• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Main Course → Soups

    Beer Cheese Soup

    November 25, 2018 | Updated December 18, 2021 by Ryan 1 Comment

    1635 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    This simple beer cheese soup recipe consists of some vegetables, good sharp cheddar cheese and most importantly - your favorite beer. You can really change the flavor by what beer you choose, which for me is usually a pale ale.

    close-up of beer cheese soup recipe in orange bowl with pretzels

    Up until five years ago I had never had beer and cheese soup. It was one of those things I would see on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and my mouth would be salivating. Partly because Florida is pretty warm as most know, soup just isn't a super popular dish.

    But then I moved to Portland. The first night I was there I went to Deschutes Brewery and saw they had beer cheese soup! It was an instant decision to order and I've been in love with it ever since. I learned pretty quickly that almost every micro brewery in Portland had their own offering of beer and cheese soup. So needless to say I tried quite a few varieties.

    I mean it has cheese and beer, how could it not be good! I was in soup bliss until I moved to Maryland where it just isn't as popular. So I set out to make my own version to pair with some homemade pretzel bites and I created this easy beer cheese soup recipe that is pretty fantastic.

    Like anything that relies on wine or beer for flavor, the type of beer you use will affect the taste. I usually use a pale ale but give your favorite beer a try and soon realize this is the best beer cheese soup recipe out there.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Variations
    • How to Freeze
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Soup Recipes
    • Beer Cheese Soup
    overlay of beer cheese soup recipe in orange bowl with pretzels

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Unsalted Butter - cooks the veggies.
    • Carrots, red bell pepper, lemon - adds flavor to the soup.
    • All-purpose flour - makes a roux to thicken the soup.
    • Chicken broth - low-sodium is best.
    • Beer - use your favorite beer.
    • Half-and-half - makes the soup creamy.
    • Sharp cheddar cheese - the sharper the better.
    • Worcestershire sauce - adds some umami flavor.
    • Dijon mustard - mustard and beer just go together.
    • Hot sauce - just gives a touch of heat.
    • Nutmeg, salt, black pepper - enhances the flavor.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Melt butter in large dutch oven over medium heat and add carrots, pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
    2. Add flour and stir until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
    3. Slowly add chicken broth, beer and half-and-half. Simmer for 15 minutes.
    4. Add cheddar cheese to soup in stages, whisking between each. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce and black pepper.
    5. Use immersion blender and blend soup until smooth. You can also add the blender and blend in stages.
    6. Serve immediately with some pretzel bread.
    process shots of how to make beer cheese soup

    Variations

    The two ingredients that can alter the flavor of your soup are cheese and beer. So mix and match to your liking.

    • Cheese - Gouda, Monterey Jack, Havarti, and Gruyère all make for great options besides cheddar.
    • Beer - lagers, ambers, pale ales or stouts all make for a great soup.

    How to Freeze

    Just wait for it to come to room temperature before covering in an air-tight container and placing in the freezer. You can keep in the freezer for up to 6 months before using.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Use quality low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
    • Use a beer you enjoy as it determines the flavor
    • Do not skip on adding the half-and-half as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn’t get otherwise. If you don’t want to use half-and-half, you could try coconut milk.
    • Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
    • Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.
    close-up of beer cheese soup recipe in orange bowl with pretzels

    Other Soup Recipes

    • Loaded Potato Soup
    • Sweet Potato Chili
    • Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Chili
    • Salsa Verde Chicken Pozole
    • Broccoli Cheddar Soup
    • Guinness Beef Stew
    • Chicken Noodle Soup

    If you’ve tried this beer cheese soup recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    overlay of beer cheese soup recipe in orange bowl with pretzels
    Print Recipe
    4.75 from 4 votes

    Beer Cheese Soup

    This beer and cheese soup recipe is loaded with very sharp cheddar cheese and whatever your favorite beer is which for me is a pale ale.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Total Time55 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 452kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    • 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tbsp)
    • ¾ cup carrot, diced
    • ½ red bell pepper, diced
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 (12 oz) beer (preferably pale ale)
    • 1 ½ cups half-and-half
    • 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated (aged 2+ years)
    • ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • ½ lemon, juiced
    • Dash hot sauce

    Instructions

    • Melt butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots, pepper, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until veggies are soft. Add the flour and stir until incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add chicken broth, beer and half-and-half and cook at a simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
    • Add cheddar to soup in stages, whisking each batch until smooth. Add the Worcestershire, nutmeg, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce and ½ teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.
    • Use an immersion blender and blend soup until smooth. It should take about 2-3 minutes to get everything. You can also puree in a blender in batches.
    • Ladle in bowl and eat with some pretzel bread.

    Notes

    • Use quality low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
    • Use a beer you enjoy as it determines the flavor
    • Do not skip on adding the half-and-half as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn’t get otherwise. If you don’t want to use half-and-half, you could try coconut milk.
    • Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
    • Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3400IU | Vitamin C: 16.5mg | Calcium: 460mg | Iron: 0.7mg
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Smoked Gouda Bacon Mac and Cheese
    Italian Braciole »
    1635 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      November 25, 2018 at 8:47 am

      5 stars
      Going to have to try this!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Healthy Recipes

    • Cinnamon Overnight Oats
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
      Cook Time1 Hours 10 Minutes
    • Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      Cook Time25 Minutes
    • Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
      Cook Time1 Hours

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
      Cook Time40 Minutes
    • Cranberry Mimosa
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
      Cook Time1 Hours 40 Minutes
    • Chocolate Chip Scones
      Cook Time35 Minutes

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    1635 shares