Recipes

1. Gather all ingredients and prep them.
2. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven, stirring over medium heat for about 5 – 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove about 1/3 cup of the cooked bacon and reserve for topping.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add onion, celery, and butter and sauté until onion has softened, about 5 - 8 minutes. Add garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and cayenne stirring constantly until fragrant for about a minute.
4. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Whisk in warm chicken stock and bring to boil for about a minute. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add warm milk and cream continue to simmer for 12 minutes and do not boil.
6. Remove from heat and add cheese. Blend with immersion blender until cheese is melted and soup is smooth. Stir in beer and use immersion blender again until the soup is creamy and uniform.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc.) If the soup is too thick, add some warm milk.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with cheddar cheese, scallions and reserved bacon.

Notes:

1. Warm the liquids (chicken stock, beer, milk and cream) before incorporating in the soup. You can microwave them for about 1-2 minutes each. This will prevent your soup from breaking.
2. Do not boil your soup after you have added the milk and cream.
3. Make sure you grate your cheese, as pre-grated cheese will not incorporate as easily in your soup changing the texture.
4. Serve with warm fresh biscuits or pretzel buns.