Stout and Smoked Gouda Soup

A different take on the classic beer cheese soup.

a bowl of stout and smoked gouda soup

Smoked gouda, gruyere, and a milk stout make up this beautiful bowl of goodness. Living in Wisconsin for the past five years has taught me that there are few finer things in life than a good bowl of beer cheese soup. This recipe puts a new spin on the classic sharp cheddar style.

For the stout, feel free to go by your preference. I opted to keep it local and chose MKE Brewing’s Polish Moon, a milk stout that brings out a nice dark coffee malt flavor, but also sweet notes of milk sugar, which pairs perfectly with the gooey melted cheese.

Time You Need

  • Prep: 20 minutes
  • Cooking ~30 minutes
  • Serves: 5-6 cups of soup

What You Need

  • ~3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 white onions, minced
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1-2 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, minced
  • ~3 cups of beef broth
  • 1 bottle of preferred stout beer
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ~4-5 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 16 ounces smoked gouda, shredded
  • 1 cup of shredded gruyere
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • Salt, to taste

What You Do

  • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper.
  • Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until veggies are soft.
  • Add half of the stout, along with all the beef broth. Allow simmering while stirring regularly. 
  • In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then whisk in flour, one tbsp at a time. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, and stir regularly.
  • Take the butter/flour mix and incorporate into simmer broth. Then add black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, and salt to taste.
  • Let the mix simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Then whisk in milk and rest of the beer stout.
  • Keep the soup simmering for 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
  • Then turn the heat to a low simmer. Slowly stir in shredded smoked gouda and gruyere. Add one handful at a time and whisk until cheese is completely melted, then add another handful. Repeat until all the cheese is gone.
  • Season with more black pepper and serving with a hot soft pretzel is highly recommended.