Redbeard Historic Bakery Bread Baking Workshop
Each comprehensive full-day hands-on workshop covers:
- making your own sourdough leaven to harness the power of complex wild culture fermentation
- kneading, shaping and prooving loaves in tins, cloth and baskets
- a short history of baking and ovens, and how to get the most out of your oven
- using different types of flour and milling your own
- how to recognise well made bread
- cooling and storing bread
Who leads the workshops?
John Reid, founder of RedBeard, with almost three decades of sourdough baking experience leads the workshops.
- The cultural history of real traditional wildferment "sourdough" breads - why they taste so good and are so good for you
- To knead, shape, proof and bake classic "sourdough" loaves
- To make and maintain your own wildferment "sourdough" starter culture (leaven)
- Luscious locally-sourced lunch, bottomless tea/coffee and snacks from our café
- The loaves you shaped and baked, your new leaven, a bag of organic rye flour to feed it, and comprehensive printed notes including bread recipes plus valuable baking tips
- 10% discount off any baking equipment, flour, etc, purchased on the day
- On-going support for your bread-baking journey
- Your enthusiasm and an apron (or consider pre-purchasing a special RedBeard apron for the class to take home)
Comfortable summer wear - the bakery is always warm from the glow of our enormous 19th century wood-fired scotch oven. Closed toe, flat shoes.
Anyone interested in baking - over the age of 16!
Bookings may be refunded or moved to another available date up to two weeks before the date booked. Under two weeks no changes can be made.
Vendor since 2016
We bake handmade, authentic sourdough in a 19th century woodfired scotch oven in Trentham, central Victoria. Cafe, tours and classes.
Our authentic sourdoughs are leavened with a natural, wild culture of yeasts and healthy bacteria. We don’t use bakers’ yeast, preservatives or any other additives.
Our loaves are made with organic flour, shaped by hand and baked in a woodfired oven, built in 1891 - one of only a handful of Scotch ovens still operating in Australia.
‘The best bakery in the world. It’s been a privilege to be inside. This is all about heart, passion and a love for making great bread.’ George Calombaris, MasterChef, 2013
‘I had RedBeard sourdough for breakfast and it was absolutely delicious. RedBeard is doing a wonderful job to promote the resurgence of authentic sourdough and artisan woodfired baking.’ Maggie Beer, legendary cook and restaurateur, 2010
‘It’s relaxed and charming, the location is gorgeous and their bread is fantastic.’ The Age, 2011
Bookings may be refunded or moved to another available date up to two weeks before the date booked.
21 October 2018 • Redbeard Historic Bakery Bread Baking Workshop
Didn’t really know what to expect apart from where to be and what to bring. However, upon arriving, from start to finish the day was sensational. John’s professionalism and passion made for an enjoyable, engaging and very useful day. And the bread was delicious! Thanks for a wonderful day. I would recommend it to anyone interested in sourdough baking. Just waiting for my leaven to mature and I’ll be into it!
20 October 2018 • Redbeard Historic Bakery Bread Baking Workshop
Do it Do it ! One of the best cooking courses you could ever do. John's enthusiasm and drive will get you hooked. The only problem you will face is that you will never want to eat commercially made bread ever again. Peter Zidich
22 September 2018 • Redbeard Historic Bakery Bread Baking Workshop
I spent a wonderful day at the Redbeard Bakery learning how to make sourdough bread under master baker John Reid. John’s passion for the craft of baking bread and growing the grains that make flour is inspiring. The experience of using the scotch oven is exciting. If you love bread you’ll love this course.