Each year summer comes, the temps rise and the grocery stores put on their A-game trying to get you to buy beer with their end of the aisle displays of all the fun summertime brews. And each year, I’m a total sucker for it.
This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if there were two of us who actually drank beer in the house to tackle the 24 summery bottles but as I’ve discussed before, Ulysses won’t touch the stuff. I think I’ve seen him with a bud light lime (which barely even deserves to be classified as beer) once or twice in the heat of the summer. I try to get him to like it by buying things with names like “blackberry wheat” but one sip in and he just looks at me like “really? this shit does not taste like blackberries, Gina”. My response is usually an eye roll and some backhanded insult about his lack of manliness while grabbing the bottle and taking a nice long chug.
I’ll start off strong and usually have 3-4 bottles of the case a week after bringing it home but then it loses its appeal and weeks/months go by before I remember to drink another and before I know it, it’s the following May and there’s one lonely beer bottle left on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
I don’t really know the shelf life for beer, but I’m going to assume 8-9 months is expecting a bit much. So instead of drinking it, I baked with it.
If you think regular fresh baked bread is good, add bacon, peppers, scallions, sun dried tomatoes, a huge pile of cheddar cheese and beer to it and then tell me your thoughts.
Un-freakin real.
It’s like a very moist cornbread loaded with everything savory and good and with a hint of beer. No yeast, no rising, no kneading, no fuss.
And now that the last bottle is gone, I can go buy this year’s case.
- 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 strips bacon
- 3 tablespoons scallions, chopped
- ½ small yellow pepper, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
- 2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar, grated and divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 oz. beer
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons agave
- ½ teaspoon hot chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with baking spray.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside to drain on a paper towel, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Saute peppers and scallions in bacon grease until softened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chili powder and smoked paprika and whisk together.
- In a small bowl combine beer, buttermilk and agave and whisk together.
- Pour wet ingredients into large bowl with dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just incorporated.
- Chop up bacon now that it’s cooled.
- Add bacon, pepper & scallion mixture with the leftover bacon grease from the pan, sun dried tomatoes, rosemary and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and fold into dough until just incorporated.
- Spread dough into loaf pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheese on top and bake again for another 20-25 minutes until cheese is golden and bread is cooked through.
- Let cool in loaf pan for 20 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
This bread slices so nicely and the ingredients look to be so equally dispersed in each slice. Picture perfect! I’m thinking that this has the makings of a complete meal. Thus, I can eat half a loaf. Cha-ching
Umm yes please.
Although I can’t drink (most) beers, all the fun names and flavors that my friends love always intrigue me. I have a sneaky feeling they don’t taste exactly like golden wheat and raspberries but its good marketing. And I’ve made beer bread once a few years back… incredible stuff! I bet you could get all fancy with different beers adding subtle flavors to the bread too.
**PRINT**
the husband will love me for it.
If you really did just print it…FYI I forgot to mention when to put the spices in! It’s been edited now. Granted, I’m sure you could’ve figured it out
I baked with craft beer this weekend too!! I baked mine into a pizza crust – and it was like you said, ah-mazing! I will definitely try your bread. The hubby will LOVE it
(and I probably will too!)
Oh this sounds incredible! Look at all those lovely flavours! It’s like a complete meal in a slice of bread.
Gina, have you ever tried any Pacific Northwest beers? Widmer Brothers, Deschutes, Red Hook… Those are all really good… They have great porters, stouts, and pale ales. I love how this cornbread is laden with vegetables! The slices look so pretty.
I’ve been too a few breweries out there when traveling for work so I’ve had a couple but I’m a total beer novice. Like to drink it, but really have no idea of “what’s good”. Learning more about beer and wine is on my life list of things to do. I feel like now that I have Sonoma/Napa under my belt, beer is next!
Holy moly that sounds awesome! We make bread with beer soemtimes. Definitely going to show the fiance this recipe!
oh my gosh – this sounds DIVINE. I have always had a soft pot for some bacon
Beer bread is a staple in my house, especially during the cold fall and winter months.
It just is so dang cozy. If food, especially bread, could ever be classified as such
Really great idea. It is very interesting post. Thanks for sharing this
love t so much.
I would love this bread! Not the biggest fan of beer, but I am betting with all the cheese it would taste fantastic!!
I don’t like beer either but I’m all for baking with it… add bacon and cheese and yeah I’m happy.
I would eat the slices with a beer and laugh heartily whilst your hubs drinks his cosmo.
I’d like a savory slice of that goodness! Yum!
Any bread without yeast is a win in my book – I might have to make this with faux bacon.
Beer bread never lasts long in my house. I can’t imagine if I add cheddar, bacon and all of this goodness to it. Love this!
Okay both you and Jessica have bread with bacon in it today. Not a bacon fan but both of your breads looks amazing and if I was into bread + bacon, this would be so up my alley. Gorgeous PICS!!
Looks delicious. Awesome way to use up beer. I almost bought some beer called the Underworld. Just because of the name and cool label. haha. Instead I stuck with my regular.
Hope you had a great weekend, Gina!
I love a strong brew, especially in the heat, but my boyfriend rarely touches a beer either. However the second I mention cheese and bacon, he’s totally game! Looks awesome!
I needed this on Sunday morning
Oh this is just PERFECTION Gina!!
Love homemade breads! I’ve never tried them myself before (I still have nightmares from when I cooked Angel food cake and it didn’t rise!) I know- bread is different. I’ll have to get over my cooking fears and try it
You had me at “no yeast, no rising, no kneading, no fuss”
Mmmm..that sounds amazing.
hehe
As for the beer thing…my husband can share a little of his love of the beverage to yours
wowww this looks and sounds like delicious bread! Great job with this recipe….I love the flavors and ingredients you tend to put together many times, because they’re some of my faves! Like scallions, dried tomatoes, etc. Minus bacon hehe.
There’s always veggie bacon
Thanks, Ellie!
OK, I just tried making a cheesy jalapeno bread with whole wheat flour this morning and it failed(not enough to throw it out, it’s just not too pretty, haha) so I’m jealous of your bread. It looks fantastic. I’m not a fan of beer but I wonder how much this bread actually tastes like beer after it’s baked and mixed with all that good stuff.
It’s really only a hint of the beer. Considering my husband loves it and absolutely despises beer, I think you’d be ok
Sometimes ugly fails are the best if they deter family members from eating which just leaves more for you! 
haha i like the way you think — baking with beer! I don’t like drinking beer all too much so what a great way to use up alllll of jason’s beer! lol he’d kill me…but with a bread this good looking, there is NO way he can blame me!! he’d be head over heels with this bread to think to yell at me stealing his beer for baking
I do the same thing with beer! I always have a couple left, that I don’t want to drink. Never thought to bake bread with it. I usually just boil brats in it. Totally going to try this next time!
My husband would totally give me an eyebrow raise when I took his beer for a recipe…but I know he’d be happy with the results of this one!
Wow! You had me a bacon! Gorgeous clicks and a winner of a recipe.
Wow! You had me at bacon! Gorgeous clicks and a winner of a recipe.
I made this with ‘blueberry’ beer also and my family LOVED it. This was so easy and fun to make! Thank you so much for the recipe
So glad you liked it! Blueberry beer sounds delicious, I might’ve stolen a swig or two for myself