Beer Bread

What you need: Unsalted butter for greasing the pan 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons sugar 12 ounces beer (lager or ale is best) 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375° degrees F.
Grease a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan with the butter.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Stir in the beer.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown. Test with a broom straw or cake tester. Remove from the pan and brush the top with the melted butter.

Let cool completely on a rack before slicing.
The bread has a nice crumbly crust and is also good toasted. Although Tom Fairchild is a Samuel Adams beer loyalist, Faith has made the recipe with others beers, including nonalcoholic beer. Ginger beer with 2 tablespoons of flaked ginger—Penzeys works well—stirred into the batter makes a sweet bread for breakfast or tea. Her favorite alcoholic brand for the recipe is Blue Moon, Belgian White, a wheat ale with coriander and orange peel.