives on top.