Zero Waste Beer Bread

Yeast can be hard to find package free, so I improvised and used a bottle of beer I had leftover in the fridge to create this simple Zero Waste Beer Bread recipe!

| Simple Zero Waste beer bread recipe |

I had been wanting to make my own bread for a while, but hadn’t been able to find a Zero Waste recipe which didn’t require yeast. Sourdough is a popular option to make bread along with a multitude of other recipes. However, it does require some care to culture and maintain your sourdough mixture. Not really the lazy option I wanted.

Looking for something easier I stumbled across a beer bread recipe, which was perfect as we had a bottle of beer which had been sitting in the fridge untouched. This was the perfect Zero Waste option as the glass bottle could be recycled, plus it didn’t call for many ingredients.

Using the ingredients I already had on hand, I managed to throw together flour, beer and butter to create my first ever loaf of bread!

Beer bread is beautifully dense yet soft with a crunchy crust, the perfect accompaniment to soups, as a side dish or just only its own, warm and slathered in butter.

Feel free to add whatever other ingredients you desire to customise your beer bread. Favourites are savoury mix-ins of cheese and herbs or sweet additions of fruit and spices. Add a spoonful or two of honey to help sweeten your loaf if that's what you prefer.

Play around with different beers and ciders to find what one tastes good to you! The type of beer you choose to use will determine how strong the beer taste is in the bread. Choose a milder brew if you’re not too big of a beer fan.

| Zero Waste beer bread with only three ingredients |

Zero Waste Beer Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Self raising flour

• 1 bottle (375ml) Room temperature beer

• ¼ cup Butter

Optional

• 1 tablespoon Honey for a sweeter loaf

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Sift flour. Do not skip this step or your bread will turn out like a brick!

3. Add beer (and honey if using) and lightly mix, being careful not to over mix the dough

4. Pour into greased bread tin

5. Dollop butter on top of dough

6. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the thickest point of the bread. Remove and check for any dough sticking to it, if so bake for another 10 minutes and test again. If the toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs clinging to it, the bread is ready.

7. Slice your Zero Waste beer bread and lather it with butter to enjoy it best while it's still warm!

| Zero Waste beer bread perfect for a picnic |

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Let me know how you go with this Zero Waste beer bread recipe!