Beer Cheese Soup

There's a restaurant in Denver I used to haunt called Woody's Wood Fired Pizza. On their buffet, they had this amazing beer cheese soup which is what inspired this recipe. Perfect for football!

1 Cup Flour
2 bottles of Beer  (I generally use light beer, but a good IPA is also tasty)
1 Stick Butter
Diced Potatoes (about 6 cups)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 Diced Onion
2 Diced Shallots
Celery Seed
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (about 2 Cups)
Velveeta (about 6 oz)


In one saute pan, cook your onions and shallots until translucent in a bit of olive oil. In a big stock pot, melt the stick of butter and add flour to make a roux, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Add in the onions and shallots. Add in the diced potatoes and bouillon cubes and enough water to cover for cooking. Stir. Turn up the heat to start a boil, then reduce temperature and continue cooking until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

When potatoes are tender, add about 2 cans of beer- any kind. The more flavorful the beer, the more flavorful the soup. Continue cooking on low, and add garlic powder, celery seed, salt, pepper and any other seasoning you might like.

Time to add the cheese. Dice Velveeta into cubes and immerse in hot soup. Sprinkle shredded cheddar in the mix too, stirring all the while.  Add a little more beer at the end. Maybe a little more cheese too.  Up to you and your specific tastes.

I like to serve the soup topped with shredded cheddar and bacon bits on top.