Name: Traditional Australian Beer Damper
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2-4 people
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 1 can of beer - different beers create different flavours; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 cups Self raising flour

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Traditional Australian Beer Damper is a classic outback Aussie food, ‘bush bread’ and is delicious. This recipe for damper I like to use uses beer which helps the bread rise and gives it a unique flavour. I love this recipe and I make it all the time when I use a camp oven. You can’t beat freshly cooked damper out of the oven with a knob of butter! Even though you can cook beer damper in a regular oven if at home, cooking it in a camp oven just gives the damper a wonderful, unique smokey taste.

Table of Contents

Why Is Damper Called Bush Bread?

Damper is known as ‘bush bread’ because it was mostly made by people travelling through the outback of Australia. They didn’t have access to a supermarket where they could ‘pop in’ and buy a loaf of bread so, they made it themselves using minimal ingredients. The damper was cooked in a camp oven or dutch oven where they cooked the bread over an open fire or in the hot coals of the fire.

What is Traditional Damper Made From?

Traditional Australian Damper is made from self-raising flour, sugar, butter and milk. When mixed together then cooked they make a great bread to eat on its own or with a meal to mop up the gravy off the plate.

What is Australian Beer Damper Bread Made From?

There are few ingredients required to make traditional Australian beer damper bread. It is mostly flour, beer, oil and salt. The beer and oil replace the butter and milk of the traditional damper. This makes it so easy to make while travelling. These ingredients are easy to find and easy to carry too.

What is the Best Beer to Use in Beer Damper?

The type of beer you put in your beer damper can influence its colour and flavour. The darker the beer with a strong flavour will produce a darker and more beer flavoured damper. If you don’t want the beer flavour to overpower the damper, then a lighter and milder beer, like pilsner and blonde ales would be best. I guess it will be trial and error. I personally, like the lighter and milder beer in my beer damper. But that’s me – you will work out what you like too!

What Do You Cook Damper Bread In?

Damper bread is a popular food to enjoy while camping in Australia’s great outdoors. Most cook their damper over the campfire in a camp or dutch oven. You can also cook it in a regular kitchen cooking oven. But the best flavour of damper is obtained using a camp oven.

What I like About this Beer Damper Recipe

Another thing I like about making and cooking beer damper while backpacking, travelling and camping is that you can divide the mixture up to suit the oven you have. You can make one big loaf or divide the mixture into smaller portions and make bread rolls! This beer damper mixture is very versatile.

How Do You Know When Your Damper is Cooked?

You will know when you damper is cooked when it is lovely and golden on the outside and it sounds hollow when you tap on it. I think damper tastes the best straight out of the oven. You can eat it on its own with a knob of butter or use it to mop up a stew. However you eat it – enjoy!