Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
¼ cup lager
3 ½ lbs potatoes, ¼ dice
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 ½ cups chicken broth
¾ cup flour
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup sour cream
4 oz cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepot over medium high heat cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the saucepot and put on paper towels to drain. Retain 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat in the pan.
Add onion, celery and carrot to pot and cook for 8-10 minutes. Stirring occasionally until vegetables soften and onion begins to caramelize. Deglaze pan with lager, being sure to scrape up any tasty bits. Add potatoes and paprika and cook for 5 minutes more. Slowly pour in chicken broth.
As soup begins to warm up whisk flour and water together until smooth. Slowly add to pot, whisking constantly, until combined. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Before serving whisk in sour cream and cheddar cheese very slowly, being sure cheese is melted and mixed thoroughly before adding more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in soup bowl with crumbled bacon sprinkled on top.
