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six pretzels on sheet pan

Brewery Pretzels

These multi-grain soft pretzels are a crowd favorite, inspired by the pretzels served at local breweries. Boiled in dark beer for extra depth, they’re rich in flavor and perfect for pairing with high-quality sausage or kielbasa.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Proof Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 16 pretzels

Equipment

  • Skimmer Stainer
  • Silicone mats
  • stand mixer with dough hook
  • food scale

Ingredients
  

Pretzels

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 cup dark beer, warm
  • 4.5 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (323 g)
  • 1 cup rye flour (140 g)
  • 4 cups All purpose Flour (618 g)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted but cooled
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • Coarse Salt

Water Bath

  • 12 oz dark beer
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • 8-10 cups water

Instructions
 

Make the Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix warm water and yeast together. Let sit for five minutes or until it starts to bubble.
  • Add the three flours, beer, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Using the dough hook attachment, knead until a soft dough forms. The dough should not stick to the sides as it kneads. If it sticks, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If the dough seems dry, add water one 
  • Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Shape the Pretzels

  • Line 2-3 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray. (Pretzels tend to stick to parchment, but they won’t stick to silicone mats.)
  • Portion the dough into 4 oz balls using a food scale for uniform size. Cover the balls with a towel so they don’t dry out while you shape the pretzels.
  • Shape each dough ball into a pretzel and place on the prepared sheet pans. Cover with a towel once a pan is filled.

Boil and Bake

  • When you are on the last couple of pretzels, prepare the water bath. In a large, wide pot, bring water, beer, and baking soda to a simmer. The liquid should fill at least half the pot.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • The baking soda may cause a bubble film on top; use a skimmer spoon to remove it before boiling the pretzels.
  • Place 3-4 pretzels in the boiling water, face up. Boil for 30-40 seconds until they are slightly puffed, then flip and boil for another 30 seconds. Place them back on the lined sheet pan, right side up. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
  • Mix the beaten egg with 2 tablespoons of water and brush over each pretzel. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown, rotating halfway. You can bake two trays at a time; the third tray can wait on the counter until there’s oven space.

Notes

•If you can’t find rye flour, you can replace it with all-purpose flour.
•Choose a coarse salt for the top, or look for pretzel salt at the grocery store.
•The beer in both the dough and the water bath gives the pretzels their “brewery” flavor; use the same dark, rich beer for both.
•This recipe makes a lot of pretzels but can be halved. The pretzels also freeze well. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag once frozen.