# German Pretzels (Bretzels)



## Brew Matt (30/3/14)

Just wondering if anyone knows where frozen bretzels can be purchased from? I used to get these from Aldi, but it appears they will not be re-introducing these anytime soon.

When I went to the German club at Carara (Qld), the bretzels they served were brought in frozen, and they tasted like the ones Aldi had.


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## Batz (30/3/14)

They make them fresh at our local bakery on Saturdays, very good as well. I have ordered a dozen or so for brew functions before, I must say I seem more keen on them than some brewers.

Batz


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## Brew Matt (30/3/14)

Batz said:


> They make them fresh at our local bakery on Saturdays, very good as well. I have ordered a dozen or so for brew functions before, I must say I seem more keen on them than some brewers.
> 
> Batz


I thought every brewery would enjoy an authentic bretzel. Perhaps we can add venues that sell fresh breztels as well, and keep them in this thread.

My reason for asking about fresh, is purely due to the fact there are non in my town.


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## Batz (30/3/14)

Some people expect them to be little crunchy things like you buy in the supermarket.

They sell the fresh ones here for $1.00 each, they do me a deal on a couple of dozen.


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## sp0rk (30/3/14)

I make my own 
You have to do the lye bath to get them any decent
I'm lazy and have just been using bicarb in hot water, but will try the lye next time I make some


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## mr_wibble (30/3/14)

You can make them yourself fairly easily - if you can make beer, bretzels are piss-easy.
I can't get that proper salt though, is it Fleur de Sel? I don't know. I use rock salt, which is not correct.

I've used this recipe a bunch of times, even in huge (100 bretzel) batches for a party.

So - make your dough, form up your bretzels. Leave them sitting on a tray while you get your baking soda (NOT baking powder) water boiling (or get a production line going).

Once boiling, gently plop the bretzel into the water. The only need to be in a for a minute or so. The alkaline solution gives your bretzel it's dark, deliciously chewy crust.
Pull them out with a slotted egg-lifter, and back onto the tray. They're steaming, let them dry off a bit (but not completely) and sprinkle on a little salt.
Straight into the hot oven then.

One thing I do need help with - my dough ends up too springy, I roll it out into a log, stretching it. But as soon as it's let go, it bloody all shrinks back on itself, like it's gone for an ocean dip in July. Maybe I need to rest for longer.

Give these a go, get your kids/nieces/nephews/neighbours to help.

*Bretzels*:

2-3 cups flour
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon malt / brown sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until it forms a ball.
I start with 2 cups of the flour and mix it together until it forms something like a thick batter,
then add more flour a handful at a time until it'll form a nice ball that I can knead by hand.

Cut the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each one into a short log, cover with a towel, and let the dough relax for 5 to 10 minutes.
After it has relaxed you should be able to roll it out and stretch again fairly easily.

*Soda Boil:*

24g Baking soda to 1L water
drop in for about 10 seconds (I usually go around 30-40 seconds, do whatever works for you)


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## mr_wibble (30/3/14)

Sp0rk - Do you make your own lye (from wood ash) ?

All the ones I've had in Germany and Switzerland don't seem any more (word?) tangy than using a bicarb-boil.

So, although speaking from ignorance, I don't think you need lye to make a good bretzel.

Edit: Where is TimT, bet he makes his own lye


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## TimT (30/3/14)

I would be lyeing if I said that I did.


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## Brew Matt (30/3/14)

Batz said:


> Some people expect them to be little crunchy things like you buy in the supermarket.
> 
> They sell the fresh ones here for $1.00 each, they do me a deal on a couple of dozen.


$1.00 each is a good deal. When I have seen them is Sydney or Brisbane, about $3.50 each.



sp0rk said:


> I make my own
> You have to do the lye bath to get them any decent
> I'm lazy and have just been using bicarb in hot water, but will try the lye next time I make some


Next CRABS meeting should be at your place Sp0rk. Beer, Bretzels, and Babes (will bring our partners along  )


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## sp0rk (30/3/14)

Brew Matt said:


> Next CRABS meeting should be at your place Sp0rk. Beer, Bretzels, and Babes (will bring our partners along  )


Mmmm, Bretels, Beer, Bigass BBQ (I can do around 9kg of chicken wings in my smoker) and Babes
Sounds good!
I'll start a new thread tomorrow for the brew day for the christmas in july case swap


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## New_guy (30/3/14)

Batz said:


> Some people expect them to be little crunchy things like you buy in the supermarket.
> 
> They sell the fresh ones here for $1.00 each, they do me a deal on a couple of dozen.


What's the name of the place that sells them for $1?


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## roller997 (16/4/14)

In Germany they use caustic soda to make the lye. You can find a few reference out there when you google caustic soda vs baking soda pretzels.

The caustic soda lye provides a darker colour and more traditional taste than baking soda. You can get close to the colour with baking soda if you increase the amount of baking soda you use.

The mix I use from a German recipe is 2 teaspoons for 1 litre of water. 

You have to be very careful with caustic soda and you should use a stainless or pyrex pot / bowl - Besides being dangerous to handle, it gets extremely hot when you add it to water and I could see a plastic vessel melt if you have some caustic clumped up against the base. Also, the area needs to be extremely well ventilated and you should ensure that you don't inhale any of the resulting fumes.

The recipe above is similar to the one I use - I use a lot less sugar - I would use about 1 teaspoon for 1 KG of flour and that is mixed in with a bit of flour, milk and the yeast to get the yeast started.

*For most people baking soda is a better option as it is dangerous to handle caustic soda and not everyone has food grade caustic soda at home*. The compromise of using baking soda instead caustic soda is not worth injuring yourself.

If you have food grade caustic soda and you decide to go down the path of using it for your pretzels, you only need to dunk them in for 5-10 seconds.
Make sure to wear goggles and gloves as well as old clothes and do it when there are no kids nearby. Try to do this in a stainless sink and rest the pretzels on stainless trays. In case you were not aware, stainless is passivated by caustic soda, which is why some breweries and wineries use it to clean out stainless tanks. 

The other advantage is that most drain cleaners use caustic soda, so once you are finished you can clean your drains with it afterwards as long as you flush them later on.


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## dent (16/4/14)

I have so far failed to find any food grade lye in Australia. If anyone knows of where to get some, let me know. 

Apparently you used to be able to get "Lye Water" from asian food shops for making noodles, but since some ******* retarded kid drank some of it, the lye water is now just some pissweak carbonate.


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## Mardoo (16/4/14)

That link is hilarious!


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## pk.sax (16/4/14)

I've used diggers caustic from the green shed. Still alive.

What I like about the lye bath is the no-boil. Don't have to boil them so makes the whole thing easier to do. I must admit I simply used a slotted spoon and knife to handle the pretzels from lye bath to baking sheet. No violence and nice calm operation. Which is a far cry from the boil/dip/retrieve with the baking soda.

To each their own I suppose. I liked the taste of the lye ones better. More like the german ones than the crusty bread like soda ones.


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## Not For Horses (22/5/14)

I made some very delicious German pretzels to go with beer tonight but with a sort of cheat...
My recipe uses leftover yeast cake from a recent brew to add a big yeasty flavour that would otherwise take all day to achieve.
My recipe is as follows

250g white flour
65ml milk
65ml water
tsp sugar
tsp bakers yeast (for rising)
tbsp yeast cake (for flavour)
20g butter
2 tsp salt

Whack the whole lot into the mixer for 10 minutes. Seems a long time but it needs it.
Kneed the dough into a ball and let rise for an hour (or more if it is a bit cold) until the dough has doubled in size.
Knock back the dough then divide into 4 to 6 portions
Shape into a long roll about 40cm long then twist into the pretzel shape. The traditional ones are fatter in the middle then skinny on the ends.
Leave to prove for half an hour or so.
Brush with a solution of baking soda and water then sprinkle with flaked salt. The black stuff from Cyprus looks pimp.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 180c until nice and brown.

Awesome with my Citrillo American Amber Ale


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## GeoffN (23/5/14)

Tried this recipe today.

Thanks very much for psoitng it. The Bretzels taste great, I'll be doing it again.


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## mr_wibble (24/5/14)

Smittenkitchen.com has her own take on them.

FWIW she advocates using lye too, saying despite the necessary protective gear, it's easier then boiling in baking soda.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/05/soft-pretzel-buns-and-knots/


I'll have to find some food-grade lye.


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## Mercs Own (14/6/14)

Have a read of this thread: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/52192-pretzels-and-beer/


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## CrookedFingers (14/6/14)

Have used the recipe from above mentioned thread many many times.

Thanks mate, I love them and recommend the recipe highly !!

CF


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## motch02 (23/3/15)

Going to bump an old thread and ask if any one knows where I can get some food grade lye from?, looking to use it for making candi syrup


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## pat_00 (23/3/15)

Chinese grocers? I have seen 'Lye Water' there. Not sure if it's the same thing.

It's used to get that super crackly skin on roast pork belly.


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## motch02 (23/3/15)

Yeah I had read that somewhere, I'll have to give it a try


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## Borneogoat (17/3/16)

For those still wondering where to get food grade lye. Analysis grade NaOH is available from your local chemistry & laboratory supplier. I know this because I happen work for one in Hobart (I won't mention the business name, because that might violate forum rules, but Google is your friend)! You can ask for Merck part number 1.06498.0500 (500g) and will cost about $20. Your local lab supply is also a great place to look for pH meters, yeast starter flasks, stir plates, and many other homebrew oddities... 

Disclaimer: this is "analysis grade" rather than "food grade". Purely semantics, but you've been warned. However, it has Kosher certification which means your Jewish Rabi thinks it's just fine! I'll be testing it out this weekend, time permitting.


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## dent (17/3/16)

Cool - can the average pleb order from those places OK? Thought they might have shut that down due to the amateur pharmacists.


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## waggastew (17/3/16)

Here's some I prepared earlier, like two years earlier using lab grade NaOH.


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## Rambo (19/3/16)

Batz said:


> Some people expect them to be little crunchy things like you buy in the supermarket.
> 
> They sell the fresh ones here for $1.00 each, they do me a deal on a couple of dozen.


Hey Batz, is this bakery still making Bretzels? I'm getting married in September and looking to buy some for the post ceremony and late night snacks. Cheapest I can find are $2 each and are only part baked. I'd assume they have gone up in price since your post but hopefully not double.
Cheers!


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