Beer-Batter Cheese Bread with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

Quick breads, like our Beer-Batter Cheese Bread, can be on the table in less than an hour. The basic recipe is simple enough, yet our first attempts produced loaves that tasted sour, like stale beer, while others had negligible cheese flavor. And some attempts were so greasy that we had to pass out extra napkins. We wanted a lighter loaf of bread enhanced with the yeasty flavor of beer and a big hit of cheese—and it had to be quick and easy.

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