Substitutes for beer... in beer cheese soup

Substitutes for beer... in beer cheese soup - Slices of Breads

Sounds odd I know, but some preservatives in beer can be an allergen... I found a beer cheese soup that I really really enjoyed. My question is, are there non-beer substitutes for "dark" beer that might do well in a spicy beer cheese soup like the one linked below. I'm curious if anyone has found a sub that still gives off the same dark beer flavor in the end result?

Simply Altered Eats: Beer Cheese and Chicken Soup



Best Answer

Note: This is a suggested experiment, rather than a tried-and-tested solution

From the comments, yeast and malt extracts were suggested. I'd go further and say both, as neither will replicate beer flavour alone.

Both are rather variable. Some experimenting will be required.

In case you go too far with either of them, I suggest you have spare ingredients on hand to allow dilution (leftover soup should freeze well, to avoid waste)

I suspect that too much yeast extract will be worse than too much malt extract, so use caution on that. Yeast extract (referring to Marmite/Vegemite or own brand equivalents) is used in some vegetarian recipes as a source of umami; it's useful in savoury dishes but can get overpowering. It also has salt, so you might need to reduce the salt in your recipe.

I'd guess at a starting point of 2 tbsp of the liquid malt extract I've used and 1 tsp of yeast extract plus 0.5l (1 pint) of water for 1 pint of beer. That balance could be way off, but luckily both are highly processed and won't change much in cooking so you can add more to taste (as you can with salt).

A little acid wouldn't hurt (ideally lactic acid), maybe 1/2-1tsp of malt vinegar in that same substitute pint.

A way-out idea I'd be tempted to try (as I've got it on hand) is replacing the flour with dried sourdough starter, to bring in some yeast flavours and acid

Luckily that recipe doesn't call for a particularly bitter beer, as that's harder to get right. I wouldn't worry about bittering agents. You could though: hop extracts are rather strong (used at a few ml per gallon of beer, though they're available. If you wanted to try them you'd need to dilute the extract first then add, otherwise you might find one drop too little, two drops too much.




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What can I substitute for beer in beer cheese?

Expert Tips: It creates a great depth of flavor. You can substitute a lager, pilsner, or even a non-alcoholic beer, but the flavor profile will be a bit more mild. We prefer a sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe.

Does beer cheese soup have alcohol in it?

According to the Nutrition Profiles website, Beer Cheese Soup that contains six servings and only one bottle of beer has only 3 1/2 grams of alcohol -- or about 25 percent -- remaining in the soup. This results in about 0.6 gram of alcohol in each serving. This sum is based on simmering the soup for one hour.

What can you substitute for lager beer?

Easy Substitutions You can use chicken broth, ginger ale, white grape juice, or white wine if your recipe calls for a light beer. Use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or coke instead of dark beer.



Rachael's Beer Cheese Soup




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