Classic Beer Bread has only 4 ingredients: self-rising flour, white sugar, melted butter, and beer. It mixes in minutes and bakes in an hour.
Classic Beer Bread is a super delicious dense quick bread that smells and tastes like yeast bread and is seriously the easiest bread you can make. It is wonderful with soups and stews or just on its own with soft butter and honey.
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Beer bread gets its name and its flavor from the beer in the batter. With just 4 ingredients and a quick and simple mixing, this bread is perfect for beginner bakers and busy cooks. You can measure and mix this bread in just a few minutes and it can bake while you preparing dinner.
While many sources state that this bread is leavened by the yeast in the beer, this is not true. The bread actually gets its rise from baking powder and baking soda contained in the self-rising flour. In short, this is a quick bread and not a yeast bread, although it does have the heavenly aroma and flavor of yeast bread.
This bread has a rich dense crumb loaded with flavor, so the choice of beer is perhaps the most important decision in making this bread. I like using an amber lager or ale which has the flavor of toasted bread and a hint of caramel. But you might like a beer that is more complex. There are lots of choices today. So be sure to use a beer you like!
So, let's BAKE!
Ingredients
Here's what you need for this Classic Beer Bread:
- Self-Rising Flour - Self-rising flour is an all-purpose flour blended with leavenings and salt. It allows a baker to measure only one ingredient instead of four in order to make batters and doughs quickly.
- White Granulated Sugar - You will need a little sweetness and white sugar adds just the right amount.
- Melted Butter - Butter will add richness to the batter. Be sure that it has cooled slightly before adding it.
- Beer - You can use any beer and it is fun to try making this bread with different types. I prefer to use an amber lager like Yuengling. So, choose a beer you like. If it is a very bitter beer you can increase the sugar to make the bread less bitter.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9" x5" x3" loaf pan.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, melted butter, and beer.
Using a silicone spatula spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool for a few minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing it.
You can make your own self-rising flour by adding 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt to every 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
So for this recipe, you will need 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, and 1½ teaspoons of salt. Always sift these ingredients together for the best results.
My Top Tips
You may be wondering "what is the best beer for beer bread?" The answer is there are many brands and types of beer that will be the "best" because this bread will taste different depending on the beer you choose to use.
Be adventurous and feel free to try all different types of lagers and ales. Seasonal flavored beers like "pumpkin spice", "winter spice", or "stone fruit" are fun to try and will change the flavor of the bread to match the season, or perhaps the dish you will pair with beer bread.
Equipment
To make this bread you only need only 4 basic kitchen tools:
- 9"x5" Loaf Pan - A loaf pan will mold the batter into a loaf shape while it bakes.
- Large Mixing Bowl - A large mixing bowl is needed to mix the batter.
- Whisk or Large Spoon - Use a whisk or large spoon to stir the ingredients to make a batter.
- Silicone Spatula - A silicone or rubber spatula makes it easier to get the last bit of batter into the loaf pan and to also smooth the top of the loaf.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Generally, a quick bread made with baking powder and soda is best when eaten within minutes after being baked. But this bread can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored tightly wrapped in cling wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature. It will also keep in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
Not only is this Classic Beer Bread delicious with your favorite soups and stews it also makes great sandwiches and toasts beautifully!
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📖 Recipe
Classic Beer Bread
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan 9" x 5"
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Self-Rising Flour
- 3 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Cup Butter, Melted and Cooled
- 1 ½ Cups Beer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9"x 5"x 3" loaf pan.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, melted butter, and beer.3 Cups Self-Rising Flour, 3 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar, ¼ Cup Butter, 1 ½ Cups Beer
- Using a silicone spatula spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool for a few minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing it.
Encharted Cook Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
