Spent Grain Bread

Tom has embarked on his third batch of homebrew, a yet to be named IPA. Since he started making beer in September 2010 I've been wondering about using the spent grains for bread making. Since we are essentially making the liquid and baked version of the same thing (yeast, grain, water, sugar fermentation) it seemed like I should be able to make a bread out of what he leaves behind.

His current brew used crystal malt and toasted barley, and there were heaps left over. I did some research and found many other like-minded brewer/bakers. The recipe I ultimately adapted was from a site called Top Fermented. I made some adjustments here and there, with my final product being a large and lovely loaf.

Spent Grain Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2-1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup spent grains
1/2 tsp kosher salt (after the tasting the bread, I'd go to at least a teaspoon next time)
1 Tbs yeast
1-1/4 (and a bit more) warm water
1 Tbs molasses

What to do:
Mix grains, flour, salt & yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook. Mix the molasses into the warm water and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low to medium low until dough comes together in a clump, pulling away from the edges of the bowl.

Put dough into oiled or buttered bowl to rise. As usual, mine went into the microwave which gets nice and toasty when the light underneath is on (my micro is mounted over my stove, so there is a light on the micro that illuminates the stove top).

Before the rise. You can see the grains in this dough.

 Total rise time was about 3 hours, though the bread was probably ready after 2. However, I was hungry and wanted to get to the store for some dinner items and lunch, so my dough waited patiently at home, along with the dog.

Top Fermented suggested to bake on a pizza stone (you can substitute a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal) and putting a broiling pan on the next lower rack. When you add water to the preheated broiling pan the steam helps to create a good crust on the bread. I preheated my oven, pizza stone and broiling pan to 425 while I formed and shaped my dough, as described next.

Remove the risen dough from the bowl and, adding minimal flour, work the dough into the shape you want. I shaped mine into an oblong loaf. I put it back in the microwave for the final rise, about 30 minutes. The oven and stone preheated during this whole second rise.

The dough poofed up quite well in this second rise. Not a big surprise - the yeast to flour ratio in this recipe is pretty high. I made some slashes in the top of the loaf and slid it - on parchment - on to my hot pizza stone. I probably would have gotten a better bottom crust cooking directly on the stone, but it was easier to transfer the dough while it was on parchment. Next time I'd make 2 smaller loaves and skip the parchment. Once I put the bread in the oven, I poured about 1-1/2 cups of water into the broiler pan below the stone.

I baked the bread for 35 minutes and for once resisted temptation to sample it too soon. It helped that there was a Belgian Beer tasting that we wanted to go to, so I was physically removed from the good smelling, hot loaf.

 Back home after the tasting - some good beers and one that had a bit too much cheese-funk taste for my liking - we cut into the loaf.

It was perfectly cooked, with a pretty tight crumb. The chew of the crust is a nice contrast with the soft bread. It smelled kind of beery (no surprise). I liked the taste of it, though I'd increase the salt to a full teaspoon next time.  The salt level of this loaf  does lend itself to both sweet and savory toppings. I had to sample a piece with butter, then with some honey.

I realize not everyone has spent grains hanging around their kitchen. I think you could try using leftover cooked grains - farro, oatmeal, quinoa. Alternatively you could leave them out all together, or throw some uncooked oatmeal in the mix.

I think this would be a good recipe if you are interested in trying bread baking, but leery of the time commitment and have a fear of bread impotence (i.e problems with the rise). As I mentioned, the yeast / flour ratio is high, which provides a Viagra like effect. My total  hands-on time with this bread was about 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to have this bread with it's beer cousin unless I freeze some. I think the IPA is due to be ready in about 6 weeks. You can read all about that process at Tom's new blog Pitch the Yeast.