Homemade soup is mmm mmm good and this recipe hits all the tasty taste buds just right. Beer cheese soup anyone? Last thing's first, the beer. Which type is up to you, but I would definitely recommend a brown ale or an amber ale. My go to suds for this soup are, Anderson Valley's Boont Amber Ale, Modern Times Dank Amber or Big Sky's Moose Drool. The malty backing tames some of the spice and works well with the cheddar. Also, I tend to go with TapatÃo or Texas Pete hot sauce.
Ingredients
2 table spoons butter, 1/2 cup diced onions, 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic, 1/4 cup flour, 2 cups veggie or chicken broth, 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, 12 ounces dark ale, 1-1/2 tablespoons of Dijon, 2 dashes hot sauce or to taste, 3/4 cups diced pimientos, 10-12 ounces shredded cheddar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes, salt & ground black pepper, garnish with mini pretzels
Instructions
In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in onion and cook until translucent, or about 3-5 minutes. Now add garlic and cook less than 1 minute. Next add flour, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Slowly add the broth and then the cream, whisk constantly until it is fully incorporated. Stir in the beer, mustard, hot sauce and pepper flakes. Increase heat to med-high and bring soup to a boil while frequently whisking. Reduce heat to medium and let it gently simmer, whisk often or until slightly thick (12-15 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar little by little until it becomes velvety. Now stir in pimientos and season to taste with salt and ground pepper.
Choose your favorite bowls and ladle in the deliciousness. Don't forget the pretzels! You can make it look pretty initially upon serving, but you'll probably want more as you destroy the bowl in front of you. I suggest pairing it with the beer used, or if you want to, a nice pilsner or lager typically goes well with it. Enjoy the warming goodness of beer cheese soup as we weather the cold collectively.
Enjoy,
eightychoices.
