By Tim Curran
Unknown date

Beer is sometimes referred to as liquid bread. After all, the basic ingredients are pretty much the same: grains (wheat or barley), water, maybe a little sugar, and yeast. Beer can be used as an ingredient making bread too, thus completing the circle. In general, you can substitute beer for the water in any beer recipe. It adds a bit of flavor and the resulting loaf is alcohol free, so it's okay for kids and those who don't drink beer. I make a lot of bread and my experience has provided the following guidelines when making beer bread.

Dark beers or malty beers are preferred to get the most flavor. Light beers can be used, but will have less effect on flavor.

Hoppy beers require a little extra sugar in the mix to compensate for the bitterness.

Dry malt extract can be used in place of sugar in the recipe. Use about 1 1/2 time the amount called for. It is interesting to note that bread flour usually has this as one of its ingredients.

Use bread yeast, beer yeast just doesn't have the rising power. I buy bread yeast in bulk at the Anoka Coop (I used to think that was were you kept your chickens). As an aside, I always throw a teaspoon or two of bread yeast in my brew pot near the end of the boil. Theoretically, this adds yeast nutrients to the wort (of course the bread yeast dies instantly, but brewing can be brutal).

Small amounts of crushed grains can be added too, although I have little experience with it. I would suggest 1/4 cup of finely crushed malted barley, soaked in an equal amount of water (or beer) for a little while. I have tried using spent grain, that is, the grain left after brewing. It works, but little flavor is added since the mashing and sparging extract the sugar and flavor. The spent grain does provide some texture and bulk fiber.

Here is a recipe for a basic loaf with a little bran:

3+ cup Bread flour
1/4 cup Oat bran flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Light dry malt extract
1-12oz Bottle dark beer, warm to 100 to 110 degrees F in microwave
1 tbsp Dry yeast
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Crisco

Mix dry ingredients, add warm beer and mix. Add fat (butter and Crisco) and knead. Add more flour until consistency achieved that is soft but not sticky. Knead well, rest in a greased bowl (the dough, not you) for about an hour or until double in bulk. Punch down, shape into loaf and place in pan or shape to a round and let rise on a baking sheet. After second rising, slash top lightly and bake at 375 degrees F for about 45 minutes.