- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 5 cups Irish-style lager (such as Harp®)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 5 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 leek, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 5 cups shredded Irish Cheddar cheese (such as Dubliner®)
- Combine vegetable stock and lager in a stock pot; season with salt and black pepper; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook potatoes in the simmering stock mixture until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stir cream, leek, garlic, and thyme into the stock mixture; bring to a boil, return heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer another 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle cayenne pepper into the soup. Melt cheese into the soup 1 cup at a time while blending with an immersion blender until smooth.