Beer Bread

When I got the idea for this blog, I knew right away that I would want to share some ideas for cooking with beer. One of the first ideas that came to mind was beer bread, which I've seen numerous references to online. I love baking bread, especially quick breads that don't need time to rise. The idea behind beer bread is that both beer and bread are created with yeast, so using beer to make bread takes a step out of the process (and adds great flavor!).


For Christmas, one of the many beer related gifts Joe received was the Brewpub Cookbook, by Daria Labinsky and Stan Hieronymus. I would refer you to the link on Amazon, but it looks like this book is no longer being published. It is a really fun book, though, especially for brewpub junkies like Joe and me! The book includes recipes from Wynkoop, my family's favorite place in Denver, and Goose Island, which I've already told you all about. There are also recipes from 75th Street Brewery in Kansas City, Schlafly Tap Room in St Louis, and from plenty of other breweries we have yet to visit.


This beer bread recipe is from Walnut Brewery in Boulder, CO. It is the original location for the Rock Bottom chain of brew pubs, which can be found around the country. The bread is dense and chewy, with a slightly sweet flavor. The cheese and scallions scattered throughout the dough are a tasty treat, especially when the bread is made into a turkey sandwich. Waaaay better than the 100 calorie sandwich rounds we usually make our sandwiches on! I made this loaf with some of our home brewed wheat beer, but love that the bread will change character depending on the type of beer you use. A spiced ale or dark stout beer would give this bread a totally different flavor, and I intend to play around with different combinations.

Walnut Brewery Beer Bread
from The Brewpub Cookbook, by D. Labinsky and S. Hieronymus

yield: 2 loaves (but if you only have one loaf pan, like me, halving the recipe works just fine)

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sliced green onions
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp salt
4 cups beer
8 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
oil as needed


Preheat your oven to 350. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray (or butter them with a paper towel).

Mix cheese, green onions, sugar, and salt together. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder together. Add beer to cheese mixture, then add the flour mixture into the cheese mixture until thoroughly combined.

Place into loaf pans, and brush with oil. Bake for 1o to 15 minutes. Rotate bread and finish baking for 40 to 45 minutes.