Cheddar Bratwurst Soup with Pumpkin Ale

In this house we love pumpkin and we love beer. And I love cheese.
We found this recipe to incorporate them all!

yield: 6 servings

ingredients
4 uncooked bratwurst
1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 tsp caraway seeds
3 tbs flour
1 12oz bottle of pumpkin ale (I used Terrapin Pumpkinfest)
32oz chicken stock
1C water
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
⅓ C half and half
1 tsp mustard powder
2C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
big handful fresh dill, chopped
salt & black pepper to taste

directions

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Brown the bratwurst on all sides.
3. Add ½ cup of water to the pan, cover, and steam the sausages for about 15 minutes.
4. Remove cover, and remove sausages from the pan; set aside.
5. Saute the onion, carrots, and caraway seeds in pot for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
7. Pour in the beer, chicken stock, remaining water; whisk to combine the flour and liquid.
8. Add in the potatoes and bay leaves.
9. Cook for 30 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are cooked but not mushy.
10. Remove the bay leaves and add the worcestershire sauce, half and half, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
11. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or puree part of the soup in a blender) quickly, to puree part of the soup but to still leave it chunky. 
12. Slice the sausages and add them to the pot.
13. Slowly stir in the cheddar, stirring until it has completely melted and the soup is smooth. 
14. Stir in the fresh dill.
15. Enjoy!