HI there:  You need help?....WE all need help, but for now here are the best web sites I have ever found for exactly that, well sourdough help at least:>

chris

 

This site tells you of all the problems you might have and what to do about them.  Yeah good luck with the husband or wife problems, he couldn't help me there, but starter problems he has the answers.

 

https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/sourdough/sourdough-troubleshooting-faq/

 

this next site is just awesome, the guy really knows his sourdough stuff, don't get caught up in the goofy European measurements though.

 

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/beginners-sourdough-bread/

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Did you know that the term ‘sourdough’ doesn't necessarily refer to flavor, but actually refers to the process of souring or fermenting bread dough?

Whether you prefer a tangy flavor to your sourdough bread or a more mild taste, you can learn to manipulate your sourdough starter and dough to produce a bread that tastes great to you and your family.

 

HOW TO MAKE A MORE SOUR SOURDOUGH

There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang.

Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product. Here are some ways to achieve this.

1. Adjust the Starter

• Maintain your starter at a lower hydration level. This means using a higher ratio of flour to water. Acetic acid is produced more abundantly in a drier environment like this while lactic acid-producing organisms seem to thrive in a wet environment.

• Use whole-grain flours, which the acid-producing bacteria love.

• Keep the hooch or brown liquid layer that forms on a hungry sourdough starter instead of pouring it off. Retaining hooch can add acidity to sourdough and help it develop tang.

2. Adjust the Bread Dough

While it may take a little trial and error, attempting to achieve a longer, slower rise may also contribute to a more sour sourdough. Try creating a slower rise by doing the following.

• Find a cooler spot for rising the dough. (Remember, warmer temperatures speed up fermentation and cooler temperatures slow down fermentation.)

• Punch down (degassing) the dough at least once, if not twice, before the final shaping of the loaf.

• Perform the final rise for at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before baking. Although many experts recommend that the last rise be a quick one done in a warmer environment, you will have a better “oven-spring” by putting a cooler loaf into a hot oven.

 

What's that you say, you have a little time on your hands and prefer a visual?  Maybe an easy class on sourdough?  Well I teamed up with Teresa L Greenway, who does just that, she gives online classes and allows you to ask as many questions as you want, but she couldn't answer where I left my cell phone.  She is an amazing teacher and her classes are super cheap.

 

https://www.northwestsourdough.com/

 

If you do take a class, let her know that Chris from sourdough starters got you there.

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