Master sourdough bread-making at this celebrated East London bakehouse using traditional long-fermentation techniques. Learn about grain varieties, wild yeast cultures, and baking in a wood-fired oven.
E5 Bakehouse is an East London bakery founded in 2011 and based beneath the railway arches at 395 Mentmore Terrace, London Fields, Hackney. Founded by Ben Mackinnon, E5 Bakehouse built its reputation on stone-milled, long-fermentation sourdough breads made from heritage grain varieties sourced from partner farms in East Anglia and Kent, and its educational workshops offer participants direct access to the grain knowledge, wild yeast management, and baking techniques that underpin the bakehouse's highly regarded loaves. Workshops last four to five hours and take place in the active bakehouse production space beneath the railway arches, allowing participants to work alongside the E5 team in the environment where the bakery's commercial loaves are produced. Groups of eight to twelve participants are guided by an experienced E5 baker throughout the session. Sessions begin with an introduction to the grain varieties used by the bakehouse — including ancient wheats such as Einkorn and Emmer and modern heritage varieties like Maris Widgeon — milled on the bakehouse's own stone mill from fresh whole wheat. The workshop then moves into the fundamentals of wild yeast starter management: feeding schedules, hydration levels, and how to judge fermentation readiness by appearance, aroma, and the float test rather than by strict timers. The practical baking component covers mixing a high-hydration sourdough dough, bulk fermentation, pre-shaping, cold proofing, and scoring before loading the loaves into the bakehouse's wood-fired deck oven. The distinctive open crumb, high crust, and complex flavour of E5 bread results from a specific combination of high hydration, long cold proofing, and high-temperature deck baking, and the workshop explains how each variable contributes to the finished loaf. Participants take home the loaf they bake, a portion of E5's live sourdough starter culture, and printed recipe sheets. Prices range from £100 to £130 per person including all ingredients — the bakehouse's own stoneground flour — and an apron. The Hackney location is a ten-minute walk from London Fields or Hackney Downs stations on the London Overground.
Good to know
- Operator
- E5 Bakehouse
Highlights
- Bake a high-hydration sourdough loaf in E5 Bakehouse's wood-fired deck oven and take it home at the end of the session
- Introduction to heritage grain varieties — Einkorn, Emmer, and Maris Widgeon — milled fresh on E5's own stone mill
- Hands-on wild yeast starter management: feeding schedules, hydration, and fermentation assessment by sight and smell
- Work in E5 Bakehouse's active production space beneath the London Fields railway arches alongside the commercial bakery team
- Leave with a portion of E5 Bakehouse's live sourdough starter culture and printed recipe sheets to continue baking independently
Tips for visiting
- Wear old or washable clothes — working with high-hydration sourdough dough is a sticky and flour-heavy process
- Arrive a few minutes early to allow orientation in the active working bakehouse environment
- Plan to stay for the full four to five hours as the fermentation and baking sequence cannot be shortened or skipped
- The bakehouse is an active production space under a railway arch — warm, loud, and industrial, which is part of the authentic experience
- London Fields and Hackney Downs Overground stations are both a ten-minute walk away; no tube interchange is needed from central London
Frequently asked questions
Do participants need prior bread-making experience to attend the workshop?
No prior experience is needed. The workshop is designed to be accessible to complete beginners while providing sufficient depth on grain, fermentation, and technique to be valuable for experienced bakers wanting to understand the E5 approach.
What distinguishes E5 Bakehouse sourdough from standard supermarket sourdough?
E5 uses stoneground flour milled from heritage grain varieties on their own mill, a wild yeast starter maintained in-house, high-hydration dough formulations, long cold proofing, and wood-fired deck baking. Each element differs from industrial sourdough production, resulting in a more complex flavour, open crumb, and distinctive crust.
Can participants take the bread they bake home?
Yes. Each participant takes home the loaf baked during the session along with a portion of E5's live starter culture and printed recipe sheets to continue sourdough baking at home.
Is the workshop suitable for people with wheat or gluten sensitivities?
The workshop centres on wheat-based sourdough and is not suitable for coeliac sufferers or those with severe wheat or gluten allergies. The flour used is not gluten-free. Other dietary requirements do not affect the bread-making process.