Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (2024)

by Amber · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

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This Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup recipe is hearty, smooth, smoky, and stout making it the best rich indulgence to help ring in the holiday season.

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (1)

Today we're talking soup...and Octoberfest and beer and cheese.

But mostly just beer and cheese.

Here in SC it's still hot as Hades, with the heat index still maxing out in the 90's, but we're starting to move into the end of October, and I had a hankering for some beer cheese soup in my life.

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup to be precise.

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (2)

I've actually had this recipe in my arsenal since last year (when I fully intended to post it), but if 2020 has taught us anything at all, it's that life sure is unpredictable ain't it?!?!?

The great thing about Beer Cheese Soup, though, is that it is versatile too so you can mix and match and switch the ingredients around to fit the time of year.

What's the Best Beer for Beer Cheese Soup?

The best beer for beer cheese soup is truly up to you.

You can use all kinds of different beers to suit your mood or the holidays. The most important fact to remember, though, just as when cooking with wine, if you don't like drinking it, you won't like eating it.

Darker beers like stouts or Irish Reds would make for a fantastic Beer Cheese Soup for St. Patrick's Day, but keep in mind the darker bitter beers like IPAs will pass along their bitter flavor to the soup.

German Pilsners, light lagers, and any of the standard domestic beers on the market are also ok: Kolsch, Budweiser, Bud Light, Becks, Fat Tire, Sam Adams, Killians, etc. are all great choices.

Pumpkin Beers, Ciders, and Non-Alcoholic beer are just as delicious too!

Today we're going for a tried and true favorite, Octoberfest, because it's the perfect time of year for it!

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (3)

What's the Best Cheese to Use for Beer Cheese Soup?

The best cheese to use for beer cheese soup is easy. Use the best cheese you can find! Some may argue with you, but the cheese really is the star of the show in Beer Cheese Soup.

Two important rules here:

  1. Be sure to use a high-quality cheese, and switch it around for the seasons too! Irish cheddar for St. Patricks Day, etc. You can use any kind of cheese you wish, really, but I prefer to use sharp cheddar and gruyere because their strong flavors balance nicely with the twang of the Octoberfest beer and they both melt really well.
  2. You *CANNOT* use pre-shredded cheese from a bag. REPEAT. You *CANNOT* USE pre-shredded cheese from a bag for beer cheese soup! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents in it which will prevent it from melting, causing your Beer Cheese to be stringy and gritty. Bleck.
Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (4)

Tips for Making Beer Cheese Soup

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup is a souper (see what I did there) quick recipe to make, and following these simple tips will offer smooth sailing to suppertime:

  • Make sure your cheese, beer, stock, and cream are at room temp or at least have the chill off of them. This will allow for even mixing and will help prevent clumping.
  • Pour beer in slowly, gently whisking after each addition until bubbles dissipate.
  • Do not let the temperature get too high! Cook over medium heat and allow the temperature to rise slowly.
  • Remove the pot from the heat before stirring in the cheese. Adding cheese to a soup that's too hot will cause the cheese to separate and look curdled.
  • Don't like chunky soup? Puree the veggies in a food processor before cooking or follow the tips at the end of the post to puree the entire batch of soup!

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (5)

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (6)Amber

THIS OCTOBERFEST BEER CHEESE SOUP IS HEARTY, SMOOTH, SMOKY AND STOUT MAKING IT A PERFECTLY RICH INDULGENCE TO HELP RING IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Entree, Soup

Cuisine American, German

Servings 12

Calories

Ingredients

  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • ½ onion (1 cup) minced
  • 2 stalks celery (1 cup) minced
  • 1 carrot (1 cup) minced
  • 2 cloves garlic (2 tsp) minced
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 (12 oz.) bottles Octoberfest beer I used Sam Adams
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 16 ounces extra sharp cheese shredded
  • 8 ounces gruyere cheese (or more sharp cheddar)
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Smoked paprika, pretzels, bacon crumbles, fresh parsley, extra cheese and a drizzle cream, for garnish

Instructions

  • Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, and add bacon. Fry until golden and crisp to your liking then remove to the paper towel-lined plate and reserve the drippings.

  • Add butter to the drippings followed by the onion, celery, carrots, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften. About 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

  • Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until well incorporated and the rawness has cooked out. About 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the beer, followed by the stock and cream, whisking constantly until the mixture smooths out and thickens. Heat until just bubbling then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, whisking often to ensure the bottom doesn’t scorch.

  • Sprinkle in the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking after each handful until the cheese is completely melted into the soup. Stir in the mustard, nutmeg, and black pepper. Adjust salt if needed.

  • Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of smoked paprika, crunchy pretzels, salty bacon, bright fresh parsley, and a drizzle of cream.

For a Super Dreamy & Creamy Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup:

  • Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until silky smooth.

  • If using a blender, allow the beer cheese soup to cool for 5 minutes before pureeing.Puree the soup in batches in a high powered blender. Add a few ladles full of soup to the blender, replace the lid, hold a thick towel over the top, then puree until the soup is completely smooth.

  • Once all of the soup is pureed, add it all back to the stockpot and heat until steaming and warm. Garnish and serve.

Keyword beer, beer cheese soup, cheddar cheese, cheese, octoberfest, sharp cheddar, shredded cheese

Tried this recipe? Let us know!Mention @slimpickinskitchen or use or tag #slimpickinskitchen

Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (7)
Octoberfest Beer Cheese Soup Recipe | Best Beer Cheese Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is the best beer to use for beer cheese? ›

I used Fat Tire because that what I had on hand, but Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite are all good options. No need to use anything fancy! What brands of cheese do you recommend? For the Cheddar, you can use a good supermarket brand, like Cabot or Tillamook.

How do you take the bitterness out of beer cheese soup? ›

How do you take the bitterness out of beer cheese soup? Firstly, we recommend using a lower-hop beer. You can add a bit of sharp cheddar to help counteract any bitterness, or stir in a tablespoon of honey or cream.

Why did my beer cheese soup curdle? ›

Why did my beer cheese soup curdle? This happens when the proteins separate and bind together. Your soup is no longer smooth and creamy; it's grainy and unpleasant. If your soup has reached this state, take your soup off the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded Velveeta cheese.

What is beer soup made of? ›

The early beer soups were typically based on dark beer, cream and egg yolk thickened with fat and flour cooked together in a roux. Eventually they were flavored with onions, salt, pepper, spices and cheese to create a more substantial and satisfying dish.

What beer is Oktoberfest beer? ›

The Festbier, also known as the Weisn, is a strong German golden lager and is currently the official beer served at Germany's Oktoberfest. It's a pale lager that uses a Pilsner malt, giving a biscuity, toasty flavor and is light and clean in color.

Does the beer in beer cheese cook out? ›

Roughly speaking: Beer cheese sauce, bourbon caramel and other sauces brought to a boil and then removed from the heat typically retain about 85 percent of the alcohol.

What if beer cheese is too thick? ›

One of the great things about this easy beer cheese dip is you can also experiment with the consistency if you prefer a thinner or thicker dip. Add a bit less milk for a thicker dip or more milk for a thinner sauce.

How do you thicken beer cheese? ›

While the beer heating up, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the boiling beer, whisking constantly to fully incorporate it. Bring the beer back up to a boil, at which point the cornstarch slurry will slightly thicken the beer.

What cuts bitterness in soup? ›

The best way to reduce or get rid of bitter flavor in broth is to add sugar and acid to offset the bitterness. Adding sugar and acid doesn't just mask the bitter flavor; it actually changes the chemistry within the broth!

Why did my beer cheese separate? ›

Tips for Making Homemade Beer Cheese

Don't skip the roux: Melting the butter and adding the flour creates a roux that'll help thicken the sauce and give it a smooth texture. Don't let it boil: Keep an eye on your sauce while cooking, and avoid letting it come to a boil. This can cause your cheese to separate.

What makes beer cheese grainy? ›

Some cheeses are improperly aged and in addition, contain emulsifiers or coagulants that break down when heated causing a gritty texture.

What kind of cheese melts best in soup? ›

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

Which beer goes well with cheese? ›

A full-bodied, matured cheese often goes well with heavier beer types, like pale lager, brown ales or even stouts. You might also give a heavy barley wine a try. Sharp blue cheeses can handle a heavy black stout, which can otherwise easily smother other flavors. Heavy, fruity beers also go well with blue cheeses.

What is the best brand of beer to use for beer bread? ›

Fruity beers, like Saison and Hefewizens will add a hint of fruit and spice to your bread. They are excellent choices for sweeter breads for breakfasts and brunches. Irish beers like Guinness and red ales are perfect when you're serving up Irish Stew or celebrating St.

What beers are best for beer batter? ›

Most are fair game for beer batter (Pilsner Urquell, Stella Artois, Modelo, and Firestone Pivo Pils are particularly nice), with the exception of Bohemian pilsner, which comes with a heavy dose of spices that can change the overall flavor of your dish. In a beer batter, pilsner is one of the more low-key options.

What beer is used for Super Bowl? ›

What Are Some Beer and Food Pairing Tips for the Super Bowl? Pair light lagers with traditional game day snacks. IPAs can be paired with spicier foods, while dark beers go with heartier dishes. Try local craft beers and other unique styles and pair them with foods that have contrasting flavors.

References

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