Beer Bread
- Lactose Free
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Energy Kcal 282
- Carbohydrates g 54.4
- of which sugars g 1.7
- Protein g 9.4
- Fats g 1
- of which saturated fat g 0.17
- Fiber g 3.7
- Sodium mg 636
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 1 h 20 min
- Serving: 8
- Cost: Average
- Note + the resting of the biga and dough (4-6 hours)
PRESENTATION
Pane alla birra, or homemade beer bread, is like this Italian classic that totally showcases how simple ingredients can create something amazing. I mean, this beer bread recipe uses the "biga" pre-dough technique—really cool—and gives the loaf this tender and aromatic feel. Almost like being in a cozy bakery in Italy. People love playing around with the shape, whether it's the filone loaf or just some smaller, snack-sized rounds.
The magic? The use of dark beer. It adds such a gentle, rich flavor—kinda subtle but totally distinctive. When you get that aroma from the crust, it's something else. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and soft interior? Seriously good. Perfect for breaking off a warm piece to enjoy with dinner or just as a snack.
In a lot of Italian homes, this easy beer bread shows up on dinner tables all the time, and it's great for crostini too. Just toast a slice, rub it with garlic—pretty simple—and you’ve got a simple delight. But you know, creativity has no bounds; you can add in nuts or seeds, swap in a lighter beer if you want a different taste, or go for a quick bread with beer if you’re in a hurry.
Its flexibility makes it work with so many meals, from hearty stews to a cheese and salami platter. The moist crumb is just perfect for spreads, while the golden crust gives you that super satisfying crispy bite. Whether you’re sticking to traditional methods or checking out new beer bread variations, it’s the kind of dish that brings folks together. Anyone who loves baking with beer—or just a good bread basket—will want this recipe around. It's really the sort of bread that unites everyone, for sure, making it a staple at both everyday meals and special gatherings. Which is great.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the Starter Dough
- Manitoba flour 0.8 cup (100 g)
- Whole grain flour ¼ cup (25 g)
- Brewer's yeast ¼ tsp (1 g)
- Water 6 tbsp (90 ml) - (warm)
- Fine salt ½ tsp (3 g)
- For the Dough (for a loaf about 12x6 inches)
- Dark beer 1.67 cups (400 ml)
- Manitoba flour 3 cups (375 g)
- Whole grain flour 125
- Brewer's yeast 0.3 tsp (1.5 g)
- Fine salt 1 ½ tsp (10 g)
- For Dusting the Pan
- Whole grain flour to taste
How to prepare Beer Bread
To prepare beer bread, start with the starter dough, the pre-dough: in a bowl, mix Manitoba and whole wheat flours 1 and add the dry yeast in the center 2. Proceed with the room temperature water and the salt poured away from the center 3 (you can also dissolve it in the water before adding it to the dough).
Knead everything by hand 4, form a ball, and let it rest in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours (up to a maximum of 6) in a warm environment 5, away from drafts or in a turned-off oven with the light on. After the indicated time, place the starter dough in the stand mixer bowl (in a simple bowl if kneading by hand) equipped with a paddle. Pour in the room temperature dark beer 6 and slowly dissolve the dough by turning on the machine.
Then add the yeast 7 and flours 8, and finally the salt 9. When the ingredients have combined, remove the paddle and attach the dough hook, then let the dough hook onto the hook. Once this operation is completed, you will have obtained an elastic but rather soft and slightly sticky dough; it will be necessary to grease your hands and work surface with some oil.
Take the dough from the mixer, flatten it to obtain a rectangle, and make folds by bringing the dough towards the center (10-11), starting from one edge and continuing with the others 12, folding the dough.
The folding operation 13 should be repeated 2-3 times until you obtain a drier and more elastic dough. Between each set of folds, you should wait at least 10 minutes: during this time you can store the dough in a slightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap 14, in a warm environment (if you leave the dough on the work surface, still wrap it with plastic wrap). Each time, you should take the dough again, stretch it slightly into a rectangle, and start with the folds, bringing the dough to the center 15.
After the last fold (16-17-18), flatten the dough to form a rectangle;
dust a folded wooden basket (banneton) of 12x6 inches with whole wheat flour (alternatively, you can place a muslin cloth inside the basket to prevent the dough from sticking) 19, roll the dough onto itself without breaking the fibers 20, place it inside the mold 21
and let it rise until the dough has reached the edges (this will take about 1 hour) 22. Once risen, turn the dough over onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 23 and make cuts on the surface with a sharp knife 24
once ready 25 bake in a preheated static oven at 482°F for about 20 minutes with a bowl of water (or steel pan) placed on the bottom of the oven. Then remove the bowl of water, lower the temperature to 392°F, and bake for another 40 minutes (for fan-assisted baking, reduce the temperature by 36°F and the baking time by 10 minutes for both moments). Once baked, turn the loaf over 26 and bake it like this for another 20 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven 27 and let the beer bread cool on a rack before slicing it!