A pilsner style or lager beer would work best with this recipe. I used Alarmist Brewing’s “Crispy Boy” Pilsner Style lager.
The Ingredients
Bacon: Regular cut bacon works great. Six slices of bacon should yield about 1/4 cup fat. Since you are cooking in the bacon fat, you may have more fat if you have a thicker cut bacon.
Celery, Carrot, Onion: This is your base for the soup. These vegetables should be relatively the same size. The celery and carrot cook first to give it a head start breaking down.
Garlic and Jalapeno: These are your aromatics for the soup. You could increase or decrease these ingredients easily.
Dried Thyme: Dried thyme is easy to find, but if you have fresh. use 1.5 teaspoons of it.
Half and Half: Don’t have half and half? Mix half of whipping cream and half milk together. Don’t have whipping cream? Use milk. It will be a different consistency, but you can still use it!
Chicken Broth: Always use low sodium. You can always add more salt to your mixture later!
Beer: Use a pilsner style. Crisp, fresh, and light will be a perfect addition to the soup.
Cheeses: I used 50% extra sharp cheddar cheese, 25% white cheddar, and 25% gruyere. You could definitely play around with the different cheeses.
Chives: for garnish. I used chives because it was the only thing that survived in my garden! Fresh thyme would work and also bread.
Storing
- Soup can be stored 3-4 days.
- Freeze in freezer safe containers.
Beer 3-Cheese Soup with Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup celery medium dice
- 1/3 cup carrot half slices
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp diced jalapeno seeds removed
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1 cup lager or pilsner beer
- 6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 oz white cheddar cheese
- 3 oz gruyere cheese
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- chives garnish
Instructions
- In a large stockpot on medium heat, fry the pieces of bacon. Once cooked, remove with slotted spoon onto a paper towel.
- Sauté celery and carrot in bacon fat on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the onion, and cook another 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, and dried thyme. Cook one more minute.
- Slowly whisk in flour, and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in half and half and broth. Raise heat to bring mixture to a simmer.
- Add beer and simmer on medium low heat for 8 minutes.
- On low heat, add cheeses and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cooked bacon and chives.