Beer & Cheese Soup

When the suns sets in the west a little sooner and the night autumn temperatures begin to dip nothing warms the body and soul like a little comfort food.

In the Oktoberfest season a warm bowl of Beer & Cheese soup is always welcomed. Who doesn’t like a steaming bowl of liquid cheese with a cool glass of Oktoberfest lager?

This delicious and congenial soup is great for autumn weekend days and game watching parties. Serve it in a crock pot to keep it warm and you and your guests can serve themselves.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 chopped medium-sized yellow onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 12 ounces Beer (I like an Oktoberfest but any amber beer will do but avoid hoppy beers)
• 2 cups shredded Allgäuer Emmentaler cheese
• 2 cups shredded Tilsiter cheese
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Note – If you cannot locate the above cheeses feel free to use a sharp cheddar and a Swiss-style cheese. The important thing is to use two or more different cheeses to create a more complex flavor.

Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and then add chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté vegetables until soft and then spoon on the flour. Cook for about five minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth and beer stirring with some vigor to get it properly incorporated. Heat until it comes to a soft boil and then drop the heat down to a simmer. Add half-and-half, salt, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Slowly add cheese a handful at time and stir in until smooth. Reduce heat to low and cook until soup has thickened.

At this point you can consider add-ons. Pieces of smoked sausages browned in another pan are a favorite addition as are large croutons (I like dark bread croutons).

Serve with a cool glass of Oktoberfest beer. Of course you could go with wine. A cool glass of Riesling or Gewürztraminer would be a great choice. However, this is BEER & cheese soup so beer is the preferred beverage and there is no match like a good Oktoberfest lager.