A friend of mine sent me a present from Colorado that was a large beer bottle filled with a mix for beer bread - just add the beer.  This concept of beer bread had me intrigued, so I did a little exploring on the internet and decided I would try out a recipe from Farm Girl Fare.  After many years of my friends trying to get me away from Bud Light, I have finally figured out that my craft beer of choice when going out tends to be an IPA, so I thought I'd use one of the bottles I had in my fridge.  IPA is a very bitter beer, and while I think it's good to drink, my IPA-based beer bread came out a little bitter as well and didn't translate as well to food. A good salty butter, though, improved the taste.  I think the next time I make this recipe, I will try it with something richer like a nut brown ale or maybe even a lager, so there's less beer taste.  Overall, not bad and the recipe for this homemade bread could not be any easier.



Dill and Cheddar Cheese Beer Bread 

Ingredients


  • 3 cups organic all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried)
  • 1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 12 ounces beer
Glaze: 1 egg & 2 teaspoons water, beaten

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, dill, and cheddar in a large mixing bowl. 
  3. Slowly stir in the beer and mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.
  4. Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with the egg glaze and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
  5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.