Beer and buckwheat bread

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Sharon.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community!

The beer in this bread recipe serves a couple of important functions: not only does it add a slightly bitter, earthy flavor, but it also aids in fermentation due to its natural yeast and water and sugar content. If you decide to omit the beer but still want to maintain the flavor and fermentation, there are several ways you can adapt the recipe:

1. Replace it with water and vinegar or lemon juice: This can help maintain the beer’s acidity. You could try 140g of water and add 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. This will give an acidic touch that contributes to the flavor complexity and also helps make the fermentation more effective.

2. Use barley or malt broth: If you have access to barley or malt broth, this option can replicate the earthy flavor of the beer without being too strong, keeping the original flavor profile.

3. Use a mixture of water with sugar or honey: While this won’t replicate the exact flavor of beer, it adds a slight sweetness that contrasts well with the flours and can help the crust develop.

Now, beer also speeds up fermentation. If you choose to skip it, it’s important to adjust the recipe to ensure good yeast activity and proper dough rise:

1. Increase the amount of sourdough starter: Since beer helps the yeast, if you substitute it, you might want to increase the amount of rye sourdough starter by about 10-15g to ensure fermentation continues properly.

2. Adjust the fermentation time: Without the beer, fermentation may be a bit slower. It’s a good idea to extend the bulk fermentation time (for example, 3-4 hours instead of 3) or do a few extra folds to make sure the dough is properly aerated.

3. Add a little extra yeast: If you’re concerned about the dough not rising properly without the beer, you can add a small amount of dry yeast (1-2g), which will help speed up fermentation without altering the bread’s flavor too much.

4. Adjust the hydration: Beer also contributes water, so it’s important to ensure the dough doesn’t become too dry. If the dough feels stiffer without the beer, you can add a little more water.

5. Monitor the temperature: Fermentation may be a bit slower without the beer, so it’s important that the environment where the dough ferments is warm, around 22-24°C, to ensure good fermentation.

In summary, if you decide to skip the beer, I recommend increasing the sourdough starter a bit, extending the fermentation times, and perhaps adding a touch of extra yeast to ensure the dough rises well. Also, make sure to adjust the hydration to avoid the dough becoming too dry, and I suggest doing a small test by making a small portion of the recipe to see if the changes or ingredient substitutions give you the result you’re looking for.

I hope this information is helpful.

Best regards.

[ngwenyasharon97]

Hie Sussan

Thanks a lot

Another question

If by chance l want to avoid adding yeast, will it affect the rising of the dough despite extending fermentation times?

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hello Sharon,
If you decide to omit the additional yeast, it’s possible that the dough will rise more slowly, even if you extend the fermentation times. Yeast plays an important role in speeding up fermentation and ensuring the dough rises properly.

However, sourdough already has its own natural yeast, which can ferment the dough adequately, but this process may take more time without the help of additional yeast.

Here are some recommendations to ensure the bread rises properly without additional yeast:

1. Make sure to use an active and well-fed sourdough. A strong sourdough, with sufficient activity, can lift the dough without extra yeast, but the fermentation times will be longer.

2. Extend the fermentation time. If you omit the yeast, you can increase the fermentation time, as mentioned in the recipe (from 3 to 4 hours), and also lengthen the rest time in the fridge, even letting it rest up to 24 hours. This will allow the sourdough to do its work more slowly, which may result in a bread with a more developed texture.

3. Fermentation temperature. It’s crucial to maintain a warm environment to ensure optimal sourdough activity. Keep the dough in a place between 22-24°C during the bulk fermentation.

4. Observe the dough’s volume. If the dough seems to rise insufficiently, it may help to give it more resting time, as the sourdough activity is slower without the additional yeast. Make sure the dough is at least 50% higher than when it started.

In summary, yes, you can avoid the yeast, but you’ll need to give the dough more time to ferment. The sourdough can handle it, but the bread will likely take longer to rise and will need a longer fermentation and resting time.

I hope this helps resolve your question.

Best regards.