I’ve been looking for some creative variations on the traditional sourdough loaf.  When I saw a rouge Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout in the back of our fridge I just knew it belonged in a loaf of bread.  The barley and hops enrich this traditional sourdough loaf and give it a hearty flavor that is reminiscent of a wheat loaf.  However, it is soft on the inside, rather than a dense brick that you might imagine it to be.  It makes a mean grilled cheese.

Irish Stout Sourdough (adapted from here)

1 cup fed sourdough starter

1 cup Irish Stout (I used Schlafly; I also let this sit out opened for an hour prior to making the bread)

2 1/2 – 3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together until ball of dough forms.  Turn out dough onto floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until dough is tacky to the touch and has formed a smooth ball.  You might need to add flour/water depending on how the dough is coming together.

2. Place dough in a bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil.  Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in size.  This took a long time to rise, about 4-5 hours.

3. Once it has doubled in size, remove from bowl and form into a loaf shape.  Place in an oiled loaf pan and loosely cover again.  Allow it to rise for another 1-2 hours.

4. Once risen a second time, back at 350 degrees for about 25 – 30 minutes.  The top will begin to brown slightly and it will sound hollow if you tap on it.

5. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

This would be the perfect addition to your spread on St. Patrick’s Day!

*Disclaimer: This post is a part of a series on sourdough recipes.  I was given a bag of flour and sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour to create this recipe.  All opinions and photos are mine.*