Wisconsin beer cheese soup is a thick, savory soup made with sharp cheddar cheese, Wisconsin lager and a mirepoix base, served with a soft pretzel or rye.

Wisconsin beer cheese soup emerged from the state's brewing and dairy industries in the 1940s and 1950s, when German immigrant cooks combined leftover sharp cheddar with the abundant local lager to create a thick warming soup. By the 1970s it was a Wisconsin tavern staple; Old German Beer Hall, Mader's and many supper clubs still feature it on the menu. It is the unofficial soup of the Wisconsin winter Friday night.

Where to eat Wisconsin beer cheese soup in Milwaukee

2 editor picks for Wisconsin beer cheese soup in Milwaukee, ranked by editorial score. All Milwaukee signature dishes · Wisconsin beer cheese soup across every city.

  • Mader's Restaurant

    Order The sauerbraten with potato dumpling and the schnitzel a la Holstein.

    Mader's on Old World Third Street has served German food in Milwaukee since 1902, with sauerbraten, schnitzel and a Knight's Bar of beer steins on the wall.

    DetailsDirections

  • Old German Beer Hall

    Order Giant Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese and a one-liter stein of Hofbrau Original.

    Old German Beer Hall on Old World Third Street downtown is a Hofbrau-style bier hall with one-liter steins, giant pretzels, bratwurst and Bavarian schnitzel.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves 645 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 60g all-purpose flour
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 350ml Wisconsin lager
  • 350ml whole milk
  • 400g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 teaspoon dry mustard
  • Salt, pepper, paprika
  • Crumbled bacon and chives to garnish

Method

  1. Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook 6 minutes until soft.
  2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  3. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  4. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, then beer, then milk. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Reduce heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, letting each melt fully before adding more.
  6. Stir in Worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika.
  7. Simmer 10 minutes to thicken. Adjust seasonings.
  8. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped chives. Serve with a soft pretzel or rye bread.

Editor tip. Don't let the soup boil after adding the cheese; it will break. Use a sharp aged cheddar; mild cheddar makes the soup taste flat. A Wisconsin lager like Spotted Cow is canonical.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.