Beer bread
Beer bread is a quick loaf with no yeast and no kneading: you just stir flour together with a can of beer and pour it into the pan to bake. The bubbles and leftover yeast in the beer help the loaf rise light and tender, the crumb has a gentle malty depth, and the butter-soaked crust bakes up golden and irresistibly crisp.
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Rising or chilling
- 15 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Batter
Butter topping
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 190°C and grease a 12 x 22 cm loaf pan with a thin layer of butter or line it with parchment paper. The batter comes together very quickly, so the oven needs to be hot before you start. The oven is ready when the indicator light goes off and the pan is prepared.
Step 2
Put 375 g all-purpose flour, 25 g granulated sugar, 14 g baking powder and 6 g salt in a large bowl and whisk well. Mixing the dry ingredients first spreads the baking powder throughout so the loaf rises evenly. The mixture is ready when it is light, evenly colored and free of lumps.
Step 3
Pour 355 g room-temperature beer into the center of the bowl along with 25 g melted unsalted butter and fold with a flat spatula just until everything is moistened. Overmixing makes the crumb chewy and full of long tunnels. The batter is ready when it is thick, sticky and still a little lumpy, with no pockets of dry flour.
Step 4
Spoon the batter into the pan, smooth the top, then drizzle 30 g melted unsalted butter evenly over it. The butter seeps down the edges and creates a crunchy, fragrant crust. The pan is ready when the batter fills the corners and the butter coats the whole top in a glossy layer.
Step 5
Bake at 190°C for 50 to 60 minutes until the top is golden brown and slightly cracked in the middle. The long bake cooks this dense crumb all the way to the center. The bread is done when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
Step 6
Leave the bread in the pan for about fifteen minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool further before slicing. Some steam needs to escape so the crumb firms up and does not stick to the knife. It is ready when the sides are only warm and a slice shows a light, dry crumb.
Equipment
- Oven
- Loaf pan
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- A light lager gives a mild flavor, while a stout or IPA makes the bread deeper and pleasantly bitter.
- You can stir grated cheddar, scallions or dried herbs into the batter for a savory loaf.
- Beer bread needs no rising time, so it is perfect when you want warm bread to go with soup in under an hour.
Storage
Wrap the bread in a clean towel or paper bag and keep it at room temperature for up to three days. Sliced bread can be frozen for up to a month and toasted in a toaster when you want it.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The crumb is wet and heavy in the middle.
- The bread was not baked long enough or the oven runs cooler than its setting. Bake for ten more minutes, covering the top with foil if the crust is already well browned.
- The loaf does not rise and tastes bitter.
- The baking powder was old, or the beer was too cold and slowed the reaction. Use fresh baking powder and let the beer come to room temperature before mixing.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
