Beer Bread Classic Recipe

By Kitchenistic

05 Dec 2019

Beer is no doubt one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverages across different continents in the world and likewise, bread is arguably the most common man-made food that has been feeding people of all ages. When joined together, these masterpieces create another staple piece known as beer bread. As the name suggests, beer bread, though it appears like any other bread, has an actual beer in it. Simply put, it’s any bread baked with beer as part of the ingredients. A classic beer bread recipe is all you need to enjoy your oven-fresh bread and it’s also very easy to prepare and with just a few ingredients. Continue reading for the best classic beer bread recipe.

How is Beer Bread Made?

Interestingly, both beer and bread share similarities in the process by which they are processed. For beers, yeast turns sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol while on the other hand; most part of the alcohol evaporates during the baking process for bread. This is probably why you can’t exactly get drunk on beer bread.

Before we reveal how to make beer bread, it is important to note that the kind of beer you use for your beer bread influences the leavening and how it rises. In view of this, after the baking process, your homemade beer bread can be heavy, unleavened, or light (depending on your choice of beer) but be rest assured, it will have a taste of your favorite beer. A fruit-flavored beer naturally produces a fruity bread while a dark ale or bitter beers will leave you with a more intense taste, so, choose wisely.

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Sliced loaf of beer bread

Beer Bread Ingredients

Homemade beer bread is one of the easiest things you can whip up in the kitchen and it doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to prepare. Beer Bread ingredients are things you can easily find in the house. For a tasty loaf of beer bread, the following items should be on your shopping list:

3 cups bread flour (all-purpose will also work)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 ounce can or bottle of beer (choose your favorite!)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

Of course, to put the beer bread ingredients to good use, you need a few pieces of kitchen equipment, including an oven, a bowl, as well as baking pan to mix and complete the baking process. You are now all set to make a loaf of chewy homemade beer bread.

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Easy Beer Bread Recipe: How To Make Beer Bread

When your beer bread ingredients are gathered together, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease a loaf pan before you start mixing. First, mix the dry ingredients – sugar, baking powder, salt, and flour together in a large bowl that leaves room for easy movement. When the dry ingredients are evenly whisked together, add beer while still mixing. A wooden spoon can be used in the beginning but then, when the beer is in, your hands will do a better job in mixing the dough to the desired texture. This helps your beer bread turn out well. When the mixture is ready for the next and final stage, you will have a sticky batter that will now be poured into a 9 x 5 inch greased loaf pan.

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Melt the butter and then pour it over the mixture if you desire a crunchy buttery crust, if not, the butter can be mixed in together with the batter rather simply than pouring it on the top; The latter procedure gives you a softer crust. After pouring the batter in the pan, bake for 50 to 60 minutes at a heat level of 350 degrees F (175 degrees ).

At the scheduled time, remove the loaf from the pan and leave to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes to allow the bread to settle fine. The result would be a crunchy top with soft insides if you poured the melted butter on the batter before baking. Otherwise, if you mixed the butter with the batter before baking, expect a traditional softer crust. Either way, this easy beer bread recipe hardly disappoints.

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Important Things to Note When Preparing Your Beer Bread Recipe

Sifting flour is not negotiable if you want your bread to turn out well.
The type of beer you chose influences the taste and appearance of your beer bread. Always go for your favorite brand to ensure desirable results.
Without an additional leavening agent aside from the yeast that often comes with the beer, a beer bread can become sturdy.
A stout or dark beer gives you a darker bread and strong taste but there are flavored beers for sweeter results. The choice is yours.
To spice things up, you are free to use additional flavors like cheddar and dill, sun-dried tomato, herbs, garlic, as well as feta among others. The ones you chose will go in with the mix of dry ingredients.
When you use additional flavors, be sure to finish the bread quickly before the flavorings become enhanced.
If you are skeptical about using beer, non-alcoholic drinks can suffice but don’t forget to add dry yeast to ensure a smooth rise during the baking process.
For easy substitutes in case you don’t want to use beer, chicken broth, ginger ale, white grape juice, or white wine can work the magic.
Beer bread box mixes are available for easy bear bread preparation but mixing the ingredients by yourself is not hard either. No matter how you look at it, making beer bread is quite an easy task.

Best Way To Eat Beer Bread

Beer bread is good for a lot of things. You can slice it up and spread with butter or cheese (depending on how your weight influences your eating habits). If you are watching your waistline, this option might not be the best. Beer bread can also be cut in attractive cubes and eaten with chili and soup or immersed in a spinach or cheese dip. It can also be eaten with meat and all kinds of barbecue as a side dish.

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Tankard of kvass and rye breads with ears