Beer Bread with a Buttery Crust
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Stir, pour, bake. No yeast, no rising, just a bottle of beer and a crust brushed with melted butter. Give it ten minutes in the pan before you cut, if the family lets you.
The short version
Whisk flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt, stir in a bottle of beer and melted butter just until moistened, pour into a 9×5-inch pan, brush with butter, and bake at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Pour butter over the top. A spoonful of melted butter over the batter fries the crust as it bakes, so you get a crisp, golden top instead of a pale one.
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Fold in rolled oats. A half cup of oats adds chew and a toasty flavor that holds up next to the beer.
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Pick a lager or amber ale. A mild beer tastes malty and bready. Very hoppy beers can turn bitter once baked.
What you need
the stars of the show
- All-purpose flour3 cups
- Old-fashioned rolled oats½ cup
- Sugar or honey2 tablespoons
- Unsalted butter2 tablespoons
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Heat the oven, grease the pan
Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or oil.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt until evenly mixed, so the baking powder doesn't clump in one spot.
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Add beer and butter
Pour in the beer and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Fold with a spatula just until no dry flour shows. The batter will be thick and lumpy, and it will fizz a little.
Stop stirring as soon as the flour is wet. More mixing makes a tougher, denser loaf.
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Pan it and butter the top
Scrape the batter into the pan, spread it level, and pour the remaining tablespoon of melted butter over the top.
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Bake until deep golden
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick pushed all the way to the bottom of the center comes out clean.
Test the middle, not the edge. A top can brown long before the center sets.
About 38 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool, then slice
Let the loaf cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack. Wait at least another 20 minutes before slicing; it's still setting, and warm bread crumbles.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Dark beer makes a deeper, maltier loaf. A stout works but tastes strong, so start with a brown ale if you're unsure.
- For a cheese loaf, add ½ cup diced sharp Cheddar, ¼ cup sliced scallions and 2 teaspoons caraway seeds to the dry ingredients.
- Gluten-free flour blends and flat beer both change the rise, so use a fresh, fizzy beer.
- Storage. Wrapped at room temperature, 2 to 3 days. Freeze sliced up to 3 months; toast from frozen. To refresh the whole loaf, warm it at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Does the alcohol bake out of beer bread?
Most of it does, but not all. A baked loaf retains a small amount, so use a non-alcoholic beer if you need to avoid it entirely.
Can I make beer bread without beer?
Yes. Use 1½ cups of club soda or sparkling water for a plainer loaf, or buttermilk with ½ teaspoon baking soda added to the dry ingredients.
Why is my beer bread dense?
Usually it was overmixed, the baking powder was old, or the beer was flat. Fold only until the flour disappears and check that your baking powder is under six months old.
Why does my beer bread taste bitter?
A hoppy beer such as an IPA gets more bitter in the oven. Use a lager, pale ale or amber ale.
How do I know when beer bread is done?
A toothpick inserted to the bottom of the center comes out clean, and the top is a deep golden brown. That's 35 to 45 minutes at 400°F.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
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Published October 29, 2026.