Bread is basically just flour + yeast + liquid right..?
Gatorade bread.
You ever have one of those “what am I doing with my life?” moments
I was a fool. I thought this would be a bad idea. This is the BEST GODDAMN BREAD I’ve EVER made??? It’s fluffy, it’s chewy, it’s got a perfectly crisp crust. The only flavor it has is vaguely sweet. I’ve already eaten the whole loaf.
I
I’m not surprised it came out well! Compared to other liquids you can use for yeasted bread, like beer or milk, Gatorade is remarkably non-complex. As others have pointed out, it’s primarily water, sugar, and salt, with a bit of citric acid; you can actually make your own gatorade by adding a shot of vinegar, a teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon of sugar to 20oz of water. The ancient Romans had a variant of this they called Posca.
I’m not a chemist or indeed a professional baker but I suspect that the reason OP had such success is that the sugar and salt are great for feeding the yeast and stabilizing/strengthening the dough, and in Gatorade they’ve been mixed in really well so they’re super absorbable. And look at what a fun color it is!