ISO: Batter Bread (sans beer) and dough rising

Hello!

I am entering the recipe in case the reply refers to an ingredient I used. The recipe for Batter Bread is as follows.

1/2 cup warm water and milk (boiled)
4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 package yeast

I followed the instructions to the nearest letter, but the dough will NOT rise. I've tried putting the bowl in warm water with a towel and plastic over it, but nothing works. Is one of the ingredients interfering with the process? (I read a reply saying sugar changes the cell structure of the dough). I moved to a slightly higher elevation recently, but even before the dough did not rise. Am I killing the yeast by adding boiled water? What can I do?

Thanks in advance,
Cindy