Best Beer and Cheese Soup {with Sharp Cheddar Cheese}

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Have you ever made (or eaten) Beer and Cheese Soup, NOW is the time to make this amazing soup! Filled with veggies, clean all-natural ingredients, like sharp white cheddar and Colby cheese, this soup will become a fall favorite. Simple step-by-step instructions for the best, comfort food ever!

Maybe you’ve tried beer soup before; during an Oktoberfest celebration, maybe in Germany, or perhaps have tried Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup! You lucky dog you! Now you can make it your own home, with ingredients you can pronounce and trust!

If you enjoy warm, comforting hearty soups, you might like these family favorites of ours; Bacon Beef Minestrone, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Roasted Cauliflower Soup (don’t knock until you’ve tried it!) and our family favorite Italian Wedding Soup!

Personally, we think the BEST way to eat this soup is with homemade soft pretzels; oh so dreamy!

Best Beer for Beer Cheese Soup

First things first! When I cook with beer, I tend to use the same line of thinking as when I cook with wine, use a good beer that you would enjoy drinking.

• I would caution against IPA’s or Pale Ale’s as the hops tends to make the soup bitter.
• A basic wheat beer or lager would be great to use, light beers would also be just fine, think Blue Moon, maybe Stella, don’t be afraid to try it.
• I used a dark porter, because those are our favorites beers. They are rich, smoky, have incredible depth to them, but hey, I get it, not everyone likes a dark beer.

Can I use non-alcoholic beer or no beer at all?

YES! Absolutely, use non-alcoholic beer and if you choose to not use any beer at all, then simply replace the liquid from the beer with either more chicken, veggie, or beef broth. But then it will be Cheese Soup, nothing wrong with that I say! Make it our way!

Ingredients

Reminiscent of a beer cheese soup I slurped up on numerous occasions while in Munich, this soup starts with delicious, rich ingredients and real sharp cheddar cheese.

• Butter | or you may replace with olive oil or a vegetable oil
• Onion | I used a sweet onion, but any yellow or white onion would work
• Mirepoix | Or also called the holy trinity in cooking, this mirepoix will add healthy depth and flavor to this delicious soup.
• Garlic | because kind of like butter, everything is better with garlic
• Flour | you may omit if you want a thinner soup or substitute a good GF 1-1 Flour if making Gluten Free.
• Chicken or Veggie Stock or Broth | Careful that your stock or broth is not too salty here, this is the one time I suggest you purchase a low sodium stock
• Beer | Use your favorite; see above for types, non-alcoholic beer may also be used, or substitute with same amount of stock.
• CHEESE | I wouldn’t be beer CHEESE soup without cheese, we’ll use cream cheese, sharp cheddar and Colby Jack here. I like white sharp cheddar, but you can use orange
• Half-and-Half | may substitute with milk or even water
• Dijon Mustard | the prepared kind
• Worcestershire Sauce | helps combat any bitterness in the soup, plus it’s the greatest condiment!
• Bacon | ah, just like butter, everything is better with bacon!

Can I make Beer and Cheese Soup Vegetarian

You can easily make this soup vegetarian. Substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock and if you are strict, then omit the bacon as well!

Gluten-Free Beer Cheese Soup

Use a Gluten-Free Beer or swap with chicken or veggie broth. Substitute the all-purpose flour for a good 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour.

How to Make Cheesy Beer Soup

This recipe does take a little time, as you develop the flavors by reducing your stock, beer and mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot mixture), but it’s not hard.

• In a 4 qt (or larger, so you don’t make a mess), over medium heat, melt butter (or heat oil), adding chopped onion, celery, and carrots; cooking until soft and slightly browned, it’ll take 7-8 minutes, during the last minute add the garlic.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and “cook” stirring constantly about 2 minutes, mixture should be smooth and browned slightly.

• Pour in chicken stock, whisking constantly, then pour in beer, whisking to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 40-45 minutes until thick, and dark brown and reduced. Stir occasionally.

• Strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving cooked veggies. Pour beer mixture into the same pot and bring to simmer over low heat. Plop in cream cheese and whisk until smooth and combined.
• Next toss in the shredded cheddar and Colby cheese, about ⅓ cup at a time, a small handful is a good guide. Whisking until melted after each addition. Stir in half-and-half, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, heat until just starting to simmer.

• To finish, stir in reserved cooked vegetables, check seasonings; add salt (careful) and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little more shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best Way to Reheat Cream Soups

Cheese or cream soups can be a bit finicky when it comes to reheating as they often get overheated. which may cause the cheese mixture to separate or curdle giving the soup an unpleasant look, but it’s still safe to eat!

• I easily reheated this soup by adding a little water and then heating on low heat (50% power, 1 minute at a time) in the microwave; stirring in between. It did not separate at all.
• Additionally, reheat your desired portion on the stovetop over very low heat, stirring and whisking in a little water or stock.
• If you do get separation, try adding a bit of starch or even cream to the mixture and whisk well to combine. Or add a touch more of an acid, such as apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or a little bit of lemon. start with a teaspoon at a time, you don’t want to alter the taste.
• Separated or curdled cheese soup, may not look pretty, but it’s fine to eat!

Light Beer and Cheese Soup

• use olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter
• omit the flour, though you could get separation in the cheese mixture.
• you could omit the beer, try a lite beer
• omit the cream cheese
• replace the half-and-half with milk of choice, water or a lite chicken or vegetable broth

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• A great German choice would be serving with homemade soft pretzels or a good store bought pretzel.
• Make Beer Bread or Beer Popover Muffins (keep that beer theme going)
• A crisp, simple salad or sliced cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes
• Cheesy Garlic bread, or these Copycat Cheesecake Factory Rolls (can you tell I like bread, just a little?)
• You can also serve this soup as a dip! Just like it is, serve with crackers, pretzel rods, Sourdough pretzels or sliced carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers.

This recipe is from my friend, Eliza’s cookbook; Bacon, Beans and Beer, I have modified it some, but honestly these are the best recipes and I highly recommend this cookbook. It’s small, full of great pictures and easy to follow, delicious recipes.

Recommended Tools

• Heavy Bottomed Pot | A soup pot is best for this recipe, I like Calphalon pans.
• A solid box grater will make grating all of the cheese easier.
• Cutting Boards | these flexible cutting boards come in handy for all of the veggies and grating.
• Balloon whisk and I love my olive wood wooden spoons.

Don’t forget to PIN to your favorite SOUP board!

I hope you enjoyed my recipe for a version of Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup! If so, please take a moment to pop below and leave a comment.

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Best Beer Cheese Soup

Author: Kathleen Pope

4.58 from 7 votes

Beer Cheese Soup is the best comforting, fall soup to make. This recipe does take a little time, as you develop the flavors by reducing your stock, beer and mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot mixture), but it's not hard and the end results are spectacular!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Soups & Stews

Cuisine American, German

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 475 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Olive Wooden Spoon set from Italy
• ▢
  OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter, replace with olive oil or a vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 small onion, chopped (sweet onion, yellow or white onion or ½ large onion)
• ▢ 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery, chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1/4 cup flour, substitute GF all purpose flour
• ▢ 3-4 cups chicken broth, Can use chicken stock or veggie stock, watch sodium content on the broths
• ▢ 12 ounce beer, 1 can or bottled, replace with non-alcoholic beer, GF beer or replace with additional water or broth
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used white cheddar)
• ▢ 8 oz Colby Jack Cheese, grated (try other cheeses too, smoked gouda, smoked cheddar)
• ▢ 1 cup Half-and-Half, may substitute with milk or even water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard, heaping
• ▢ 1 1/2-2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, I used 1 ½ tsp, helps if soup gets bitter
• ▢ Pepper, Salt to taste, I did not use any salt as the cheese and broths were salty enough.
• ▢ 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (omit if vegetarian)

Instructions

 

• In a 4 qt (or larger, so you don’t make a mess), over medium heat, melt butter (or heat oil), adding chopped onion, celery, and carrots; cooking until soft and slightly browned, it’ll take 7-8 minutes, during the last minute add the garlic.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and "cook" stirring constantly about 2 minutes, mixture should be smooth and browned slightly.
• Pour in chicken stock, whisking constantly, then pour in beer, whisking to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 40-45 minutes until thick, dark brown and reduced. Stir occasionally. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving cooked veggies.
• Pour beer mixture into the same pot and bring to simmer over low heat. Plop in cream cheese and whisk until smooth and combined. Next toss in shredded cheddar and Colby cheese, about ⅓ cup at a time, a small handful is a good guide. Whisking until melted after each addition. Stir in half-and-half, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, heat until just starting to simmer.
• To finish, stir in reserved cooked vegetables, check seasonings; add salt (careful, taste first) and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little more shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, if desired.

✱ Kathleen’s Tips

Best Beers | A basic Wheat beer, lager or even a porter, use your favorite beer, my only caution in using IPA’s as they can be too hoppy, causing bitterness in the soup.

Vegetarian? Omit the bacon, substitute veggie broth for chicken broth.

Gluten Free? Substitute beer for a gluten free beer or substitute with chicken or even beef broth. Swap the flour out for a good 1-to-1 GF All Purpose Flour.

How to Fix Bitter Soup | The simplest way is to add something a little vinegar-y, which is why this has Worcestershire sauce in it, in fact I increased the amount from the original recipe. You could also try a little soy sauce or even a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. The best way to avoid bitter soup is avoid using a hoppy, Pale Ale style beer. Stick with a clean Belgian ale if you are worried about bitterness, or a simple Oktoberfest style ale or lager.

How to Fix Salty Soup | The easiest solution is dilute it! Add more water or stock, just make sure the stock is not super salty! I’ve also heard adding a half a potato works to soak up some of the salt, but I’ve never tried that personally.

Freeze Cheese Soup | Cool completely before freezing, you may want to freeze in individual sized microwavable containers. Lasts up to 3 months in the freezer.

Best Way to Reheat Cheese Soups

Add a little water and then heating on low heat (50% for 1 minute at a time) in the microwave; stirring in between. It did not separate at all.

• Additionally, reheat your desired portion on the stovetop over very low heat, stirring and whisking in a little water or stock.
• If you do get separation, try adding a bit of starch or even cream to the mixture and whisk well to combine. Or add a touch more of an acid, such as apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or a little bit of lemon. start with a teaspoon at a time, you don’t want to alter the taste.
• Separated or curdled cheese soup, may not look pretty, but safe to eat!

A LIGHTER BEER CHEESE SOUP

• use olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter
• omit the flour, though you could get separation in the cheese mixture
• you could omit the beer, try a lite beer
• omit the cream cheese
• replace the half-and-half with milk of choice, water or a lite chicken or vegetable broth

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 475 kcal Carbohydrates: 13 g Protein: 19 g Fat: 38 g Saturated Fat: 21 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g Trans Fat: 0.2 g Cholesterol: 102 mg Sodium: 608 mg Potassium: 343 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 4 g Vitamin A: 4096 IU Vitamin C: 3 mg Calcium: 464 mg Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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About Kathleen Pope

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.