Get half-n-half out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. If you skip this step, you run the risk of it curdling.
In a large stockpot, on medium heat, cook bacon until crispy; remove and set aside; leave the bacon grease in the stockpot
2 strips bacon
Add butter, chopped onion, celery and carrots to stockpot; cook for 5-minutes or until semi-tender
1 tablespoon butter, ¾ cup yellow onion, ¾ cup celery, finely chopped, ¾ cup carrots, finely chopped
Sprinkle in all-purpose flour and cook 2-3 minutes
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Add beer, a little at a time, until fully incorporated; then add 1 ½ cups of water, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, garlic powder, Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper; turn heat tosimmer for 10-minutes
12 ounces beer, 1½ cups water, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (see recipe notes), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon white pepper
Add half-n-half and cheddar cheese to a warm broth; (See Recipe Notes); cook for 10-minutes on low, simmering heat.At this point, if you want a smooth, creamy soup, use an immersion blender or process in a food processor in small batches.
2 cups half n half, 1 lb. cheddar cheese
Season with salt to taste; garnish with bacon crumbles (or popcorn!)
Notes
While the bacon is cooking, chop vegetables and shred cheese
Remove half-n-half from fridge and let it sit out while you're making the soup (don't add cold half n half to hot soup--it will curdle). This also helps prevent grainy soup.
Dijon mustardThis adds a little heat and acid to the soup; if you're not a fan of spicy, start with 1 teaspoon of Dijon; as you simmer the soup, continue tasting until you have your preferred amount of Dijon mustard.
Once all the ingredients are added to the soup, let it simmer a few minutes; taste for salt
Turn the heat to low when you add the cheese. Cheese breaks down and gets gritty when it's added to super hot (bubbling) broth. Also,low fat cheeses turn gritty sometimes. Tillamook is a good higher-quality brand! Also, sometimes, if you remove the soup from the heat and add a smidgen of vinegar - this might remedy any gritty texture.
If you want a thicker soup, add a slurry to the soup (½ cup water + 2 tablespoons flour)
If you add more than one flour slurry, re-taste the soup; you may need to add more salt or cayenne
Amber or pale ale beers work best, but if you don't have either of these, a regular beer will work as a substitute
If you want a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or pour the soup into a blender or food processor (you may have to do this in batches); strain through a fine strainer and serve