I love craft beer. And bread. And my bread machine. And I happened to be unable to attend the craft beer festival here recently so guess what me and my bread maker decided to do instead? Ok, it was just me, the bread maker didn’t really get a say in any of this.
I love cooking with craft beer. I love making the same recipe a number of times, changing the beer that I use to give it a subtly different flavor each time. Bread is the perfect vehicle for this, because those subtle flavors really have a chance to shine through. I made this bread using a bottle of Captain Lawrence IPA, and wound up with a think, hearty bread, but feel free to use any beer you like! The options are really endless here, I’m looking forward to making this in the fall with a Sarnac Pumpkin Ale. The same goes for the cheese, cheddar would go especially well, but experiment with your favorite shredded cheeses!
You can just see that this a dense bread. It was amazing cut into thick slices and served with homemade herb butter!
I used my bread machine to make the dough, but removed it for cooking because I wanted a more traditional shape. If the shape doesn’t matter to you, let it bake in the bread machine!
The recipe is so simple, be sure to check out my equally simple herb butter recipe as well!
- 1 cup of your favorite craft beer
- 1 2/3 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar jack blend)
- 4 cups flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoon butter for brushing finished loaf
- Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Add the cheese along with the beer at the very beginning, even if your machine has a mix in option.
- Set the machine on the white bread cycle for a 2 lb loaf. I used the medium crust setting.
- When the bread is finished, remove from machine and place on a rack to cool. Melt the butter and brush on the finished loaf, then allow to cool completely before slicing.
- As the machine is mixing the dough check on it. If she dough is too stiff add more beer 1 Tablespoon at a time. If it is too sticky add flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- If you would rather bake the bread in the oven set your bread machine to a dough only cycle. Remove the dough when finished, shape on a greased baking pan, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. When the dough has finished rising remove the cover and, using a sharp knife, cut three slashes into the top. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Remove and place on a rack to cool. Brush with melted butter.
This looks amazing! I’ve actually just started baking bread and am still learning the ins and outs of it all. I’m glad I found your simple recipe.
Let me know how it comes out for you! Enjoy!