Guinness Cheddar Beer Bread

A pack of Guinness beer inevitably found its way into my pantry the week before St. Patrick's Day.  I'm not a great fan of drinking Guinness, but I do enjoy the novelty of baking and cooking with it.  With a few hours of notice beforehand, I made cheddar beer bread to bring to a St. Patrick's Day dinner.  The recipe is quick and easy, unique, and unusually dense.  The loaf felt like a brick and had the moist, dense, chewy texture of banana bread.  The Guinness flavor was evident but still subtle.  The cheese gave it a great saltiness and crispiness at its edges. 

Another great use for Guinness is in this lamb stew. :)

Guinness Cheddar Beer Bread
Adapted from theKitchn
Makes one 8 1/2-inch loaf

2 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness beer
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons dried dill
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or coat with butter.
2. In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the beer and mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Fold in 1 cup of the cheese and dill.
3. Transfer the batter to prepared pan. Pour the melted butter evenly over top of the dough. Bake about 30 minutes then scatter the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top. Return the loaf to the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
4. Turn out, slice, and serve warm.