what can i replace stout beer with in baking

Beer is amongst the most popular beverages in the world. As popular as it is for drinking, it’s also remarkably popular and useful in cooking. Its popularity in cooking has increased in recent years, no doubt fueled by the ever-increasing popularity of beer itself. But what if you need a substitute for beer in cooking?

You might have run out of beer (gasp!), or might have dietary or personal preferences preventing its use in a recipe. Thankfully, there are a few versatile substitutes for beer in frying, cooking, and baking. Some non-alcoholic options work magnificently too, which is great if you’re avoiding alcohol in your food.

You can use chicken broth, ginger ale, white grape juice, or white wine if your recipe calls for a light beer. Use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or coke instead of dark beer.

Can You Use Malt Liquor Instead Of Beer In Cooking Or Baking?

Before we talk about all these substitutes, some of you may wonder: can I use malt liquor instead?

As we know, malt liquor is (loosely) a type of beer, so it’s natural to expect it to be an alternative for beer in cooking and baking. As we see, that’s not the case.

The key here is to understand that beer and malt liquor are different, even if they have a supposedly close relation.

There is a good difference between the ingredients of malt liquor and beer. Conventionally, malt liquor gets a hint of sweetness during the brewing process by the addition of ingredients like rice, corn, or just plain sugar. This gives it sweet undertones that are missing in beer.

Malt liquor also gets a higher alcohol content, usually at least twice that of beer. Its carbonation is weaker and its pH value is higher. Beer, on the other hand, is very acidic and carbonated.

As we see, malt liquor doesn’t quite fit into the profiles of flavor, alcohol content, acidity, or carbonation. The most important aspect is flavor – malt liquor isn’t really known for its fine taste and flavor!

So, let’s dive in and take a look at a few substitutes for beer you can use.

Root Beer – Good Choice For Tenderizing Meat

Does your recipe call for beer to tenderize meat? Using root beer should provide a good substitution. A soft drink (soda) could have worked as well, but these drinks tend to have a whole lot of sugar, which might bring some unwanted sweetness to the meat.

So, in this scenario, root beer works well. It also brings nice flavor undertones to the meat, which adds to the overall dish. If you don’t have root beer at hand either, plain soda water will work too. However, it’s generally a better idea to go with root beer or even ginger ale.

5 unique alternatives to Stout beer

FAQ

What is substitute for stout in baking?

What can replace Guinness in cooking?

What is stout for baking?

What can I substitute for stout beer?

We have already mentioned that stout beer has coffee notes in it, so using coffee or caramel is a great substitute. However, you can only add caramel or coffee in pastries and cakes instead of stout beer, but be very careful about the quantity. This substitute works great in other recipes that have oatmeal in them.

What can be used as a substitute for sour cream in baking?

Good substitutes for sour cream in baking are: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, buttermilk, coconut milk (the cream on top of full-fat coconut milk can be skimmed off and blended with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt to be used as a plant-based sour cream), cashews (blending soaked cashews with vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt), commercial soy-based sour cream.

What is a good substitute for beer?

Here’s the quick answer. The most similar substitute to beer is a non-alcoholic beer. But to avoid beer completely, try replacing light beer with chicken broth, white wine, ginger ale, or white grape juice. For dark beers, try root beer, red wine, apple juice, coke, or beef broth. In a pinch, you can use water mixed with marmite. Ready?

Can you use broth as a beer substitute?

Using a broth as a beer substitute will add a wonderful depth of flavor to your recipe, but it could also add some sodium. Use a sodium-free broth or consider omitting the salt called for in your recipe until you’ve had a chance to taste the dish.