Guinness Sourdough Bread Recipe (Great for St. Patrick’s)

Guinness sourdough bread is rich, nutty, and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Soft crust, moist crumb, and deep flavor from rye flour and Guinness beer!

The best way to show your sourdough love is to bake something new. Something with a different depth of flavor, like sourdough Guinness bread.

This is a naturally brown bread that’s rich, nutty, and packed with depth of flavor from rye flour and extra stout beer.

The crust is soft, the crumb is chewy and moist, and it’s just the right amount of dense without feeling too heavy. 

Just like my Sourdough Irish Soda Bread, it’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or anytime you want a unique, homemade loaf. 

The Guinness not only adds amazing flavor but also gives the bread a beautiful dark color. 

The longer fermentation process brings out the best in both the beer and the sourdough, creating a loaf that’s full of depth and character. If you love baking bread, this is one you don’t want to miss.

This might seem like a recipe for sourdough geeks, but you can definitely pull it off.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Flavor

This bread has a deep, nutty taste thanks to the rye flour, and the Guinness adds a rich, malty flavor that makes it even better. It’s got just the right balance of hearty and complex without being too heavy. Slather on some butter, and you’ve got something seriously good.

Festive

If you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, this bread is a perfect addition. The dark color from the stout makes it look amazing, and it pairs well with all kinds of Irish dishes. Whether you’re serving up a full holiday feast or just want something fun to enjoy with a pint, this loaf fits right in.

Texture

The rye flour gives this bread a slightly denser texture than your average sourdough, but it’s still soft, moist, and chewy. The crust stays thin and tender, making it easy to slice and perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just eating warm right out of the oven.

Ingredients Needed

Bread flour: Bread flour is best when it comes to making sourdough recipes, however you can use all-purpose flour instead. The higher protein percentage in bread flour gives the dough its strength so that it can rise to great heights and give you the best results.

Rye flour: Adding a small amount of rye flour brings a nutty, rich flavor to this loaf. This will also create a more dense and more moist loaf. You can omit the rye flour and replace it with more bread flour, then decrease the Guinness by 50 grams.

Cocoa powder (optional): Without the cocoa powder, this loaf will bake up a light brown color. You won’t really taste the cocoa, since it’s such a small amount, however, adding a touch of cocoa powder helps the loaf to resemble the deep color of the stout beer. 

Guinness beer: Use room temperature Guinness for consistent results. Note that the beer will slow down fermentation, so bulk fermentation times will be longer.

Sourdough active starter: This recipe calls for an active and bubbly sourdough starter. 

Salt: Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s unrefined salt for some extra minerals!

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card* 

Supplies

• Large bowl
• Kitchen Scale
• Bowl scraper (optional)
• Banneton Basket (proofing bowl) or small mixing bowl and tea towel
• Danish Dough Whisk 
• Dutch Oven
• Parchment Paper
• Lame / Razor blade / Sharp knife
• Tea towel, plastic wrap, or what I like to use, a reusable shower cap

Baker’s schedule #1

DAY 1

Feed starter before bed in a 1:4:4 ratio (ex. 10g starter /40g flour /40g water)

DAY 2

9 am: Mix Ingredients

9:30 – 11:30 am: Stretch and fold every 30 minutes

6 pm: Pre shape

6:30 pm: Shape and place in the fridge

DAY 3

Score and bake in the morning

This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower temperatures will lengthen the process.

Baker’s schedule # 2

DAY 1

Feed starter so that it’s active, bubbly, and at its peak (4-12 hours before mixing dough)

9 pm – Mix Ingredients

9:30 – 11:00 pm – Stretch and fold every 30 minutes

DAY 2

6 am – Pre shape

6:30 am – Shape and place in the fridge

Score and bake in the evening

This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower temperatures will lengthen the process.

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How to Make Guinness Sourdough Bread

Here’s how to make this sourdough recipe. 

Make the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, add the starter and Guinness and until it looks like a brown, milky liquid.

Whisk together the dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough will look shaggy, not like a uniform dough ball.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds

To perform stretch and folds, grab a section of the dough and stretch the bread dough above your bowl. Then fold over on top of the dough.

Rotate your bowl clockwise and repeat identical stretch and fold. Repeat the process until you come full circle, about 4-6 times. Cover and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

Repeat three more times (for a total of 4 different rounds) with 30 minutes of rest between each set. Cover the dough after each set of stretch and folds.

After the final stretch and folds, cover the dough and let it rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation at room temperature. 

Bulk fermentation

Now this is the most finicky part of sourdough. There isn’t a set time for your bulk ferment. It is greatly dependent on the temperature of your environment. The warmer it is, the faster your dough will ferment. The opposite is true for cooler temperatures.

In an environment of 68-70 degrees F, doughs will typically bulk ferment for 7-9 hours more after the stretch and folds, but again, you will have to look for the signs that your dough is done fermenting, rather than the clock. Warmer temperatures will be faster, while cooler temperatures will be slower.

Here’s what to look for:

• The dough should have increased in size by at least 75-85% and be domed on top.
• The dough looks light, and jiggles when the bowl is shaken.
• The sides of the dough should easily pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• There should be visible bubbles in the dough and on top.
• The dough doesn’t tear when you do a windowpane test

Pre-shape

Gently remove the dough from the bowl, then shape the dough by doing another round of stretch and folds until you have gone full circle.

Flip the dough with the seam side down, then cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While you are waiting, prepare your proofing basket. 

Final shape

Shape your loaf into a boule (round) or batard (long) shape, then carefully place the dough into your prepared banneton. 

Cold proof 

Place your proofing basket in the fridge to cold-proof for 8-72 hours.

Score

Score the top of the bread using a lame, razor, or sharp knife.

Before baking, preheat a Dutch oven for at least 30 minutes.

Pour the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and score with a lame / razor blade. Place the Guinness Sourdough Bread into the hot Dutch oven with the lid. 

Lower the oven to 450 degrees F and bake the bread covered for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid of the Dutch oven and continue to bake the bread for an additional 15-20 minutes with the lid off at 425 degrees F or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F.

Once golden brown, remove the Dutch oven from your oven. Wait an hour before slicing into your loaf and enjoy!

How to Serve

After getting this sourdough beer bread out of the oven, let it cool for about an hour before slicing. The crust will be crisp, and the inside will be soft, chewy, and full of flavor.

Enjoy a slice with butter, or toast it and add a little jam or honey. It also makes a great sandwich—think roast beef and cheddar or corned beef and Swiss.

For dinner, serve it alongside stew, pot roast, or a hearty soup. You can even make croutons or use it for French onion soup. However you enjoy it, this bread is packed with flavor and perfect for any meal.

How to Store

Let your bread cool completely and store it in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to keep the crust crisp. For longer storage, use an airtight container or bread box. 

You want to avoid plastic bags, as they can make the crust soggy. If you won’t eat it within a few days, freeze it in a sealed bag and just toast a slice when you’re ready to enjoy!

FAQs:

Does the alcohol in the Guinness cook off during baking?

Yes! The alcohol in Guinness evaporates during baking, leaving behind the rich, malty flavor without any alcohol content. This makes the bread safe for all ages to enjoy.

Can I use a different type of stout instead of Guinness?

Absolutely! While Guinness gives this bread its deep flavor and color, any stout with a rich, malty profile will work. Just keep in mind that different stouts may slightly change the taste and color of the final loaf. I prefer dark beer, and what’s darker and richer than Guinness?

Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour to Make Sourdough Guinness Bread?

Yes, you can replace some of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat absorbs more liquid, so you may need to slightly increase the hydration to maintain the dough’s texture. The result will be a heartier loaf with a nuttier flavor, though it may be a bit denser than one made with only bread flour.

Can I make this bread without rye flour?

Yes! If you prefer, replace the rye flour with additional bread flour and reduce the Guinness by about 50 grams. The flavor will be slightly different, but the loaf will still have great texture and taste. But why pass up the chance to savor some Guinness rye sourdough bread?

More Recipes Like This:

Sourdough Irish Soda Bread

Jalapeno and Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Sourdough Bread

Beginner’s Sourdough Bread