Cheese should buffer and mask any bitterness.....
Is your recipe anything more than beer, cheese and seasonings?
Lager isn't bitter to my taste....have someone else taste it....maybe your "taster" is off kilter. That happens to me now and then.
You could also add a but of sugar to a small dish of it and see if that tastes right to you....wouldn't to me....but you may like it.
H! Just a thought! Did you use dry mustard? and was it a brand other than Coleman's? Mustard is often bitter.

Thanks for replying. The soup consists of potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, parsley cooked in 1 can of beer and 1 can of water until veggies are tender. Thicken with flour and 1 1/2 cups milk, add velvetta. I think the Velvetta is the problem. I don't like it but I thought I would stick to the recipe.
I think I have helped the flavor quite a lot by adding sharp cheddar as that has helped cut the bitter taste.
Of course, if you have any other ideas they would be welcome.

pump toad:

Stir it up. Take about a half cup out.
Add a little sugar to it and give a taste test.
See if that helps !

LOU

I'm not going to criticize the recipe....but think you will like something like Ken Haedrick's better....and you can sub beer for some of the chicken broth if you wish.
My rule of thumb is never use water for a soup starter unless you are cooking dry beans or a pot of bones for broth.
And remember a cheese soup is only as good as the cheese you use in it.....and velveeta is not "good" cheese. LOL!

The flavor is virtually the same; it�s just thinner, though still quite full-bodied, Ken Haedrich says.
Ingredients for cheddar bisque

*
1 1/2 cups peeled potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
*
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
*
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
*
1 cup finely chopped onions
*
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
*
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
*
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
*
1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
*
1/4 teaspoon salt
*
1/8 teaspoon Coarsely ground black pepper
*
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* Prep Time - 5
* Cook Time - 28

Instructions

1. Combine potatoes and broth in a large stockpot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir into potato mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
3. Add milk and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in mustard and about half the cheese. Stir until melted. Add remaining cheese. Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Ken Haedrich�s Soup Makes the Meal (Harvard Common Press, 2001).
Nutritional Info (per serving)

* Calories 330

Drat.... I have made a chowder with beer and it is bitter. Damn

Bitter flavor from the beer I used is ruining my chowder. I have used a chicken stock, I don't have the prawns in yet. But I am searching for salvation.

I wonder if all the alcohol has evaporated. Can you boil it for about 2 minutes, cool completely and taste again?

Alcohol in savory foods can produce a bitter flavor so it helps to "burn" it off. So glad all that work and ingredients didn't go to waste!

Moral of the story....taste the beer, or wine, before you cook with it.

Frankly I can't imagine that the alcohol in the beer is causing any bitterness. Beer is made with hops, which are b y nature bitter....some beers contain more hops than others and are said to be a "hoppy beer"...you probably wouldn't like them as a base for your soup.

I wonder if adding a chopped apple might offset the bitter?