Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅔ cup all purpose flour

1 quart chicken broth

1 (12 oz) bottle beer

1 cup whole milk

½ cup half and half

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp black pepper

2 cups extra sharp Cheddar, shredded

Bacon and chives for garnish

Instructions:

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.  Add carrots and onion; cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.  Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Whisk in broth, beer, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and mustard. Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.  Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  Garnish with crumbled, cooked bacon and chopped chives. Add a few dashes of hot sauce if you like a little heat.