Home of the BrewNosers

Anyone use their spent grains to make bread? I'm wondering how it turns out..

Post recipes if you've got any that you like

Awesome in any bread recipe. To start try 1/2 cup per loaf and make sure you calculate for the water in the grains. It retains about 50% by weight.

Any preference for dark grain vs light grain?

I've done this a couple of times and it always works out well. I've used both light and dark and both are very good although I prefer the dark. Keep an eye on your amounts, if you're doing a 2 loaf recipe, stay under 1.5 cups spent grain in total or you'll risk colon blow. Just saying.

JohnnyMac wrote:I've done this a couple of times and it always works out well. I've used both light and dark and both are very good although I prefer the dark. Keep an eye on your amounts, if you're doing a 2 loaf recipe, stay under 1.5 cups spent grain in total or you'll risk colon blow. Just saying.

Is spent grain bread on your "once or twice a year" routine, similar to donairs, for this very reason?

Nope, donair meat is in a class all on its own. Half savory goodness, half poison.

I plan to do the spent grain bread, just as soon as I remember to save the damn spent grain!

I've thought about about doing this, but doesn't the husk get right chewy? I have a mild ale planned for next weekend, so maybe I'll save some of that.

amartin wrote:I've thought about about doing this, but doesn't the husk get right chewy? I have a mild ale planned for next weekend, so maybe I'll save some of that.

Nope, it works really well. Follow the advice given above. I just add it to feel so I don't have any recipes. Wort works well too, but with both grains and wort be careful of the extra sugar.

I've used this recipe in my bread machine, turns out good. Super easy.


1 cup of water
2 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 cup of spent grain
3 cups of bread flour
2 tsp yeast.

Nash's advice of starting with 1/2 cup per loaf using any bread recipe is excellent. I'd even recommend going as high as 1 cup. If you're not getting enough fibre, JohnnyMac is right about the risk, and in that case this should be a regular feature in your diet, especially when spent grains are "free!" Sprouted grains have many health benefits, but I won't bore you here. Just take your favourite recipe and throw in some grains!

Feel free to bore us (with links/etc).. always curious to hear 'confirmed' health benefits of tasty foods!

I found if you add too much spent grain, the bread didn't rise as well. I forget how much I added to get a good result and how much I added the time it didn't work as well.

Just took some spent grain bread from the oven. Sure smells good in the apartment now. I fooled around with my usual bread recipe so I'm not sure how well it will work with this tinkering.

Let me know how this turns out! Was thinking of trying this next brew. What kind of beer did you brew with the grain?

BrooklandBrewer wrote:Let me know how this turns out! Was thinking of trying this next brew. What kind of beer did you brew with the grain?

Here's one recipe here http://wp.me/p1TIqh-bK and Canuck has another one in the Foor Porn section.

I've done the bread with grains from Ordinary Bitter, Propeller Clone, Bees Knees Pale Ale, Rickards Clone, Oatmeal Stout. All turned out great.

LeafMan66_67 wrote:

BrooklandBrewer wrote:Let me know how this turns out! Was thinking of trying this next brew. What kind of beer did you brew with the grain?

Here's one recipe here http://wp.me/p1TIqh-bK and Canuck has another one in the Foor Porn section.

I've done the bread with grains from Ordinary Bitter, Propeller Clone, Bees Knees Pale Ale, Rickards Clone, Oatmeal Stout. All turned out great.

Awesome. Thanks! The birds may not like me any more but my spent grains will be going to a better use

I saved grains from my red ale. The loaf turned out pretty good but needs some tweaking for consistency. Also, I had less white flour on hand then I thought so I subbed some whole wheat therefore it didn't rise as well as I would have liked.

I can vouch that this also works great if any of you guys do no-knead and sourdough style stuff.
We've been adding it to ours for a while now - I just take a sandwich bag from every mash and toss it in the freezer for later use.

I prefer to use darker grains - the lighter stuff really just adds fiber/texture I find.

I'd also highly recommend using bread flour instead of all purpose flour. The higher gluten bread flour will give you much more loftiness in your bread and your results will be much better.

canuck wrote:I'd also highly recommend using bread flour instead of all purpose flour. The higher gluten bread flour will give you much more loftiness in your bread and your results will be much better.

+1

I made this bread yesterday from a witbier mash and it turned out well.

3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup white flour
1 cup spent grain
1 1/4 tsp bread yeast

Thoughts on using a stainless steel pizza "stone" instead of a traditional pizza stone to make bread? We have some dough rising right now and I'm wondering if the steel will work the same as the ceramic stone?

I would guess the steel would work, provided its got a good mass - I've been using a cast iron casserole dish for mine - keeps me from having to add the water to the oven for the steam. Next for me will be on the ceramic grill and see how that works out.

does the water actually make that much of a difference?