Hop Miche (Sourdough Beer Bread)

Ingredients

• 71 gwholemeal flour
• 71 gwater
• 36 gripe sourdough starter
• 79 gwhole rye flour
• 197 gstout
• 542 gmedium-protein white bread flour
• 293 gwholemeal flour
• 569 gwater
• Allof the tangzhong
• 118 gwater
• 20 gfine sea salt
• 179 gripe levain

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the levain

   At 9:00 a.m., mix the levain ingredients in a jar, cover and leave at 23–24°C for 5 hours to ripen.

2. 2

   Cook the tangzhong

   At 9:10 a.m., put the tangzhong ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk continuously for 5–8 minutes, until thick and paste-like. Watch for the stout to foam and rise; whisk out any flour lumps and keep the mixture moving to prevent it catching. Take the pan off the heat, spread the tangzhong on a small plate and leave it to cool.

3. 3

   Autolyse the dough

   At 1:00 p.m., adjust the autolyse water so the mixed dough reaches a final dough temperature of 26°C. Put the autolyse ingredients and all the tangzhong in a large bowl. Mix with wet hands until no dry patches remain, cover and leave near the levain for 1 hour.

4. 4

   Mix and knead

   At 2:00 p.m., add the salt and levain to the dough, dampening it with a splash of water. Mix well with wet hands or a dough whisk, then knead for about 5 minutes using slap-and-folds or bowl folds, until smoother. Cover and rest for 10 minutes. If the dough is dry and shaggy, work in the remaining water; if it is very wet, leave that water out. Knead for another 3–5 minutes until cohesive, then transfer to a covered container.

5. 5

   Bulk ferment

   From 2:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., bulk ferment for about 3.5 hours at 23–24°C. Complete 4 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals: pull up one side of the dough and fold it over the centre, then turn the bowl 90° and repeat for all 4 sides. Cover between sets. After the last set, keep the dough covered until bulk fermentation is complete.

6. 6

   Shape the loaf

   At 5:45 p.m., once the dough is puffy with bubbles at the edges, gently turn it onto a floured surface. For one large loaf, skip preshaping and shape directly into a boule, creating enough surface tension. Place it seam-side up in a heavily floured 10-inch proofing basket.

7. 7

   Proof overnight

   At 6:00 p.m., cover the basket with a large reusable plastic bag and seal it. Refrigerate overnight, until 9:00 a.m. the next day.

8. 8

   Bake and cool

   At 9:00 a.m., preheat the oven to 230°C for 30 minutes, with a baking surface in the bottom third. Bake the large miche on the hot surface with steam, or use a Brød and Taylor Baking Shell. Turn the dough onto a parchment-lined peel, score it and slide it onto the hot surface. Bake covered or with steam for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 45 minutes, until the centre reaches 95°C and the crust is dark and crunchy and sounds hollow. Cool for at least 3–4 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing.

What is hop miche?

Miche is a large, round country-style loaf associated with French baking. This version is a sourdough enriched with stout and wholegrain flours, giving it a hearty crumb and a deeply coloured crust.

Stout adds roasted, slightly chocolatey notes, while the long fermentation develops the sourdough character. Baking it as one large boule helps create the thick crust that suits this substantial loaf.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 4760 calories, 166g protein, 999g carbs, 28g fat.

For the stated one-loaf serving, most of the energy and carbohydrates come from the white bread flour and wholegrain flours, with the stout contributing a smaller amount. The flour and sourdough contribute most of the protein, while the recipe contains little added fat; the sea salt supplies most of the sodium. Treat a slice as the practical portion and pair it with a protein-rich topping and vegetables for a more balanced plate.

The levain and tangzhong

Levain: Give it the full 5 hours at 23–24°C, and use it when ripe. Its activity supports the long fermentation and helps the dough rise.

Tangzhong: Cook the rye flour and stout mixture until it becomes a thick paste. Keep whisking as the beer foams, and let the paste cool before mixing it into the dough.

Mixing a wholegrain dough

Autolyse: Mix the flour, water and cooled tangzhong until there are no dry patches, then leave the bowl covered for 1 hour. This gives the flour time to hydrate before the salt and levain go in.

Water: The method reserves water for adjusting the dough after the first kneading. Add it only if the dough feels dry and shaggy; a very wet dough may not need all of it.

Build strength during bulk fermentation

Folds: Four sets, each working around all four sides of the dough, help build strength without intensive kneading. Turn the bowl a quarter-turn between folds and cover it between sets.

Readiness: Use the dough’s appearance as well as the clock. At the end of the 3.5-hour bulk, it should look puffy, with bubbles visible at the edges.

Shape and proof the miche

Boule: Because this is one large loaf, the method skips preshaping. Shape it gently but firmly enough to create surface tension, then place it seam-side up in a generously floured 10-inch basket.

Cold proof: Keep the covered basket in the refrigerator overnight, from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 a.m. The long proof is part of the recipe’s schedule, so allow time for it when planning the bake.

Bake for a dark crust

Steam: Preheat the baking surface for 30 minutes at 230°C, then bake covered or with steam for the first 20 minutes. This first stage gives the loaf time to expand before the crust sets.

Doneness: Bake uncovered for a further 45 minutes. Look for a dark, crunchy crust and a hollow sound when tapped, and check that the centre has reached 95°C.

Cool before slicing

A loaf this large needs time for its interior to settle after baking. Leave it to cool for at least 3–4 hours, or preferably overnight, before cutting.

Serve slices with soup, cheese or a savoury spread. The stout and wholegrain flavours also make the loaf a good fit for a festive table.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a thermometer to check the dough reaches the method’s target final temperature of 26°C after the autolyse mix.
• Keep the tangzhong whisking as it thickens so the flour does not clump or catch on the pan.
• Wet your hands before mixing and folding to help manage the sticky dough.
• Flour the proofing basket generously so the large loaf releases cleanly.
• Allow the baking surface its full 30-minute preheat before loading the dough.
• Wait until the loaf has cooled for at least 3–4 hours before slicing.

Variations

• Use another stout: Choose a dark stout with a similar roasted character for the tangzhong.
• Serve with cheese: Pair slices with a savoury cheese to complement the rich, malty flavour.
• Make toast: Toast leftover slices and serve with butter or a savoury topping.
• Add a soup course: Serve thick slices alongside a bowl of soup for a filling meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling over the tangzhong: Stout can foam as it heats, so use a medium saucepan and watch it closely.
• Scorching the paste: Keep whisking over medium-low heat until thick, then take the pan off the heat.
• Adding all the reserved water automatically: Check the dough first and leave the extra water out if it is already very wet.
• Underproofing the bulk dough: Look for a puffy dough with bubbles at the edges before shaping.
• Using too little flour in the basket: Flour the 10-inch basket heavily to help the dough release.
• Slicing while hot: Give the loaf at least 3–4 hours to cool so the crumb has time to settle.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the loaf in a bread bag or wrapped at room temperature and use within 2–3 days. Refresh slices by toasting, or warm a piece briefly in the oven.

Frequently asked questions