Guinness Bread

 A few weeks ago, my Kristin invited me over for dinner. It was just a no nonsense Friday night, nothing special going on, perfect night for some delicious home made soup. Not only did she make a tasty and healthy vegetable soup, but she also made a FABULOUS beer bread to go along with it. It got me to thinking, "hey, how come I don't have a beer bread recipe?" So I was inspired to see what different recipes I could find. I didn't want one that used bread flour or yeast because, well, frankly, I never keep them on hand. Clearly this meant that I'd be making a quick bread. I also wanted a recipe that would use an entire bottle of beer. I don't drink beer, so using anything less than the entire bottle would be wasteful. Then I found this recipe on a website called The Black Peppercorn, and it was exactly what I wanted!! It's so easy to make, you don't even need a mixer. Just stir everything together, pop it in the oven, and bake!
 Now, first, let me just say that even though this is not the sort of bread you'd use for sandwiches, this is definitely still a BREAD, not a cake. It does have a little sweetness from the brown sugar, but there is no mistaking that hoppy bite from the beer. It's not overpowering, but it's definitely there. It's fabulous with a schmear of soft butter served alongside a rich and luscious Lamb Stew or any favorite hot and hearty soup. Even better if you toast it first!
 So thank you again to The Black Peppercorn, and of course to my Kristin for the yummy dinner, and also for the inspiration! This is definitely a winner!




3 cups flour 
1/2 tsp salt 
4 tsp baking powder 
1/3 cup oats 
2/3 cup dark brown sugar 
12 oz Guinness 
1 tbsp oats 
1 tbsp butter



Preheat oven at 350ºF.
Grease a loaf pan with the 1 tbs butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, 1/3 cup oats and brown sugar. Slowly beat the Guinness into the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on the low setting. Do not over mix the batter, but make sure that it is not too lumpy. Pour the batter in the greased loaf pan and sprinkle the 1 tbsp of oats on top. Bake the bread for 50 minutes. The bread is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack until it is room temperature.


Tips:
Not a fan of Guinness? Use whatever kind of dark beer you like! And don't forget that little sprinkle of oats over the top. It adds great texture and chew!