Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup Hits the Mark
Nestled along the Mississippi River in southwestern Wisconsin, Potosi is only a 30-minute drive from Dubuque, Iowa. The National Brewery Museum is interesting. The pub grub is some of the best, and the tidy farmsteads dotting the countryside make rural Grant County equally enchanting.
Andria White and her husband, Jim, make their home on one of these farms. After graduating from the University Wisconsin – Platteville, Andria started farming in partnership with her parents, Mike and Pam Fritz. She became a Latham® dealer in 2010 because it allowed her to put her degree to work by starting her own business while earning additional income to build her livestock herd.
“I enjoy working with an independent family-owned seed company that cares about product development, quality and placement,” Andria says.
After working as an electrician for 27 years, Jim left his own business to help with the couple’s growing livestock enterprises and three children. A&J White Cattle Company raises and sells both registered Red and Black Angus. Andria’s uncle owns the Potosi Brewery’s Production Facility down the road from the Brew Pub and Museum — a side perk for their livestock operation because their cattle rations include spent brewers grains.
When they can get away from the farm, Andria and her father enjoy competing in Cowboy Mounted Shooting.
“My dad and I watched a friend compete in cowboy mounted shooting,” Andria says. “It was leather, guns and horses. It was so exciting – and we were hooked!”
Andria and Mike attended a mounted shooting clinic in 2012. Now they’re members of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association® – the nation’s fastest growing equestrian sport. Mounted contestants compete in this timed event using two, 45 caliber single-action revolvers loaded with five rounds of specially prepared blank ammunition.
“It’s a sport that my dad and I both enjoy,” Andria says. “We compete in different divisions, so we’re there to cheer on one another and share tips. Everyone starts at Level 1. There are also divisions for kids under 18 and seniors over age 50. You must win against so many people in your level before you can advance.”
Although Andria and her father are avid hunters (and her dad used to be on a trap shooting team), she says Cowboy Mounted Shooting is completely different from anything they had experienced. They’ve learned the importance of an easy hammer and the fastest trigger, as well as the value of a good horse.
“Horses that can run fastest on a straightaway aren’t always the best for Cowboy Mounted Shooting because of the turns required,” says Andria, adding that she is blessed to have a Quarter Horse mare that “turns on a dime.” Andria and her mare, Holly, won the buckle for Level 3 at the 2023 National Mounted Cowboy Shooting competition in Nebraska. With enough wins under her belt now, Andria moved into the Level 4 Ladies division.
Whether she has been riding horses or pulling calves, a hearty bowl of Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup hits the target every time. Add a side salad with homemade beer bread, and you have a complete meal!
Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1½ cups chopped carrots, onion and celery
- 1½ teaspoons minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups of your favorite beer (Andria uses “Good Old Potosi” or “Lux”)
- 1/3 cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups Half & Half cream
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped bacon for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté chopped bacon. Drain on towel and set aside.
- Cook carrots, onions, and celery in butter for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add a bit of flour at a time and whisk constantly.
- Next stir in Half & Half cream, beer, broth, mustards and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Then gradually add cheese while stirring.
- Ladle into bowl; garnish with bacon and green onion.
