Mag Aonghus Traditional Irish Beer Bread

December 14, 2025
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Brad Sullivan - Recipe Rewind
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Mag Aonghus traditional Irish beer bread leans into real pub character: chewy crumb, deep malt, and a slow, yeasted rise built on Guinness and a mix of sturdy flours instead of shortcut quick-bread batter.

My recipe modernizes a 1941 formula from Dublin's Slattery's Bar by adding active yeast to compensate for today's pasteurized beer, which no longer contains the live cultures that originally helped the dough rise. You get real bread with structure and chew, not the dense biscuit texture of no-yeast versions.

This was the situation with Dublin in 1941: Ireland declared neutrality during World War II, which they diplomatically called "The Emergency" because apparently calling it a world war felt too committal. Rationing still happened, supplies got scarce, and pubs like Slattery's on Capel Street kept serving working men who needed more than just a pint to get through the day.

1941 Dublin: When Pub Bread Actually Mattered

Walk into Slattery's Bar today, and you're standing in a place that's been pouring drinks since 1821. They got their early house license in 1892 specifically to serve market workers who showed up before dawn needing fortification before hauling produce all day. By 1941, it was a neighborhood anchor where regulars knew everyone's name and bread came standard with your stew because that's how you stretched a meal.

Pub kitchens made beer bread because it made practical sense, not because some (ahem) food blogger decided it was "rustic" and "artisanal." Breweries ran at full capacity even during rationing because beer qualified as a food staple. Turns out when times get tough, people still want their pints. Who knew? 

Publicans had reliable access to draft beer and spent grain from brewing, and the unpasteurized draft carried enough wild yeast to leaven bread dough without requiring separate yeast purchases that weren't always available anyway.

The bread baked in these pub kitchens used what was already sitting there, required minimal skill to execute, and produced something sturdy enough to soak up every drop of gravy without disintegrating into mush. Irish cooking has always favored dense, hearty breads with substantial crust because delicate pastries don't hold up well in a climate where it rains 225 days a year. This was fuel, not fine dining.

What Makes This Irish Beer Bread Work

  • Active Yeast Plus Baking Soda (Because Modern Beer Is Dead)
    Modern Guinness is pasteurized, which means all the yeast that would've naturally leavened this bread in 1941 is now completely dead. Helpful for shelf stability; not helpful for bread making. So we're adding active dry yeast to handle fermentation and flavor development, plus baking soda for insurance because belt and suspenders is always smarter than hoping for the best. The yeast does the real work during two 90-minute rises. The baking soda provides a small chemical lift in the oven and keeps the finished bread from tasting aggressively yeasty. Skip either one and you'll get either flat bread or bread that tastes like you're eating a yeast packet.
  • Three Flours Because Each One Has a Job
    All-purpose flour builds structure and gluten. Wheat flour adds nutty sweetness and tightens the crumb. Rye flour delivers the earthy, slightly sour notes that complement beer's bitterness while helping the crust develop actual color and crunch instead of staying pale and sad. You could use only all-purpose flour, but then you'd have white bread that tastes like beer-flavored Wonder Bread. Not the goal here.
  • Cocoa and Espresso Powder (No, This Doesn't Taste Like Coffee)
    One tablespoon of cocoa-espresso powder enhances the roasted malt character in Guinness and deepens the loaf color to proper dark brown. It does not make this taste like mocha. It works the same way adding instant coffee to chocolate cake makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate, not coffee. Chemistry is useful sometimes.
  • Molasses and Oats (Moisture Management)
    Dark molasses keeps the crumb moist for days after baking while adding that mineral-rich sweetness traditional Irish brown bread is known for. Rolled oats absorb liquid during mixing, hold onto it during fermentation, then slowly release moisture as the bread bakes and cools. This prevents the dry, crumbly disaster that happens with many whole grain breads. Also, oats on top look good. Visual appeal counts.
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Sully’s Mag Aonghus Beer Bread Recipe

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This authentic Irish beer bread uses Guinness stout, active yeast, and a blend of three flours to create pub-style bread with deep malty flavor and substantial texture. Unlike quick beer breads made with only baking powder, this recipe includes a double rise that develops complex flavors and creates a chewy, structured crumb. Inspired by a 1941 recipe from Dublin’s Slattery’s Bar and modernized to account for pasteurized beer.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (105-110°F)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • 1/8 cup rye flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (plus more for topping)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa and espresso powder blend
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon dark molasses
  • 9-9.5 ounces Guinness Extra Stout or Draught (about 3/4 of a standard bottle)
  • Butter or oil for greasing pan
  • 1 egg, beaten (optional, for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Proof the yeast: In a glass, combine active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy and bubbling. If mixture doesn’t foam, yeast is dead; start over with fresh yeast.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, wheat flour, rye flour, rolled oats, kosher salt, cocoa-espresso powder, and baking soda until thoroughly combined.
  3. Combine wet and dry: Add molasses and proofed yeast mixture to dry ingredients. Transfer to stand mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add Guinness beer. Mix for 5 minutes until dough forms a smooth ball and pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
  4. First rise: Remove dough from mixer and form into a ball. Cover bowl tightly with aluminum foil. Place in a warm spot (75-80°F) for 1½ hours until doubled in size.
  5. Shape and prepare pan: Grease a cast iron loaf pan or standard 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or oil. Lightly knead dough on floured surface to remove air bubbles. Shape into loaf and place in prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, score an X across the top about ¼-inch deep. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with additional oats, or dust with rye flour for a rustic finish.
  6. Second rise: Preheat oven to 120°F (or lowest setting). Place shaped loaf in pan in oven along with a heatproof bowl filled with boiling water. Turn off oven. Let rise for 1½ hours until dough domes above pan rim.
  7. Bake: Remove bowl of water from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F and preheat. Once oven reaches temperature, bake bread for 45-55 minutes until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190-200°F. If top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil during last 10 minutes.
  8. Cool: Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Equipment

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 146
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Sodium: 200mg
  • Fat: 0.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 29.7
  • Fiber: 2.6g
  • Protein: 4.4g

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How to Make Perfect Mag Aonghus Beer Bread

  • Proof Your Yeast or Waste an Hour
    Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water in a glass and wait for bubbles. Water should feel warm but not hot, around 105-110°F if you're using a thermometer. Too hot kills the yeast. Too cold and nothing happens. You're looking for foam to form within 5-10 minutes. No foam means dead yeast, which means starting over. I know it seems like wasting five minutes. It's not. Finding out your yeast was dead after two hours of rise time is actually wasting time.
  • Mix Until the Bowl Is Clean
    Five minutes in a stand mixer means five actual minutes, not turning it on occasionally while you check your phone. The dough should pull cleanly from the bowl sides and form a smooth ball. If your hands are sticky and the dough looks shaggy, you haven't mixed long enough. Keep going. Add the Guinness gradually while the mixer runs to avoid flour pockets that'll haunt you later when you find dry spots in your baked bread.
  • The Double Rise Is Not Negotiable
    First 90-minute rise develops flavor. Cover with foil, not a towel that'll stick to wet dough like it's trying to become part of the recipe. Put it somewhere consistently warm. Top of the refrigerator works. Near a heating vent works. Inside your oven with only the light on works. It just needs to be warm and draft-free. The second rise happens in a pre-warmed oven with a bowl of boiling water, creating steam. This keeps the surface from drying out while the dough expands to maximum height. Skip this and you'll get a dense brick. Follow this and you get actual bread with structure - your choice.
  • Score It or Watch It Crack Randomly
    Cut an X across the top before the second rise to let the Faeries out. This controls where the bread expands in the oven instead of letting it crack wherever it feels like it. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle oats if you want it shiny. Dust with rye flour if you want the old-world rustic look and better-tasting crust. The rye flour toasts during baking and adds a pleasant bitter note that pairs well with butter.
  • Temperature Doesn't Lie
    Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes, but use a thermometer. Bread is done at 190-200°F internal temperature. Tap the bottom and it should sound hollow. If the top browns too fast, tent it with foil the last 10 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Yes, I know it smells amazing and you want to cut it immediately. Cutting hot bread creates gummy texture. Wait the 10 minutes.

Recipe Variations, Serving Ideas, and Storage

  • Recipe Variations

  • Serving Ideas

  • Make Ahead & Storage 

Recipe Variations

  • Substitute half the wheat flour with whole wheat flour for a more pronounced whole grain flavor and denser texture.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds to the dry ingredients for traditional Irish brown bread flavor.
  • Replace the Guinness with a lighter Irish red ale for milder beer flavor and a paler crumb.
  • For a sweeter breakfast bread, increase the molasses to 2 tablespoons and add ¼ cup of raisins or dried currants after the first rise.
  • Want a crustier exterior? Bake in a preheated Dutch oven instead of a loaf pan. Place the shaped dough in the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes covered, then 15-20 minutes uncovered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Irish beer bread without yeast?

Yes, but you'll get quick bread texture similar to a biscuit rather than true bread structure. Most no-yeast beer bread recipes rely solely on baking powder or baking soda for leavening, which creates a denser, more crumbly result. This recipe uses yeast specifically to develop flavor and create the characteristic chewy texture of traditional pub bread.

What kind of beer works best for beer bread?

Guinness Extra Stout or Guinness Draught both work well in this recipe. The roasted malt character and slight bitterness complement the other ingredients without overwhelming them. You can substitute any Irish stout or dark ale, but avoid IPAs (too hoppy and bitter) or light lagers (not enough flavor).

Why do I need three different types of flour?

Each flour contributes different properties. All-purpose provides structure, wheat flour adds sweetness and nutrition, and rye flour delivers the earthy flavor and crust color associated with traditional Irish bread. Using only all-purpose flour would make bland white bread. The combination creates complexity.

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Yes, instant yeast can be substituted 1:1 for active dry yeast. You can skip the proofing step and mix it directly with the dry ingredients, though I still recommend proofing to verify your yeast is alive before committing to the full recipe.

How do I know when the dough has risen enough?

After the first rise, the dough should roughly double in size and feel puffy when gently pressed. After the second rise in the loaf pan, it should dome above the rim of the pan. Press gently with your fingertip: if the indentation springs back slowly, it's ready to bake. If it springs back immediately, give it more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, you've over-proofed it.

What if I don't have a stand mixer?

You can mix this dough by hand using a wooden spoon and then knead it on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic. Your arms will get a workout, but it's entirely doable without a mixer.

Can I bake this in a Dutch oven instead of a loaf pan?

Yes, and you'll get a rounder boule shape with a crustier exterior. Preheat the Dutch oven at 450°F for 30 minutes, carefully place the shaped dough inside, score the top, cover with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown.

Why does my beer bread taste too yeasty?

Over-rising is usually the culprit. If the dough rises too long or in an environment that's too warm (above 80°F), the yeast becomes overactive and produces strong yeasty flavors. Stick to the 90-minute rise times in a moderately warm spot, not a hot one.

How long does homemade beer bread stay fresh?

This bread stays moist for 4-5 days at room temperature due to the oats and molasses, which retain moisture. Most homemade breads start drying out after 2 days, so this recipe has unusually good keeping qualities.

Can I add cheese to this beer bread?

You can fold in 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar or Irish cheddar after the first rise. The cheese adds richness and creates a more savory loaf that's excellent with soup. Add it just before shaping the dough for the loaf pan.

Traditional Irish beer bread with yeast baked in cast iron loaf pan with oat-topped dark crust this recipe

Ever make bread using a recipe older than your grandparents? This one's been making the rounds since 1941, back when Dublin pub kitchens turned out loaves to go with the day's stew. If you make this Mag Aonghus traditional Irish beer bread, please leave a rating and review!

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About the Author

Brad Sullivan - Recipe Rewind

Sully is a contributor to Recipe Rewind, sharing his expertise in traditional bread-making. His 15 years living in Germany sparked a passion for authentic European breads and time-honored baking methods. Sully specializes in recreating traditional old-world breads and other vintage baked goods, adapting forgotten recipes for modern home bakers using techniques and equipment available in today's kitchens. He believes food connects us all across cultures and generations, and is dedicated to preserving culinary traditions through tested, reliable recipes.​

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