Whole Wheat Guinness Soda Bread

This Whole Wheat Guinness Soda Bread is a deeply flavorful quick bread loaf made with your favorite stout. It's the perfect accompaniment for a hearty stew. I love eating it warm with plenty of butter.

Happy Covid-aversary. I don't know exactly what was going on a year ago today, but it was roughly around this time when borders started closing, cities started locking down, and trips started getting cancelled. I had big plans to travel last year, and even had a trip to New York cancelled at the last minute. Now, a year later, I haven't left the city, let alone the country, and I don't know when I will.

One of the places I wanted to get to last year was Ireland. We really should have made a point to go before Brexit, but somehow, those places that are just on your doorstep always seem to get neglected. Not anymore. It's going high on the priority list, that's for sure. I saw an article that ranked Dublin as the second friendliest city in Europe. I'm keen to find out if it's true.

And while I personally won't be drinking any Guinness (because I'm an obnoxiously picky eater, and I hate beer), I will quite happily eat this Whole Wheat Guinness Soda Bread. It's hearty and rich with stout flavor. The crust is crisp, and the inside is soft and dense.

Eat this bread warm with plenty of salted butter. Smear it around and let it melt, slowly seeping into the bread. It's absolutely heavenly. You could definitely bring this loaf to the table along with a rustic Irish stew, but I'm quite happy to eat it all on its own for breakfast. Do what makes you happy.

How to make Whole Wheat Guinness Soda Bread

It's called soda bread because it's leavened with baking soda rather than yeast, making it a cinch to make. It's just like making muffins or pancakes. Bring the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients in a big measuring jug, then stir them together, transfer to a loaf pan, and bake. Simple. This is a very dense bread, so do make sure to check its doneness by insert a toothpick, or better yet, a wooden skewer. A bit underbaked is not the end of the world. Unless you're Paul Hollywood.

A couple of quick tips. Pour your Guinness or favorite stout into the measuring jug at the start so that the foam can have time to subside. Top it up after you've mixed your dry ingredients for a more precise measurement. Also, make sure to measure your vegetable oil first, then add the honey to the same measuring cup so that the honey slides out easily.

Make it magical

Humans have been fermenting and drinking beer for centuries. In fact, there was a time before water treament plants when beer was more likely to be drunk than water. People were just walking around slightly drunk all the time. No wonder they believed in magic.

Beer makes an excellent offering and can also be used in a bath for purification. It brings together the elements of earth and water, but is also associated with Mars and fire. Use it in spells to protect home and family. (Sources: Wolf of Antimony Occultism, Rachel Patterson)

Until I can get myself to Ireland proper, I'll be enjoying this Whole Wheat Guinness Soda Bread and making plans. Maybe I'll see you there.

Looking for more awesome quick bread recipes? Try this totally awesome Cheddar Quick Bread.

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