German Beer Soup Biersuppe Recipe
Biersuppe is a creamy beer soup that used to be a popular, simple meal in Germany, especially in brewing regions. Today it’s treated more as a culinary curiosity or a dish for gatherings with friends. It tastes like a cross between a mild cheese-and-beer sauce and a cream soup, with a slight sweetness and a hint of spice.
German Biersuppe is a piece of old cooking from brewing regions where beer was as everyday as bread. The creamy base with a hint of sweetness and a clear beer note is reminiscent of a cheese-and-beer sauce turned into a soup, creating a wonderfully cosy, pub-like feel in “spoonable” form. It’s one of those curiosity dishes that instantly becomes a talking point at a home dinner.
Chef's tips
Use a wheat beer with mild bitterness – a heavily hopped beer will make the soup harsh. Fry the butter-and-flour roux only until lightly coloured, just when it starts to smell nutty; this gives the soup a deeper flavour and a smooth, lump-free texture. Add the cream over low heat, without bringing the soup back to a full boil, so it doesn’t curdle.
How to serve
Serve Biersuppe in small bowls as a warming starter for an evening with craft beer and a cheese board. It tastes great with dark sourdough bread or Laugenbrezel-style pretzels, perfect for wiping the bowl clean. It’s a soup made for an autumn evening with friends and board games, when everyone wants something unusual yet simple.
Ingredients
- light wheat beer preferably not too bitter - 500 ml
- vegetable stock homemade or from a cube - 500 ml
- 18% cream for enriching the soup - 150 ml
- butter - 40 g
- wheat flour for thickening - 2 tablespoons
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. gouda or emmental - 80 g
- sugar to balance the beer’s bitterness - 1 teaspoon
- mustard mild, e.g. table mustard - 1 teaspoon
- nutmeg freshly grated if possible - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- ground white pepper to taste
- wheat bread for croutons - 4 slices
- oil or clarified butter for frying the croutons - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until you get a smooth, pale paste without lumps. Don’t let the flour brown.
- Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly so no lumps form. When the mixture is smooth, add the beer, still whisking.
- Add the sugar, mustard and nutmeg. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Meanwhile, prepare the croutons: cut the bread slices into cubes. Heat the oil or clarified butter in a pan and fry the bread cubes for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until golden and crispy. Set aside.
- Add the grated cheese to the soup and stir until it has completely melted. Remove the pot from the heat. In a separate bowl, mix the cream with a few tablespoons of hot soup to temper it, then pour the mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly.
- Season the soup with salt and white pepper to taste. If you prefer a smoother texture, briefly blend the soup with an immersion blender.
- Serve the soup hot, ladling it into bowls and topping each portion with a handful of crunchy croutons just before eating.
Storage
Store the soup covered in the fridge and use within 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, without boiling, stirring so it doesn’t split. Prepare fresh croutons each time for serving.
