Step 1
Combine warm water yeast and sugar in a bowl. Set aside until dissolved about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Combine bread flour whole wheat flour rolled oats vital wheat gluten wheat germ flaxseed meal and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir in buttermilk. Add the yeast mixture and honey; stir until no dry spots remain. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest 20 minutes.
Step 3
Turn dough onto a floured work surface. Knead about 7 minutes; it will be soft and slightly sticky. Add more flour if needed. Shape into a ball. Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in the bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours in warm draft-free place.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one 11x17-inch baking sheet with waxed paper another with a flour sack towel and 2 remaining sheets with parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.
Step 5
Combine 3 quarts water and brown sugar in a large pot; bring to a boil.
Step 6
Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead briefly. Cut dough in half; return 1 half to the bowl and cover. Form the other half into a cylinder. Cut into quarters and cut quarters in half yielding 8 equal-sized pieces of dough. Shape dough pieces into balls. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
Step 7
Flatten a dough ball slightly; press index fingers through the center until they meet. Rotate fingers to stretch a hole about 1 3/4-inch in diameter. Set bagel on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
Step 8
Reduce heat to simmer under the sugar-water mixture. Boil 2 bagels at at time; cooking each for 30 seconds per side. Transfer boiled bagels to the towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Transfer bagels to the parchment paper-lined sheets.
Step 9
Mix egg white and 1 teaspoon cool water together in a small bowl; use mixture to brush tops of bagels.
Step 9
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Flip bagels and continue baking until golden brown about 13 minutes more.