• Recipes
  • Private Chefs
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Fare Isle

Seasonal Recipes and Nantucket Private Chefs

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Breads + Rolls
    • Breakfast/Brunch
    • Salads
    • Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Edible Flowers
    • Everyday Basics
    • Fermentation
  • Private Chefs
  • About
    • Contact
  • Work With Kaity
Fare Isle » St. Patrick's Day » Guinness Brown Bread

Guinness Brown Bread

published: March 15, 2022 / updated: February 10, 2023by Kaity Farrell
A traditional Irish Guinness brown bread recipe made with hearty whole grains and delicious Guinness stout. This quick and easy brown bread is ready in under 1 hour! Serve it with savory dishes or at breakfast with butter and honey or jam.
Jump to RecipePrint RecipeJump to Video

Traditional Irish Guinness brown bread made with hearty whole grains and delicious Guinness stout. Ready in under 1 hour!

Irish Guinness brown bread that has been sliced into with three slices fanned out from the loaf on a bread board next to a glass of Guinness stout.

Traditional Irish Guinness Brown Bread

Brown bread is a classic Irish bread similar to Irish soda bread in that it’s a quick bread leavened with baking soda, but made with whole grains including whole wheat flour and oats, hence the name. It’s not sweetened aside from a bit of molasses which also adds color and a malted bitter flavor.

One variation of Irish brown bread is to use Guinness for a portion of the liquid ingredients. The full-bodied stout adds a delicious flavor that pairs well with the whole grains. It’s hearty and goes well with stews and soups, but it is equally scrumptious on its own with butter and honey for breakfast or served with tea.

Table of contents

  • Traditional Irish Guinness Brown Bread
  • The Ingredients
  • How to Make Irish Brown Bread
  • Tips for Making Guinness Brown Bread
  • Frequently Asked Questions:
  • For more delicious foods to make for St. Patrick’s Day check out these recipes:
  • Love this recipe?
Baked loaf of traditional Irish Guinness brown bread with rolled oats on the top of the loaf.
Guinness Irish brown bread ingredients including coarse whole wheat flour, porridge oats, molasses, oil, buttermilk, salt, baking soda and a bottle of Guinness Extra Stout on a dark wood tabletop.

The Ingredients

Guinness: The star ingredient of this Irish brown bread is Ireland’s famous Guinness stout. Guinness adds a rich malted flavor with notes of cocoa, coffee and roasted barley. Use Guinness Extra Stout or Guinness Draught in this recipe. Other stouts such as oatmeal stout may be used instead as well.

Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour: Traditional Irish brown bread is made with coarse wholemeal flour, which is milled from Irish-grown soft wheat. In the States, stone ground whole wheat flour is the closest thing that is commercially available. Of course, you can mill your own coarse whole wheat flour from soft wheat berries if you have a grain mill at home. King Arthur Flour makes an Irish-Style Flour for soda bread as well.

Irish Guinness bread with three slices fanned out from the loaf on a bread board next to a small bowl of marmalade butter and a bottle of Guinness Extra Stout.

Irish Porridge Oats: In Ireland, porridge oats are typically added to brown bread recipes. They are similar to what we call old-fashioned rolled oats in the States. Quick-cooking oats, which are rolled oats that have been broken down a bit to cook faster, can also be used in this recipe.

Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the liquid left during the process of making butter. It is usually cultured or soured which gives it a lower pH. It is preferred because its acidity will react with the baking soda with is alkaline (has a high pH) and will create air bubbles that leaven the bread. An easy replacement for buttermilk is any type of milk (dairy or pant milk) mixed with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. I like to use apple cider vinegar for this.

Oil or Butter: Melted butter or any neutral cooking oil can be used here. I prefer to use extra-light olive oil for baking and it works well in this recipe. The added fat enriches the bread and helps keep it moist with a soft texture. Melted butter will add a buttery flavor that goes well with the whole grains and creamy Guinness.

Kaity pouring Guinness Extra Stout into a beer glass next to a loaf of Irish Guinness brown bread that has been sliced into.

Molasses or Treacle: Molasses is the byproduct of cane sugar production. The dark syrup is sweet with a malted flavor and a hint of bitterness. It is hygroscopic meaning it has the ability to absorb moisture from the air and in turn, helps to keep the bread soft and moist. Treacle is the less bitter and sweeter European counterpart to molasses.

Baking Soda or Bicarb Soda: Baking soda is the term used in the U.S. for sodium bicarbonate, a leavening agent used to give quick breads like soda bread their rise. It is commonly referred to as bicarb soda in Ireland and the U.K. It is alkaline and needs to be combined with an acidic ingredient like buttermilk to react and leaven bread.

Salt: Salt brings out the flavors in this bread. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt in all my cooking and baking recipes.

Partially sliced Irish stout brown bread on a bread board next to small bowl of marmalade butter and glass of Guinness stout.
Irish Guinness bread that has been sliced into with three slices fanned out from the loaf on a bread board.

How to Make Irish Brown Bread

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Start by preheating the oven then grease and line a pullman loaf pan or a standard 1 pound loaf pan with parchment paper cut to fit the pan. Gather all of the ingredients to make the Guinness brown bread.

Step 2: Mix the Guinness Soda Bread Batter

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl then make a well in the center. Add the liquid ingredients to the well and quickly combine everything. Be careful not to overmix the batter. The baking soda will react right away to work quickly to get the bread batter into the oven.

Step 3: Bake the Guinness Bread

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle rolled oats over the top of the batter. Bake the brown bread for 45 minutes. It is ready when it is slightly domed with some cracks on top, dark brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 4: Cool and Serve

Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan then lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper as an aid. Let the bread cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing into it. Serve this traditional Irish brown bread with savory stews and soups or slather it in Irish butter and honey or jam for breakfast or with tea.

One slice of wholemeal Irish stout brown bread with marmalade butter spread across it that has been broken apart with crumbs on a speckled white ceramic plate.
One slice of Irish wholemeal brown bread with marmalade butter spread across it that has been broken apart with crumbs on a speckled white ceramic plate. A small white enamel teapot and white and blue china teacup and saucer sit in the background.

Tips for Making Guinness Brown Bread

  • Weigh the ingredients – I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients when baking. It is the most accurate way to bake and ensures that you will get the correct results from any recipe.
  • Sift the baking soda – Baking soda tends to clump up easily so it is always a good idea to sift it into the dry ingredients when working with it to remove any lumps. Lumps of baking soda can leave a metallic taste in the bread when baked.
  • Don’t over-mix – After the liquid ingredients are combined with the dry ingredients, the baking soda will start to react immediately so it is important to work quickly and mix the batter just until it is combined, which should only take less than 30 seconds. Get the bread into the pan and into the oven asap.
  • Use a thermometer – Because all ovens are different it is always a good idea to use an oven thermometer so you know the true temperature of your oven. They are inexpensive and widely available.
One slice of authentic Irish brown bread with marmalade butter spread across it that has been broken apart with crumbs on a speckled white ceramic plate surrounded by a small white enamel teapot, white and blue china teacup and saucer filled with black tea, an antique silver tea strainer, and a small bowl of marmalade butter.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make brown bread without Guinness?

Yes, replace Guinness with any other dark stout beer such as oatmeal stout. If you’d like to leave it out completely just replace it with more buttermilk.

Can I make it gluten-free Irish brown bread?

I have not tried making a gluten-free version of this recipe yet but it should be possible. Try swapping the whole wheat flour with an equal amount of 1-1 gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and use gluten-free rolled oats.

Can I freeze Guinness bread?

Yes, slice the brown bread and store it in the freezer in freezer-safe bags for up to 6 months. Warm the slices in the toaster as needed.

Kaity pouring tea from the white enamel teapot into the white and blue china teacup through an antique silver tea strainer next to a slice of Irish Guinness brown with marmalade butter spread across it that has been broken apart with crumbs on a speckled white ceramic plate.

For more delicious foods to make for St. Patrick’s Day check out these recipes:

  • Sourdough Soda Bread
  • Irish Soda Bread Scones
  • Vegan Irish Soda Bread
  • Spelt Soda Bread
  • Vegan Matcha Cocoa Cashew Cake

Love this recipe?

Please leave a star rating of the recipe and let me know what you think in a comment below. This small act is a great way to show your support for the food blogs you read and love.

Tag @fareisle in your photos on Instagram with #fareisle so I can see your creations!

A slice of wholemeal Guinness brown bread with marmalade butter spread across it that has been broken apart with crumbs on a speckled white ceramic plate. A small white enamel teapot and white and blue china teacup and saucer filled with earl grey tea sit next to it.
Irish Guinness bread that has been sliced into with three slices fanned out from the loaf on a bread board.

Irish Guinness Brown Bread Recipe

Author: Kaity Farrell
A traditional Irish Guinness brown bread recipe made with hearty whole grains and delicious Guinness stout. This quick and easy brown bread is ready in under 1 hour! Serve it with savory dishes or at breakfast with butter and honey or jam.
print recipe pin recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 400 g stoneground whole wheat flour ≈2-2/3 cups, or coarse wholemeal flour
  • 100 g rolled oats ≈3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons, plus extra for the top of the bread
  • 9 g kosher salt 2-1/4 teaspoons
  • 10 g baking soda 2 teaspoons
  • 330 g Guinness stout one 330 ml bottle
  • 165 g buttermilk ≈2/3 cup, or 160g milk or non-dairy milk mixed with 2 teaspoons of vinegar
  • 30 g olive oil ≈2 tablespoons, or melted butter
  • 40 g molasses ≈2 tablespoons, or treacle

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C. Grease and line a pullman loaf pan or a standard 1 pound loaf pan with parchment paper cut to fit the pan.
  • In a mixing bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Sift in the baking soda to remove and lumps.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the stout, buttermilk, oil and molasses. Then stir until just combined. Don’t overmix and work quickly to preserve the leavening properties of the baking soda.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle rolled oats over the top of the batter.
  • Bake the bread for 45 minutes or until it is slightly domed with some cracks on top, dark brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan then lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper as an aid. Let the bread cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing it.

Video


Notes

  • Store the brown bread in a bag a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or slice it and freeze the slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months.
  • Buttermilk can be replaced with any milk of your choice mixed with 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.
  • For a vegan version, use oil instead of butter and plant milk mixed with 2 teaspoons of vinegar for the buttermilk.

Course: Bread
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: authentic irish brown soda bread recipe, brown bread recipe, best guinness bread recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 74slice | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you make it?

Leave a comment and rating below!

On Instagram? Share and tag @fareisle #fareisle

Join the conversation Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Sara Gordon

    I haven’t tried this version of brown bread, yet, but it already looks better than the other two that I made last week. They were both awful. I had such good brown bread when I visited Ireland and hope to find the best recipe here. Can you give me the equivalent measurements, that you use, in cups for the flour and oats? I don’t want to end up with a tough loaf again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      Hi Sara, Thanks for your comment! I’ve updated the recipe with approximate cup measurements for you. Cups measurements are not as accurate as measuring by the gram and I do suggest using a kitchen scale for the best results from my recipes. I hope you like this brown bread loaf. It was very soft and tender, not tough. Because the baking soda activates right away it’s important to get the batter into the pan and then into the oven as quickly as possible. Please come back and leave a star rating and let me know how it turns out for you. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Allyson

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! The bread was flavorful and you can taste the stout but it’s not overpowering. It freezes well and is perfect for my morning toast. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
  3. kaity

    5 stars
    test

    Reply
  4. Mary

    5 stars
    I was in Ireland this summer and this type of bread was served everywhere at breakfast. I loved it so much but couldn’t find the right recipe until I found this! Thank you, it was perfect, especially toasted with jam.

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      This makes me so happy! Thank you, Mary!

      Reply
  5. Neil

    5 stars
    Like others I fell in love with this brown bread when I visited Ireland last year. Looked at a lot of different recipes before deciding to give your version a go. Fantastic! Great with smoked salmon spread. I used Bob’s Red Mill stoneground wheat flour and the flavor was great, but the texture was a bit “smoother” than what I remembered. I plan to order some extra coarse flour from Ireland in hopes of getting a more rustic, nubbly chew.

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      I’m so glad you like it, Neil! Thanks for your feedback. I going to need to try it with salmon spread now, mmm!

      Reply
  6. Juli

    5 stars
    Late last year I visited Ireland with some old friends from High School. Everything about Ireland was amazing; the history/landscape/food/friendly people. I left a piece of my heart there and plan to return next year. When I returned home, I wanted to recreate the wonderful brown bread I was served during my trip. I even brought home a bag of Odlum’s Extra Coarse Wholemeal flour with me! After searching for recipes online, I stumbled on yours and since I had all the ingredients at hand, I made my first loaf a few weeks ago. The smell, flavor and texture were perfect, and took me back to Ireland. This is a very easy recipe, and I can see myself baking this for the rest of my life. Now, if I could only get my hands on more Odlum’s flour!

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      Thank you so much for your feedback, Juli! I’m so happy you loved the recipe!

      Reply
  7. Georgie

    I have a sourdough starter can I sub this for baking soda? If so how much starter?
    Thanks for a great looking recipe I’m new to your site and looking forward to making some of your wonderful recipes.

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      Thanks for your question, Georgie! I haven’t made this bread with starter, so I’m not sure of the exact measurements you’d need. If you are adding starter for a sour flavor then I would suggest adding about 100g of mature sourdough discard and still use baking soda as the leavening agent. I don’t suggest using starter to leaven this bread, because it is meant to be a quick bread and is made from a dough that is more like a sticky cake batter rather than a kneaded bread dough. That said, if you want to use starter to leaven the bread in place of baking soda then I would suggest adding anywhere from 50-100g of very active and bubbly starter and let the dough bulk ferment until it increases to about 50-75% in volume before baking it. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it turned out.

      Reply
  8. Dianne

    The bread turned out delicious! Making another one today!

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      Thanks, Dianne! So happy you liked the recipe! Please come back and leave a star rating when you have a chance. Thanks!

      Reply
  9. Ursula Leahy

    5 stars
    I used your Irish Guinness Brown Bread recipe for St. Patrick’s Day dinner this year, with one alteration. (Canola oil, rather than olive oil for milder flavor) We served it with Kerry Gold butter, available at our local grocery store. My family loved it!
    Just finished the loaf for breakfast this morning warmed in the toaster oven. Could still smell the Guinness aroma! Time to make another!

    Reply
    • Kaity Farrell

      Thanks you, Ursula! I love the smell of this bread toasting, too. So good! Thanks again for leaving your feedback and rating – it means so much to me!

      Reply

Welcome to Fare Isle! I'm Kaity.


a private chef and content creator based on the island of Nantucket....read more here.

private chef services

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Recipes

Irish Guinness bread that has been sliced into with three slices fanned out from the loaf on a bread board.

Guinness Brown Bread

Lilac Gin Fizz Cocktail

Lilac Syrup

Large gallon-size glass mason jar of fire cider in the infusion stage with raw apple cider vinegar and medicinal plant materials.

Fire Cider Recipe for Immune Support

a variety of vegan sourdough donuts on a table.

Vegan Sourdough Donuts

In Season Now

A loaf of vegan Irish soda bread with raisins and caraways seeds on a wood board with a wedge slice cut out of it.

Vegan Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Lilac panna cotta in glass cups garnished with lilac flowers.

Dairy-Free Lilac Panna Cotta Recipe

Sugared purple violets drying on a wire rack over parchment paper.

Candied Violets Recipe

Closeup shot of 5 small quilted mason jars with metal screw top lids filled with purple/pink colored wild violet jelly stacked on top of each other.

Violet Jelly Recipe

Sign up for emails and get my new e-book!

Cover of Fare Isle's Cozy Dinner Party Menu e-book.

Get the latest recipes in your inbox

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

pages

  • Contact
  • About
  • Press
  • Work With Kaity
  • Nantucket Private Chefs
  • Affiliate Policy

recipes

  • All Recipes
  • Breakfast/Brunch
  • Dinner
  • Desserts
  • Sourdough
  • Edible Flowers

© 2023 Fare Isle · Terms · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Statement · Site Credits

Site by Meyne X