Ina Garten’s Brown Beer Bread is the absolute best beer bread recipe ever (in my most humble opinion, of course). It is moist and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness. Most beer breads are a bit dense and heavy, but this bread is light with a great crumb.
Although the texture is great, the flavor is my absolute favorite thing about this bread…
The beer you choose when making beer bread is the most important part of the process and this recipe uses a Guinness Extra Stout, which offers a super crisp flavor that has the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness. The flavor of this bread is truly delicious and I have officially found my favorite beer bread recipe… and I am quite sure that you will agree.
Let’s get it started..
At this point, you are only about 50 minutes from this bread being fully baked. Yep! This recipe requires no kneading or proofing, so preheat your oven to 450 degrees and butter a 9″x5″ bread pan.
Gather 1 cup of old fashion oats, 2 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 bottle Guinness extra stout beer, 1 cup of whole fat buttermilk, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Combine 2 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 cup of old fashion oats, 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of whole fat buttermilk with 5 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 bottle Guinness extra stout beer.
*Note: Be sure that the buttermilk and beer are at room temperature!
Add the beer and buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. This bread dough will more resemble cake batter, so don’t worry if it seems loose.
Transfer the bread dough into a buttered 9″x5″ bread pan and sprinkle a few oats over the top of the dough.
Place the bread pan onto the center rack of an oven preheated to 450 degrees. As soon as you shut the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 400 and bake the bread for 45 minutes. Be sure to keep the door closed for the first 40 minutes to ensure the heat does not escape. My bread was perfect right at 45 minutes, but you will know your bread is done when a toothpick comes out dry and clean from the center of the loaf.
Once the bread is done baking, transfer it out of the bread pan and directly onto a cooling rack. This bread should be allowed to cool fully before slicing into it, which will be tough with how great it smells fresh out of the oven, but the texture is definitely best when it is allowed to cool before you slice it up.
Once it has come to room temperature, slice it up, spread a little softened salted butter over a piece and get ready to be surprised at just how delicious this brown beer bread really is.
This bread is so good! Today, I made it to go with a big pot of beef stew, but it is great toasted for breakfast or to make a sandwich with some turkey and provolone or even used to make a grilled cheese. This bread is simple, straightforward and truly delicious. Thanks Ina!!
Enjoy!!
Ina's Brown Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashion oats
- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 11-12 ounces Guinness extra stout beer, room temperature
- 1 cup whole fat buttermilk, shaken well, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees
- Evenly spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter throughout the interior of a 9"x5" bread pan and set aside
- Combine 2 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 cup of old fashion oats, 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl and set aside
- Whisk 1 cup of whole fat buttermilk with 5 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 bottle Guinness extra stout beer in a separate bowl until fully combined
- Add the beer and buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is fully incorporated
- Transfer the bread dough into the buttered bread pan
- Sprinkle a few oats over the top of the bread dough
- Place the bread pan onto a center rack in a preheated 450 degree oven and as soon as you shut the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees
- Bake for 45 minutes
- The bread is done with a toothpick comes out of the center dry and clean
- Transfer the baked bread out of the bread pan and directly onto a cooling rack
- Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature
*Thank you Ina Garten for this incredible recipe!
