1889 Brewing - Apricot Wheat Bread

January 10, 2024

Drawing by Vince Long © 2025

As of this writing 1889 Brewing is Billing's newest brewery having opened earlier last month.  They are located in the Billings Industrial Revitalization District (BIRD) on the corner of 2nd Ave. N and N 13th Street, a part of town that holds great promise in the future.  I stopped in on December 23rd to try out a few of their beers that might work with a bread.  Here's the flight I ordered:

I went for the Apricot Wheat, the Porter, the Brown, and, because of who I am, the IPA.  I made notes and when I was done there was no question: the Apricot Wheat.  I could just taste it in a bread with dried apricots, toasted cashews, and a bit of cinnamon and cardamom.  Here's the recipe:

1889 Brewing Apricot Wheat Bread with Apricots and Cashews

2-1/2 cups (556 g) 1889 Brewing Apricot Wheat beer at room temperature

1/4 cup cardamom tea, * see notes

2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp instant yeast

1-1/2 tsp honey

45 ounces (1,260 g) Wheat Montana bread flour

6 ounces (170 g) toasted, chopped cashews * see notes

9 ounces (225 g) dried, chopped apricots, about 1-1/2 cups

The Process

Combine everything except the flour, cashews and apricots.  Add about half the flour and stir.  Continue to add flour until the dough ball comes together.  You can use a wooden spoon and bowl or a stand mixer.  Start adding the cashews and the apricots and enough flour to get a good dough consistency.  Once all combined, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15-20 minutes.  

Knead the dough using one of the methods described on the first page.  When kneading is complete, give the dough a quick spray of oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Set aside in a warm place and let it rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured board and press down to degass it.  Form into 2 loaf shapes.  I used tradition loaf pans that I sprayed with oil and put the dough in each of these.  Spray the tops with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof.  The dough will about double in 45 minutes.

Remove the plastic and place the loaf pans in a 350°F oven and bake for about 40 minutes.  Remove the loaves from the pans and thump the bottoms to test for doneness.  If you hear a hollow sound, they are done.  Cool on a wire rack.  

Enjoy.

* Notes:  

I was out of ground cardamom but had some whole cardamom seeds.  I crushed about 2 heaping tablespoons of the seeds, placed them in a cup with 1/2 cup water, and microwaved them for 2 minutes.  I let this stand for a bit to steep and cool before straining it and adding to the rest of the ingredients.

I used chopped raw, unsalted cashews which I toasted on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes at 325°F.  After they cooled I chopped them some more.

Illustrations

The liquid ingredients and yeast getting ready to ferment.

Initial mixing.

Getting the cashews ready.

Nuts and apricots included near the end of the kneading.

Ready to start the fermentation step.

Into the loaf pans for the final rise.  I had a little one left over.

They have raised enough to bake.  Note that they haven't really doubled.

After baking.