Spent Grain Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

3 cups warm flat beer (90F)
1 pkg (1.5 tsp) active dry yeast
1 egg
2 tbsp oil (mix of peanut, sesame, and/or olive oils works great)
1.5-2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
6 cups flour-bread or gluten flour may be the best but I usually use All purpose flour
As much spent grain as you like (1-3 cups)
Chopped onion, garlic, red bell peppers, whatever else you like
Herbs and spices-Thyme, rosemary, cardamom, oregano, marjoram, savory, peppers, etc.

In a large bowl sprinkle yeast over the warm beer and let it grow for 10-15 minutes or so. Mix two cups of the flour into the yeasty mixture and let this "sponge" rise in a warm place until light and foamy. Combine egg, oil, salt, and sugar and stir into the sponge. Stir in 4 cups of flour, spent grain, chopped onion, garlic, red bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and lots of spices. It's best to sort of grind up the spices between your palms as you add it, this releases extra flavor. Add flour until the dough kneads well. Flatten the dough onto two or three lightly greased cookie sheets or other flat pan. At this point you can add more cheese to the top or make it into a pizza by adding sauce, cheeses, pepperoni, etc. Bake at 350-375 for 25-40 minutes, you'll have to experiment. When the doughy edge gets nicely browned the bread should be done. Pour 12 oz. homebrew into mug, slice bread/pizza, enjoy. This stuff freezes and refrigerates quite well so add 50% to the recipe or double it if you have lots of mouths to feed.

If you want just plain spent grain bread follow this recipe but just don't add the veggies and spices. Let the dough rise once or twice, then lightly grease some bread loaf pans and bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on your oven and temperature. For perfect crust you must let the dough rise in the pans a while before baking. If you skip this step your crust will be broken and the loaf will be crumbly, it makes it harder to toast or use for sandwiches.

Good luck, and let me know if you come up with some interesting new twists, Alan J. Moum