brewing using bread

[Will Smith]

Has anyone ever brewed using bread?
I've heard it can be done by just adding the bread to the mash and i can't see why that wouldn't work and add sugar to the wort?
I would use left over sourdough ideally as i can get that from where i work, would the sourdough yeast have any effect? in my mind its surely all died when being baked
Cheers!

 

[Murphys_Law]

I have made a pumpernickel stout where I took about 10 slices of bread, toasted, cut into squares and then added to my grains as part of the mash.

I BIAB and it sure was a hassle re water absorption and drainage!

 

[bracconiere]

for a while as a cost saving measure, i used 5lb bags of flour in my mash.

 

[_HH_]

Once baked, any yeast used for bread will be dead. Prior to baking, however, you’ll be good to go. I would advise against using sourdough starter however, as they contain a combination of wild yeast and lactobacillus - unless that’s the flavour you’re aiming for of course

 

[Will Smith]

Once baked, any yeast used for bread will be dead. Prior to baking, however, you’ll be good to go. I would advise against using sourdough starter however, as they contain a combination of wild yeast and lactobacillus - unless that’s the flavour you’re aiming for of course

i'm not looking at using the yeast from the bread, just the flavours/sugars. I was discussing with a chef who makes kombucha from bread and thought i could use it in beer

 

[FatDragon]

Look up recipes for kvass for some ideas.

 

[@RoyalGallon]

There’s a UK brewery that uses waste bread to make beer.

https://www.toastale.com/

 

[RM-MN]

There's a verse in the King James version of the Bible that states "cast your bread onto the waters and it will return to you in many days" (best I can remember). Was this speaking of throwing your grain onto the flooded farmland where it would sink, sprout when the flood subsided, and grow into a crop or were they really talking about beer?

 

[Miraculix]

Once baked, any yeast used for bread will be dead. Prior to baking, however, you’ll be good to go. I would advise against using sourdough starter however, as they contain a combination of wild yeast and lactobacillus - unless that’s the flavour you’re aiming for of course

There’s a UK brewery that uses waste bread to make beer.

https://www.toastale.com/

Had it, tastes good. Nothing special, just good beer.

 

[VVbrewery]

They also have a home brew recipe I've been thinking of trying.
https://www.toastale.com/homebrew-recipe/
https://www.toastale.com/homebrew-recipe/

 

[SirHC_]

i'm not looking at using the yeast from the bread, just the flavours/sugars. I was discussing with a chef who makes kombucha from bread and thought i could use it in beer

I'm intrigued by using bread in Kombucha too...I have two gallons going at all times and drink about a gallon a week.

As far as using bread, I followed the toast ale home brew recipe once mol, but used a rosemary focaccia, for a pale ale. Taste was quite nice, but no head retention. Too much oil in the foccacia I'd wager.
Choose wisely.
I've been tempted to try something with a dark rye bread too.

 

[Will Smith]

I'm intrigued by using bread in Kombucha too...I have two gallons going at all times and drink about a gallon a week.

As far as using bread, I followed the toast ale home brew recipe once mol, but used a rosemary focaccia, for a pale ale. Taste was quite nice, but no head retention. Too much oil in the foccacia I'd wager.
Choose wisely.
I've been tempted to try something with a dark rye bread too.

thats a good point. do you have any other tips? did you toast your bread first?

 

[SirHC_]

thats a good point. do you have any other tips? did you toast your bread first?

I did toast it, quite dark without burning it.
I'd suggest you up strike water as the dry toast soaks up more than grain. Also, only add the toast after your temperature is stable in the mash and only in the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the grain bed. I did BIAB and it was an Incredible mess because I stirred it down into the mash trying to get the temp right.
It's been awhile since I looked at that recipe so I don't remember what efficiency I got from the added toast.
I'd be tempted to do a mini mach alongside a regular batch and then do no sparge for the toast mash. Add it to the last bits of runnings from another mash after you've reached volume and its almost free beer.
Or maybe just do a no sparge brew...

 

[Will Smith]

I did toast it, quite dark without burning it.
I'd suggest you up strike water as the dry toast soaks up more than grain. Also, only add the toast after your temperature is stable in the mash and only in the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the grain bed. I did BIAB and it was an Incredible mess because I stirred it down into the mash trying to get the temp right.
It's been awhile since I looked at that recipe so I don't remember what efficiency I got from the added toast.
I'd be tempted to do a mini mach alongside a regular batch and then do no sparge for the toast mash. Add it to the last bits of runnings from another mash after you've reached volume and its almost free beer.
Or maybe just do a no sparge brew...

that makes a lot of sense. Did you grind up you bread or just put it in in pieces?

 

[SirHC_]

just cubes, but it disintegrates pretty quick once it soaks up the strike water.

I think you should brew a sour ale with sourdough. but maybe that's just me...

 

[BruceH]

Look up recipes for kvass for some ideas.

This^^^. I made kvass daily for about two years. I used dark toasted rye combined with sugar, warm water, and homemade sourdough starter (it will work without the starter but will take longer to ferment). It can also be made with commercial yeast.

Makes a carbonated lemonade tasting drink in about 3 days. Alcohol content on mine varied from 2-4%. I think it had something to do with variations in starter potency.

 

[JimRausch]

I've done 'The Tsar's Kvass' recipe from the AHA website/Zymurgy magazine. Changed it up abit of course because hey that's what we do as homebrewers. It uses 2 loaves of homemade rye bread in the mash. And about 25% soured wort. Mine is probably not a traditional Kvass. It's more like a slightly sour, quite refreshing, about 5%ABV.