Oh, this is timely. I'm 2 years out of school and maybe 5 loaves beyond Nik, but yeah, loaf #1 looked pretty similar. I'm working off of J.D. Roth's adaptation - the beer is a big improvement, plus it's an excuse to drink half a beer! I'm troubleshooting the crumb now, still a little too dense (I think it needs a longer final rise, but the white wheat flour can't be helping). However, the crust looks (and tastes) like a $6 artisan wonder! @RJ, I agree with PJ - it's all about flour. I'd put off buying the dutch oven but now I may break down and get a proper scale for the flour, too. My first triple batch (raised overnight) is now in the fridge for the week... I may be poor, but I've got a ton of dough! Jake, I LOVE IT! I'm remembering that line - I'm lifting this to put in our company newsletter (internal...) Keep up the good work - bread is always a work in progress, and it's the journey, as well as the destination... thanks for sharing. PJH

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