I really liked the ease of Bittman’s original recipe and it’s always come out pretty tasty. Make it the night before with minimal yeast, punch down in the morning, and bake bread for lunch.
Artesian Bread in 5 Minutes a Day is basically the same thing except you make a big batch, let rise overnight, then let it camp out in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just hack off a hunk of dough whenever you want to break, let rise a few hours (faster rise if you use more yeast) and bake it up. I have a couple quart sized tupperware pot that I leave in the corner.
I’m not big on kneading. However, both versions seem to be a bit better if you knead for a minute.
I’ve long made these with light lager and will have to check out the Cook’s vinegar.