Bread Machine Beer Cheese Bread

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 10 mins

Servings: 10 servings

Yield: 1 loaf

Beer cheese bread is a flavorful, easy preparation to make and is a wonderful addition to brunch spreads or sandwich bars. Its earthy flavor pairs deliciously with cured meats, strong cheeses, and fatty, heavily seasoned stews and soups. Our recipe for bread machine beer cheese bread requires very little effort on your part and yields a beautiful loaf of crusty golden brown bread. Double the recipe, slice, and freeze the leftover loaf so you can thaw and enjoy this tasty bread any time a carb craving hits.

The beer flavor depends much on the type of beer you use: if adding a lager or pilsner, then the bread will have a mild beer flavor; if using a saison or amber ale, the flavor is more intense but still on the mild side; whereas a stout will give you a strong and boldly flavored beer cheese bread. If this is your first time making beer cheese bread, we recommend you start with a lager and go from there in further experiments with this recipe, also because the cheese added into it pairs better with a milder beer than a stronger one.

As for the alcohol content and calories present in the loaf, beer cheese bread does have alcohol in it and the amount depends, again, on the beer you use. Thus, this bread shouldn’t be fed to pregnant women, kids, or people who abstain from alcohol for dietary or personal reasons. Calculating how much of the alcohol evaporates during baking depends on the type of beer, the baking temperature, and other factors. Likewise, the total calories of the loaf depend on the alcohol content of the chosen beer. A standard beer in the United States has 12 liquid ounces and a lager has an average of 5 to 6 percent ABV, but a stout beer can be anything from 6 to 12 percent, so the difference can be substantial in the end product. Depending on what you use, you can be adding from 100 calories to up to 400 or more! Regardless of calories, don’t miss out on this delicious bread. Accompany it with a steamy bowl of chili or beef stew, or simply eat with a few slices of Munster or aged Gouda. Beer has never been so good!

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

• 3 cups bread flour

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

• 10 ounces beer, room temperature

• 4 ounces American cheese, shredded or diced

• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded or diced

Steps to Make It

1. On the stovetop or in microwave, heat beer and American cheese together until just warm. Cheese doesn't have to melt. Stir to blend.

2. Transfer mixture to the bread machine pan. If it seems too hot, let it cool to warm.

3. Add remaining ingredients, select white bread or basic setting, and push start.