Hello! I’m about 2 months into my sourdough journey, probably made close to 10 batches of dough, and I just cannot seem to get a loaf with anymore than the slightest hint of sour flavor. I have done a lot of research on this already and tried everything that is typically recommended with no improvement, so hoping someone here has been through similar and can pinpoint what I may be overlooking. Here’s a list of everything I’ve tried/considered:
I always cold proof 48 hrs
Have increased and decreased my bulk ferment time substantially
Have tried cold proofing in both warmer and colder parts of my fridge
Have used bottled water instead of tap
Have used starter well past peak
Have let starter sit for a long time in fridge and mixed in hooch. The starter smelled like straight acetone when I used it and still didn’t make a sour loaf.
Have kept starter thick
Have increased salt
Have tried using 30% whole wheat flour
Have changed starters. At first, was using an established starter from a bakery. Then, got some starter from my aunt. Her sourdough is significantly more sour than mine and she takes no extra steps/considerations to get it so.
I know true sourdough is often not as sour as commercial due to additives, but I have eaten true sourdough with no additives from multiple other people that is much more sour than mine, so I’m not expecting something unreasonable.
Using more and less starter.
Increasing and decreasing hydration.
And probably some other things I’m forgetting.
Here is the general recipe I follow, although obviously with tweaks for everything above that I have tried.
https://www.sleepingmakesmehungry.com/blog/basicsourdoughrecipe
As you can see, i’m out of ideas and very frustrated. Tang/sour is my favorite flavor, so it is particularly frustrating for me. My loaves always get beautiful rise and crumb, but it’s meaningless to me when it tastes so bland. If anyone can help me solve this, I would be so appreciative, thanks in advance.
Photos are an adorable bunny I was very happy with for Easter, although not sour lol. And another loaf’s crumb shot.
by pickles4321
24 Comments
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Mine came out really sour (and a bit overproofed) my last bake.
I used less starter, used some spelt and ww, (over)proofed for a bit too long…
Really sour bread.
The loaf in your picture is on the “less” side of fermentation, so I wonder how long you have tried to go on the “more” side.
Having your starter be more acidic could give you a more sour taste. You’d have to have it be more liquidy than it is now but not too much that it breaks the gluten down before the yeast can inoculate the loaf.
Have you tried this recipe? https://pantrymama.com/extra-sour-sourdough-bread-recipe/
Also, another thing to try is use an active starter to create a levain on the same day and use it in your starter when the levain has doubled half way?
Have you tried doing a few feedings with a higher water content for your starter? Like maybe 1:1:1.25. My bread used to be super sour sometimes when I didnt weigh bc I didnt use the right ratio for the starter. Just fyi if you want a yeastier flavor do less water for a few feedings.
This may sound silly but you can always ask the little baking angels to make your loaf sour and encourage the right local microbes to manifest in your starter and bread.
Have you tried using discard rather than freshly fed and fully active starter?
I tend to get a more sour result when the starter has been fed, peaked and gone back down most of the way.
I tend to cold ferment for 72 hours minimum and completely skip the bulk ferment stage.
My loaves are sour but I get less lift. Try it, you may be happy with the result
sourdough actually isn’t supposed to taste “sour” the name “sourdough” refers to the fact your “souring” the flour by fermenting it and because of some miners who would take their starter with them when looking for gold
so they could still have something to make/eat. my point is don’t feel bad about it- it’s not a sign of failure in the slightest. but, of course, if that’s the flavor you want cause you like it then i hope someone’s advice works for you
https://www.tastingtable.com/1613893/why-is-it-called-sourdough/
for anyone who wants to tell me i’m wrong
I just include a little bit of rye, use my rye starter and do the most part of the fermentation in the fridge
I’ve mainly played with using less starter/levain, more wheat, and hotter fermenting temps.
My place is often in the high 60’s, so I started using a seed heating mat in an insulated bag for more consistent temps.
https://www.theperfectloaf.com/how-to-make-sourdough-bread-more-or-less-sour/
There’s no shame in helping flavor out with a flavor enhancer:
[Instant Sourdough Flavor – King Arthur Baking Company](https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/instant-sourdough-flavor?_gl=1*12l9atr*_gcl_au*MjE0NTY0MzY4OC4xNzc1NzQ5MzYx*_ga*MTAyMDA5NjM4NC4xNzc1NzQ5MzYy*_ga_1ZJWCQGS21*czE3NzU3NDkzNjEkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzU3NDk0MDUkajE2JGwwJGgw)
Also – Try using different flours for different flavor profiles. Your bunny is adorable!!
Number 6 has me a little worried. It’s my understanding that letting it sit in the fridge does not make it stronger or the flavor stronger – that is done so you don’t have to feed it constantly. What makes a starter mature and taste good is taking the time to feed it regularly which can mean daily if it’s young. A well cared for starter will taste good but that means putting in time and energy for those first few months.
Interesting. Mine is rye starter and whole wheat flour and it’s sour on a same day bake after 5 hours of fermentation (that’s my timing). If I overnight it, it’s extra.
Very cute bunny.
If my math it mathing right this recipe calls for only 8 grams of salt, added at two different stages.
Up that to 10. And get one of those small jeweller scales to weigh it. I haven’t had a bland bread since I started using a tiny scale to measure my salt. I also add all the salt right away but I know a lot of people swear by adding it later.
To be honest I would also use more starter. This recipe has 60 grams starter for 500 flour? I use anything between 100 and 130 grams depending on how much I have to hand.
Your loaf looks like what mine did at the start of my journey. My starter was just too young.
I started my own starter from scratch and it took months (maybe a year?) for my loafs to look and taste good. I wasn’t using my starter until about 2 months in, and I was adding yeast to my dough to help it for a few months after. Never threw away any discards. Just used it to boost the dough.
Now, 3 years later, I wake up my starter in the morning (take it out of the fridge), feed it, and about 5-6 hrs later it’s ready to go. I take out what I need, fridge the leftovers for next time, and just use good gluten flour (King Arthur bread flour) and a room temp tap water. 4 stretch and folds 45 mins apart, then into the fridge it goes for 2-3 days. I’ve kept it as long as 5 days in the fridge and the loaf came out amazing each time. Sourness gets stronger the older your starter is.
I’d say, be patient. Use your starter and boost it with yeast until your starter is strong enough to do the job itself.
It will happen. Just not right away.
I use a bit of rye in my starter and dough, higher hydration dough, warm fermentation (78-82F degrees) and minimum 12-24 hrs cold ferment…the combination of all of those gives me a nice bit of tang.
Less starter and a longer bulk rise will give you a more sour flavor. I aim for 10% if I want it more sour. And an overnight fridge bulk after.
I want to add that your little loaf is beautiful and I cant shape like that (or am too impatient to try).
I suggest just being loosy goosy with baking and make a few focaccias while looking for that flavor. A lot less work than a beautiful loaf.
Then once you have your starter / ferment times as you like you can transfer that knowledge to a beautiful loaf.
Simple focaccia for a 9*5 loaf pan:
220g bread flour
190g water
5 g salt
40g starter
Mix, wait 30min-1hr, 1 set of stretch and folds and leave to nearly double. Put in fridge for 8-36hrs, remove from fridge, generously oil a 9*5 loaf pan (that has parchment paper already there if you dont know your pan well). Gently pour dough into pan, olive oil top, add topings (my best selleris oregano olive followed by just plain rosemary), and let sit for 10-20min and preheat oven to 425. Dimple gently with fingers and bake 22-27 min depending on your oven with convection.
Or if you want a larger but simpler recipe: 2 overpacked cups of breadflour, 1.25c water, 1/3c starter, 1/2tbsp salt, and mix in a container large enough to proof in. Wait 30-60min and do 1 set of stretch and folds, and leave to proof. And continue as the smaller loaf but use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
My loaf was very sour when I made whole wheat milk bread and bulk proofed it in the microwave.
I’ve been down the same rabbit hole, really tried everything including using an ridiculously sour starter, adding tons of rye, extending cold proof for unlimited amount of times, but nothing worked, until… For a new recipe (not aiming for a sour taste at all) I performed a bulk proof at 35 degrees Celsius (instead of the usual room temperature 19-21 degrees Celsius), and my god, that bread was sour. Apparently LAB really likes it hot, at least for my bread.
Lol “dunno why my sour dough isn’t sour doughing!”
*shapes loaf like forest animals.
The most sour sourdough I had was made from a starter I got off etsy that was marketed as a San Francisco sourdough. It did taste just like the bread you get in that region. I prefer a milder taste, but if that’s what you want, you might try it.
Let your starter develop a hooch, pour it off (or stir it in) and feed. It will make your starter more sour