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'97Newsletter Archives 
The Recipe BoxBread and beer use many of the same ingredients-yeast, grain and liquid-so it seems only fitting that spent grains from an all-grain mash should be recycled into a loaf of bread. The finished products (bread and beer) are perfect companions for an evening of beer tasting.
For the past several months I've been on a mission to find spent-grain bread recipes suitable for use in a bread machine (since I now own three of them). All of the recipes I've found are for the traditional method of mixing and hand kneading the dough. That's too much like w-o-r-k, and I've taken it upon myself to improvise and experiment to adapt these recipes for use in bread machines.
Rule 1: Know Thy Bread Machine Capacity
The average bread machine makes a 1.5-lb. loaf of bread. Smaller ones make a 1-lb. loaf and larger ones make a 2-lb. loaf. If you use a recipe for a 1-lb. loaf and put it in a larger-capacity machine, your loaf may not rise as high as you'd expected. However, it is not recommended that you double a 1-lb. recipe for use in a 2-lb. machine-the results may be a loaf that rises too much and sticks to every part of the inside of the machine (Please don't ask me how I know this, just reread the end of the last paragraph!).
Rule 2: Identify a Good Bread Dough Ball
As your machine proceeds with the mixing and kneading process, the dough ball should take on a certain appearance so that you know it is not too dry or too liquid. My latest bread machine came with a video tape that shows a good dough ball. If too dry, add liquid an ounce at a time. If too liquid, add flour a tablespoon at a time.
Rule 3: Substitute Beer For Other Liquids
Most recipes call for water, milk, or both. You may substitute beer for any liquid. The bread won't necessarily taste like beer, but the flavor will be greatly enhanced. Homebrew is best, but you can substitute any type of beer. The beer does not have to be flat. You may need an extra ounce or two of liquid when using darker beers. Also, if using wet spent grains, you may need to reduce your liquid by 1-2 ounces.
Rule 4: Add 1/2 Cup of Wet Spent Grains
I found a pattern among recipes in that 1 cup of wet spent grains were used for a recipe that makes two 1-lb. loaves of bread. I add 1/2 cup of the grains in addition to any other ingredients. This produces a loaf of bread with a coarser texture than breads without the spent grains. Brew Your Own magazine suggests using 3/4 cup of dried spent grains for two l-lb. loaves and increasing the water if using traditional (manual) bread-making methods.
Rule 5: Enjoy Different Grain Flavors
The light grains used to make a wit beer will give your bread an entirely different flavor than the grains used for a porter or a stout. The darker grains will yield roasted or toasted characteristics. Spent grains may be frozen for use later. Package them in small quantities. Fresh spent grains will keep covered in your refrigerator for four days.
Recipes
Here are a couple of tried-and-true recipes. The Oatmeal Porter Bread is a favorite with the regulars at Como Hour(s), where I usually show up with loaves made in two bread machines. (By the way, if anyone is interested in buying my "R2D2" bread machine, which does a nice job of kneading and rising but not baking, let me know.)
I'll be happy to include more bread machine recipes in future issues of The Grain Mill if there are requests for them.
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