Quick Answer
Which should I use?
Use stone-milled flour when you want higher extraction, more bran fragments and stronger flavour; use roller-milled flour when you need consistent particle size, longer shelf life and predictable gluten behaviour. For most home sourdough bakers, a blend often gives the best balance.
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate baker's percentages and comparing hydration between flours
Banneton Proofing Basket
Helps assess dough handling differences when using different flour types
Dough Scraper/Bench Knife
Useful for folding and handling stickier, high-extraction doughs
Clear Straight-Sided Container
Good for monitoring bulk fermentation and rise with different flours
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Comparison Table
| Property | Option A | Option B | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milling method | Stone mill (Steinmühle) | Roller mill (Walzenmühle) | Fundamental difference in how the kernel is broken |
| Particle size distribution | Broad: fine flour + coarse bran fragments | Narrow: uniform semolina-like particles | Affects water absorption and crumb texture |
| Heat during milling | Low (slow, friction cooled) | Higher (friction peaks between rolls) | Lower heat better preserves enzymes and volatile flavors [1][2] |
| Enzyme activity | Higher retained enzyme activity | Can be reduced by heat and degerming | Impacts fermentation speed and sugar availability |
| Shelf life | Shorter (higher oil content in bran) | Longer (degerming and finer sifting common) | Stone-milled flours stale faster |
| Water absorption | Higher (bran holds water) | Lower to moderate | Stone-milled usually requires +3–7% hydration |
| Flavor and aroma | Stronger, nuttier, more complex | Milder, cleaner | Important for characteristic sourdough taste [1] |
| Consistency batch-to-batch | More variable (depends on stone, spacing, wheat) | More consistent (industrial control) | Roller-mill favours reproducible recipes |
| Best uses | Rustic wholegrain sourdoughs, dark breads | Pan breads, brioche, white sourdoughs requiring fine crumb |
When to Use Which?
Bran fragments and retained oils create intensified aroma and mouthfeel [1][2]
Uniform particle size and lower bran give predictable gluten development
Higher water absorption and enzyme activity support extended fermentation
Tighter specs and shelf-stable flour mean less recipe adjustment
Blend helps reveal differences without committing a whole batch
Can I Mix Both?
Can I mix flours?
Yes — blending stone-milled and roller-milled flours is a practical way to combine flavor and consistency. Start with small ratios and adjust hydration.
Converting Recipes
A → B
Flour: Replace 1:1 by weight
Water: Increase water 3–7% when moving from roller to stone-milled
→ Darker, more flavorful crumb; dough will feel wetter and may require gentler handling
B → A
Flour: Replace 1:1 by weight
Water: Decrease water 3–5% when moving from stone to roller-milled
→ Drier dough, cleaner crumb and faster gluten development
💡 Weigh everything on a [digital kitchen scale](https://amzn.to/4pUMVHi). For initial conversions, mix 10–20% and test fermentation times; monitor dough temperature with an [instant-read thermometer](https://amzn.to/49Xsgwp) and bulk rise in a [clear straight-sided container](https://amzn.to/3LROhV5).