This post is seriously overdue. I made this cheddar-beer bread way back at the end of October. I'm sure it can be tailored to suit any time of year, but I made it with Octoberfest and thought it was absolutely perfect for fall. People say that you can't really taste the beer in beer bread, but you definitely can in this one.
I turned to awesome baker and blogger Joanne from Eats Well With Others for a beer bread recipe and tweaked it just slightly for the outcome I was looking for. While her bread features Parmesan and black pepper and sounds amazing, I really wanted to cross the comfort food line even more and filled mine with shredded cheddar. I also opted to bake mini loaves, which I thought would be perfect for snacking on or making mini sandwiches with. (Serving suggestion: open-face pulled pork sammies.)
For the original recipe, head over to Eats Well With Others! To make my version, use Octoberfest instead of Mexican beer and substitute 4 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese for the Parmesan and pepper. Once the batter is mixed, follow the directions below to portion and bake the mini loaves.
Grease and line four mini loaf pans with parchment paper. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter among the pans.
Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter and brush it over the tops of the loaves.
Bake the loaves at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, rotating halfway through baking. (Sprinkle some extra shredded cheddar on top of each loaf toward the end of the baking time, if desired.)
Remove the loaves from their pans and let them cool slightly (or completely) on a wire rack. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. (The texture of the bread is best the day it's baked.)
How would you winterize this beer bread?