Why does the "almost no knead bread" recipe use beer? Can it be replaced?
In America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated they have a recipe for an almost no knead bread that has beer as one of it's ingredients. What does the beer add? And can it be replaced by something else (that's not alcoholic)?
Best Answer
The purpose of the beer (and the vinegar) in this case is to add some of the malty, fermenty flavors typical of longer-fermented or sourdough breads. You can either leave it out and replace it with an equal quantity of water or use a non-alcoholic beer
The carbonation from the beer might add a little extra lift at the start to establish some air cells and work the gluten a bit, but with an 18 hour room-temperature bulk rise, that benefit would be negligible. In most beers (especially large US commercial bottlers) there isn't enough active yeast left in the bottle by the time it is drunk to do anything either.
The author of the original article (Cook's Illustrated #90, Jan 2008) added the beer and vinegar in order to add flavor to a bread recipe that already produced decent bread.
My bread now had tang [from the vinegar], but it lacked complexity. What I needed was a concentrated shot of yeasty flavor. As I racked my brain, I realized that beyond bread, there is another commonly available substance that relies on yeast for flavor: beer.
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What can I use instead of beer in bread?
What Is A Good Substitute For Beer In Beer Bread? As an alternative to dark beer, use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or coke. You should replace all of the beer in your recipe with the same volume of water to ensure that the liquid volume remains the same.Can I use beer instead of yeast?
Since most beers still contain yeast cells at the end of the fermentation process, you can substitute a can of beer for yeast for a denser result. The alcohol from the beer evaporates off during baking, leaving behind a deliciously rich taste that is safe for all ages.Can you use beer instead of water in bread?
You can easily replace the liquid in most bread recipes with beer. This can have a very pronounced effect on your final dough as there is a lot more chemical and biological fun happening in beer than there is in water. In my experience, the dough with beer will usually rise faster than a similar dough with water.How does beer affect bread dough?
When you add beer to your bread mix, the beer's yeast content reacts with the baking powder and starches in the flour, causing the dough to rise and start to leaven. When you add the beer, you might notice the dough bubble and foam\u2014that's the yeast working its magic!Faster No Knead Bread - So Easy ANYONE can make (but NO BOILING WATER!!)
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Answer 2
I've found that beer in breads (and crusts, to be more specific) gives it a very light, airy quality. I don't know enough to speak authoritatively, but I'd guess the yeast (or whatever) in it helps its levity - which makes it so you don't have to knead it as much.
So I don't know for sure - but I'd guess that it has a functional purpose other than just flavor.
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