In heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat to medium.
Add the onions, carrots and celery and sauté for about 6 minutes until a little tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute and then add the cabbage and mushrooms. Continue to cook for another couple minutes until you start to see the bottom of the pan beginning to caramelize.
Sprinkle to flour to the tops of veggies and gently combine until you don't see any more flour.
To deglaze the pot with the veggies, add the stewed tomatoes and scrape the bottom of the pan. Add salt to taste, thyme, black pepper and cook another couple minutes until it starts to simmer.
To the simmering pot, add the remaining beer and the beef stock and stir. Make sure to continue to scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure the browned bits are incorporated into the broth. Bring to a simmer. Add the beef with all the juices, then add the potatoes. Add the bay leaves. Taste the broth and add more seasoning if needed.
Add parsley to the top of the stew, cover and simmer on very low heat for one hour.