Making bread at home can be daunting, even for the experienced home cook. Kneading and rising take time and muscle (or an expensive standing mixer), and the science of yeast can seem puzzling, to say the least. If this all seems like too much work, fear not. Delicious, homemade bread is within easy reach, thanks to one of the greatest baking discoveries of our time: beer bread.

The magical properties of beer (namely, yeast) make it a great stand-in for dry yeast and allow the baker to skip the entire kneading and rising process. Beer also adds flavor; and with so many different ales, stouts, lagers, and lambics on the market, the creative opportunities abound. As the weather turns cooler, now is a fabulous time to transform some seasonal brews into a warm, toasty loaf of bread. We chose Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale, a dark, caramel-y beer with a spicy, pumpkin finish. Paired with nuts and dried fruit, it produces a sweet, chewy loaf that tastes delicious plain or toasted and slathered with butter.

Adapted from Twin Tables’ Pumpkin Ale Bread Recipe.