This beer cheese soup is going to blow you away, no flour is required. That’s right this delicious gluten-friendly soup is as easy as putting everything in a pot and warming it up. Not even a roux. A simple recipe with only a few ingredients means it’s a good idea to splurge on some high-quality ingredients.

Wisconsin was my cheese paradise. Growing up only an hour away we took routine family trips to stock up on cheese, it was a beautiful thing. Lucky for everyone most grocery stores carry a large selection of artisan cheeses, including blocks of Wisconsin sharp cheddar.

How can we make a creamy soup without a thickener? Secret special surprise! American cheese contains a chemical called sodium citrate that makes it super melty. When we melt the cheeses the sodium citrate acts as the thickener helping the cheddar cheese break down creating a velvety texture. I loved learning about this trick with processed cheeses because I feel like using flour or cornstarch thickeners takes away from the final flavor. Lots of CHEESE!

No IPA beer here! It’s important when choosing a beer for any recipe that it reflects who’s eating, i.e. make sure you like the taste of the beer. Lighter beers work great or a good seasonal beer like an Octoberfest. The beer will cook off all of its alcohol content and you should be left with this beautifully balanced cheesy rich soup. If this is your first time tasting beer cheese soup, this recipe will set the standard for all beer cheese soups you taste.