Cook the bacon - In a big ol’ Dutch oven (bonus points if it’s the one you “borrowed” from your mom 10 years ago), cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, but leave the magical bacon fat.

Sauté your veg - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook until softened and smelling like cozy soup season. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Butter + flour = roux magic - Add the butter and let it melt into the veggies. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir until it looks like a weird vegetable paste. This is what thickens the soup — trust the process.

Add the broth and beer - Slowly whisk in the broth, scraping up all the browned bits (those are flavor confetti). Pour in the beer and let the whole thing simmer for 5–7 minutes.

Add the potatoes - Stir in the diced potatoes and cook until they’re tender, about 10–15 minutes.

Milk, cream, and cheese time - Lower the heat and add the milk, cream, smoked paprika, Dijon, and dry mustard. Then add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. If it looks too thick, add a splash more milk or broth. If it looks too thin, keep simmering and pretend you meant to do that.

Season and serve - Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the crispy bacon, chives, extra cheese, or all of the above.