Beer. Bacon. Macaroni and cheese. Comfort food doesn't get much more comforting than this! This easy recipe has a little bit of something for everyone, so it's sure to be a huge hit at any potluck. It's easy to make, too – in fact, this version of beer and bacon mac and cheese is so easy that it only uses one pot!

This is also a fun recipe to play with. Try different types of beers to evoke slightly different flavors. A pale ale or pilsner brew blends smoothly, but why not up the ante with a robust stout? Try a Guinness and see what the roasted flavor does for your taste buds. Or try substituting ginger ale for a non-alcoholic brightness.

8 strips of bacon
16 oz elbow macaroni
3 tbsp butter or bacon fat
3 tbsp flour
1 cup beer of your choice
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Black pepper and coarse salt, to taste

1. Set aside about eight strips of cooked, chopped bacon and 16 ounces of slightly undercooked elbow macaroni.

2. Melt three tablespoons of butter (or bacon fat) in the pasta pot over medium heat, then add an equal amount of flour; stir and cook until smooth, about five minutes. 

3. Add a cup of your chosen beer and a cup of sour cream. When the mixture is at a low boil and beginning to thicken, slowly add two cups of freshly shredded mild cheddar cheese. 

4. When cheese is fully melted, add bacon and pasta and stir. Serve with black pepper and coarse salt.

As mentioned, using different beers will produce slightly different flavors, but it's not hard to change the entire character of this dish. Smoky Gouda cheese with pepper bacon balanced with a mild, wheat-based beer will give it some pizzazz. To sweeten things up, swap a cup of cream and four ounces of cream cheese for the sour cream, then use mozzarella cheese and applewood-smoked bacon with a fruit-based ale.

Beer. Bacon. Macaroni and cheese. You can't go wrong. Please SHARE this recipe by adding it to your collection, then let us know how you liked it in the comments!

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