Quick Sourdough Beer Bread
My quick sourdough beer bread can be whipped up in less than 1 hour! It’s simple and made completely from-scratch. My husband and I love having it as a side with beef stew and our favorite soup recipes. Its quick-bread texture is dense, perfect for dipping. I hope this recipe replaces store-bought beer bread mix in your home, like it has in ours!
This recipe contains alcoholic beer, and while most of it bakes off, it’s not guaranteed. Please use discretion when serving. This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
If you want to make this recipe but don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries! Grab my free guide so you can make your own starter at home.
If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
Inspiration Behind My Sourdough Beer Bread
While the weather has been chilly, I’ve been making soups for supper, which means there’s usually a sourdough side. As much as I love garlic knots, buttered bread slices, and dinner rolls, I wanted another option to whip up.
That’s when I thought of beer bread! When I was younger, I remember my mom making a few loaves for supper and I really enjoyed it.
So I wanted to try my hand at making it from scratch with my sourdough starter! This recipe has become a fun fall and winter side that I serve alongside our favorite soups. It’s cozy and gives you something a little unique to enjoy!
Why We Love This Bread and Think You Will Too!
- Wholesome Ingredients: Each ingredient is wholesome, especially when using organic!
- Made From Scratch: No box mix needed for this recipe; it’s completely from scratch!
- Simple Steps: Each step is beginner-friendly and fuss-free!
- Quick Sourdough Bread: You can whip this bread up in less than 1 hour, no kneading or rising necessary.
Why Make Beer Bread with Sourdough Discard
When you make beer bread with sourdough discard, you get fermentation benefits from the sourdough starter’s cultures. If you cold ferment the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking, those cultures ferment the other ingredients. This cold fermentation is optional but adds even more fermentation benefits!
My Tips for Making Quick Sourdough Beer Bread
- Read the full recipe before getting started so you know what to expect.
- Whisk ingredients just until combined; avoid over-mixing.
- As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, brush the top with butter to soften the crust.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before removing it.
How to Choose Beer for Beer Bread
You will want to look for a can or bottle (bottle is best) of light beer. Most of the popular beer brands are considered light beer. But you want to avoid IPAs or dark beers for this recipe.
If you’re like my husband and me and don’t want to purchase an entire case of beer, you can find just 1 bottle or 1 can for this recipe. My husband gets our single bottle/can at Dollar General or a nearby gas station for this bread. You could also check your grocery store.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements
- sourdough discard: fed starter works too
- light beer: canned or bottled
- raw honey: you could also swap this for pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup
- melted butter: I like to use salted but you can use unsalted
- all-purpose flour: I like to use organic, unbleached but you can use any all-purpose
- sea salt: this adds the best flavor to the bread
- baking soda: this will help the bread rise just a little
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
Variations Ideas
- add shredded cheddar cheese for a cheesy beer bread
- add garlic and onion powder for extra flavor in the dough
- brown the butter before adding it in for a unique twist
- dice up some jalapenos and add them into the batter for jalapeno beer bread
- use a non-alcoholic beer instead of alcoholic
How to Make Sourdough Beer Bread
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour a metal loaf pan (approximately 9″x5″) then turn it upside down to remove excess flour. Set aside.
Add sourdough discard, beer, honey, and melted butter to a large mixing bowl. Whisk just until combined.
Add in flour, salt, and baking soda (except baking soda if you’re planning to do the optional ferment in the next step). Stir just until combined. Do not over-mix! It will be a thick dough that’s sticky.
OPTIONAL: If you’d like to long ferment the batter for more sourdough fermentation benefits, pause the recipe and let the bowl of dough sit in the fridge, covered, for 12-24 hours before continuing. When you’re ready to continue stir in the baking soda and proceed.
Use your hands or a spatula to move dough into prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Brush top with butter immediately after baking and let cool on a cooling rack, in the pan, for 10 minutes. After cooled, remove from pan and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
My Favorite Way to Serve Beer Bread
I love serving this quick sourdough bread alongside soups, fried chicken, and a few other dishes. Here are my favorites:
- Savory Pumpkin Chicken Soup
- Oven-Baked Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
- Roasted Apple Butter Chicken Breast
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup
- Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
How to Store Homemade Beer Bread
Store beer bread in a, preferably glass, airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge.
Freezing & Thawing Instructions
Freeze bread in an airtight, freezer-safe container, preferably glass, for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.
My Favorite Way to Warm Beer Bread
I love popping a few slices in the toaster or the oven for a few minutes to reheat them. It makes the leftover slices so delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure, you can make any sourdough bread with beer. Just substitute the liquid for beer in the recipe.
I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it, but I know you need some kind of sourdough starter for it to be real sourdough bread.
Any light beer is best for beer bread. These include lagers, ales, and pilsners. Dark beers and IPAs cause a strong beer flavor and can make the bread bitter.
You can use either fed or discard. It doesn’t matter which one.
I don’t recommend adding beer to your actual sourdough starter. You should only feed your starter flour and water.
Beer bread is a quick bread, which means it doesn’t get kneaded, and the dough doesn’t bulk ferment or rise. This results in a denser bread texture, which is normal. To help prevent it from being excessively dense, you’ll want to mix the batter only until combined.
Not for my recipe. It can be cold.
This recipe contains alcoholic beer, and while most of it bakes off, it’s not guaranteed. Please use discretion when serving.
More Sourdough Quick Bread Recipes
If you’re looking for more quick sourdough bread recipes, try a few of these:
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Recipe
Quick Sourdough Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (fed starter works too)
- 1 1/4 cup light beer (canned or bottled)(you can also use non-alcoholic beer)
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 4 Tbsp melted butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour a metal loaf pan (approximately 9"x5") then turn it upside down to remove excess flour. Set aside.
- Add sourdough discard, beer, honey, and melted butter to a large mixing bowl. Whisk just until combined.
- Add in flour, salt, and baking soda (except baking soda if you're planning to do the optional ferment in the next step). Stir just until combined. Do not over-mix! It will be a thick dough that's sticky.
- OPTIONAL: If you’d like to long ferment the batter for more sourdough fermentation benefits, pause the recipe and let the bowl of dough sit in the fridge, covered, for 12-24 hours before continuing. When you're ready to continue stir in the baking soda and proceed.
- Use your hands or a spatula to move dough into prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Brush top with butter immediately after baking and let cool on a cooling rack, in the pan, for 10 minutes. After cooled, remove from pan and enjoy!
Video
I made the beer bread tonight and can’t stop eating it! I put butter and pineapple Serrano jelly on it. I think it will go over good as an appetizer at Easter.😊
I’m so happy you love this recipe! The pineapple serrano jelly sounds like a delicious addition! What a great idea for an Easter appetizer😊
Hi! I made this, my dough did not really double, when I baked did not get a good rise. I made couple days ago, and just cut into it, and it’s somewhat gummy. Please help!
Hi Bobbi, this recipe is for a quick beer bread. It is not supposed to double. Your bread can will come out gummy if you’ve over mixed the batter or if it wasn’t baked until fully cooked. Sometimes our oven temperatures can vary and baked goods need a few extra minutes. Make sure a toothpick comes out clean before taking it out of the oven.