Bread and beer. Beer and bread. Two of the best carbs known to man.

What’s great about quick loaves is that they’re easy to make, simple to modify and liked by pretty much anyone. I’d been wanting to test out a beer bread recipe for awhile, so this weekend when my dad asked me if I wanted a few Magic Hat beers he didn’t particularly enjoy, I knew exactly what to do with them.

Beer Bread

Prep time: 5 min, total time: 1 hr, yields 1 9×5 loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour*
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 12 ounce can or bottle of full-bodied beer**
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Procedure:

1.Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×5″ loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon. Add the maple syrup and stir until well combined.

3. Slowly stir in the beer, a few ounces at a time. The batter will become sticky. Pour into the loaf pan.

4. Drizzle melted butter on top of the loaf, then bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and eating.

*Do not use pastry flour.

** A strong flavor works best; think stouts, IPAs, etc.

I’d never had beer bread before, so I had no idea what to expect taste-wise, but this came out great. I used Magic Hat’s “Hex Ourtoberfest,” and it has a subtle bitterness and just a slight hint of beer flavor, but also a slight spice from the cinnamon. The bread itself is dense and doughy, much more savory than sweet. The yeast in the beer gives it a bit of a rise, so it feels more like a sandwich bread than a quick loaf.

My dad and I liked it best eaten plain, but had there been more butter in the house that would have amazing. Sliced a little thinner, I can also see it making an amazing base for a grilled cheese sandwich…might have to make it again just to do that :)

Controversial question here: beer or wine? Um, you can’t make bread out of wine. I rest my case.