You must have at least ONE degree in education?!? If not, you are a natural born teacher. And, I say this as a retired educator of 28 years! All jokes aside, you ARE the TH-cam king of sourdough education! Thank you for all you do!
Thank you. I have no formal training in education, but I have always loved learning and teaching. I come from a family of teachers. My mother was, and most of my siblings are teachers. I also do the vast majority of these videos completely unscripted. Sometimes I’ll have one page of notes, but often nothing written down when I start.
I have a sluggish homemade starter that seems to very slowly peak, have small bubbles, give off that "vinegar" smell and seems to overferment/overproof my dough into something stickier during shaping than when I finish my stretch and folds. This is EXACTLY the video I needed----had to comment before I even finished the video because the timing was SO APT. Thank you so much for all of your knowledge!!!! You ROCK.
Thanks Tom. You probably saved a lot of people from dumping out their starter and running to the store to buy yeast. Your video displays your knowledge of sourdough, how to fix your starter, and a entertaining delivery which made it easy to understand what an acidic starter is.
From all of us visual learners, THANK YOU again for your demos combined with clear descriptions - you stand alone in the field of sourdough teachers! (Like a cow, not a dinosaur)
I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible videos you've shared. For months, I struggled to perfect my sourdough bread, trying various methods without much success. Then, I came across your videos, and everything changed. Your clear instructions and insightful tips made all the difference. Your dedication and generosity in sharing your knowledge do not go unnoticed. Thank you so much for helping me achieve something I once thought was out of reach.
To all viewers… DO NOT MISS THE DEMONSTRATION OF STATER BEHAVIOR! I’ve been baking sourdough bread for about 4 years. After watching this video my knowledge doubled!
This must be the most important video for home bakers that came out from the Institute in Cleveland...!!It has put together all the answers that a medium-advanced level home baker like myself wanted to get for a lot of problems and questions about my baking life...!Well done.....!
Thanks, once again, for the science. I keep my starter refrigerated & TRY to refresh once a week. The day before I want to bake, I do 2 peak to peak feedings, refrigerate overnight, feed again & I'm ready to bake. Now I understand why this works for me. Looking forward to your upcoming refrigerator maintenance.
I've been using instant yeast for a while, always afraid to try nurturing a sourdough starter and I've finally taken the leap about a week and a half ago. I'm happy to report that I have a healthy starter after 10 days and I was able to catch the peak for my first mini baguette batch. With your example using cows and acid spitting dinosaurs, my mind is reminded to care for the cows. Save the cows everyone! Anyway, thank you for sharing your knowledge, findings and spending time laying things out for anyone interested in the topic 🙏 Happy sourdough baking!
Brilliant video! By far the best explanation I've seen anywhere. And the cows & acid-spitting velociraptors were a great (not to mention entertaining) analogy.
Great Video! Watching your videos, I have gone from bricks, to pancakes, to pretty darn good sourdough loaves with 6.5 hours BF. I couldn't have done it without you and your wonderful experiments, all of which I have watched multiple times. Many thanks!
Wow ...wow... wow such a concise and precise explanations with fun demonstrations to the feeding cycle for sourdough baking. The explanations are at its best that even beginners like me can comprehend with better understanding through your generous sharing and commitment to sourdough baking. Thank you for your videos and experiments, commitment and dedication for all sourdough bakers especially those who are intimidated by sourdough bread making. Thank you...! All your videos are so well thought of and presented. Living in a tropical country your insight to double bulk fermentation helped me in baking a beautiful loaf. I couldn't have done it without your great explanation! Looking forward to more videos
I finally understand what is happening to my starter that always produces a densed and gummy loaf. Living in a tropical country, it is harder to keep the starter at the desired temperatures.
I just want to say that this happens in microbakeries too. Yesterday, I had to throw kilos of dough in the compost because by the time the dough had hit the percentage rise I was looking for, it had completely liquified 🥲. I feed my starter two times a day, but I guess I haven’t being paying attention to what it was telling me and I paid the price for it 😄 Thank you so much for your videos! I’ve been baking sourdough since 2016 and I never felt I fully got it in a way that made sense until I found your videos. About 6 months ago, I decided to follow my passion and opened my own sourdough microbakery. Even though your videos are targeted more towards home bakers, I still find the information you share to be extremely valuable.
That demo was worth its weight in gold! I thought you said overfeeding was bad, too. I'm pretty sure it was in the starter video (or series, somewhere in there). I LOVE this video, and it cracked my twelve-year-old grandson up so much to see that barnyard demo. This is awesome - awesome - awesome! Thank you so much, Tom! :) Please, keep up the good lab work! Love your sense of humor.
@@thesourdoughjourney There isn’t much information available (and I do quite a bit of research) that clarifies how the variables affect the starter that isn’t used everyday/very regularly. Please continue helping us home bakers!
This afternoon I took my first ever sourdough loaf out of the oven. whoa - boy did i make SOURdough bread. I've been enjoying your various videos and am SO glad you made this one! I honestly laughed out loud when the cows got some vinegar in their water.(and at your NASA apron confession). Anyway - THANK YOU for making this Journey (or in my case, Adventure) so interesting and entertaining! Peak-to-peak here I go!
Appreciate the work you put into this and giving us novices valuable info….I know I really needed this as I believe my starters need to be strengthened! Thank You
Loved the barnyard tragedy. LOL. Effective way of explaining what happens during the fermentation lifecycle. I followed your advice and did a 1010 feeding of my acidic starter and within seven hours I'm back up and running with a very bubbly and thick active starter. Great videos. Your sense of humor keeps it entertaining.
I was looking for reviews of Ben Starr's sourdough bread recipe for lazy people, because I had tried it and managed to also fail with this supposedly foolproof method. Found your website with the review and then got hooked because your explanations are really great and comprehensive.
I started uh, well, a starter, beginning of this year following an artisan SD book's instruction. After so many days the starter recipe dropped using whole grains. I dumped it and started following another book. That starter also struggled a bit but I think it was due to the whole timing issue of 24 hrs. in a day (starters don't wear watches). I switched to your advice and fed my starter just after peak. I listened/observed my starter for when she said, "Please sir, may I have some more?" This was a month old, weak starter and soon it changed to an overflowing mess on my counter regularly so I had to rethink my starter size vs. container vol. It's nice to not worry about the starter and just focus on the rest of the dough recipe. My loaves look great and I'm getting good compliments after doing the work. Thanks Tom.
Like a lot of things, I put fixing the real problem (acidity) off until last. Inconsistent starter rise times, sluggish levain, no strength in shaped dough, and no proof. Every word of this video is gold...it should have been the first thing I watched/learned. Thank you! I had previously been doing 1:1:1 feedings, but basically getting dough that wouldn't rise/proof. Super smooth, but zero strength (puddle). I'm convinced now it's acidity. I'm doing a few peak to peaks to get a feel for shortening times and then will be gradually switching to something like 1:5:5 - which I'm hoping is a great balance of strength ratio and convenience (~12hr peak). If I understand correctly... if I'm good with the time a 1:5:5 takes to peak/cycle, there's no quality difference between that and a 1:1:1 (or a 1: 50:50 for that matter). It's just quantity of starter (and waste) and the cycle duration.
I was discarding in order to feed my starter for a following day bake. I knocked over the straight-from-the-fridge, liquidy jar and, easily, 60-70% of it went EVERYWHERE! The jar was nearly empty, but I did my usual 1:1:1 feeding, no way it was ready for next day baking. I wish I’d known about drastically increasing the feeding ratio back then. Hoping it won’t happen again (it was the devil to clean up!)but, if something like that happens again, I’ll handle it better. Thank you!
Dude, your Romulus/Remus Joseph Campbell comment… you have a devoted follower now. I would love to hang out with you for a week and just talk. Amazing.
This tutorial did help!!! I definitely started seeing results using your methods. This most recent trial I had enough to make two loaves. I didn't want to waste it, so started it last night. Put in the fridge over night and half of the am. Just pulled them out of the oven. Patience is definitely key!!!! To fully get the starter up and running it took at least a month. And some nights I'd just let it sit. Thank you again!
I found out my starter I'd been struggling with for weeks to get going was acidic thanks to your videos...she's finally ALIVE!! lol Thank you for your content!!
Thank you for such an informative video!!! It explains perfectly what is going on with my starter at the moment. Loved the acid spitting dinosaur analogy!
I just found your channel. Oh my gosh, this has helped me understand the problems with my starter AND bread so much!! The demo with the cows, acid spitting dinosaurs and finally the teradactyls, really was a "lightbulb moment" for me!! Thank you so much!! Can't wait to go through your channel!!! I agree with another poster....you should write a book.
Seriously, NO ONE on this platform can impart so much knowledge about sourdough than YOU! I’ll be rewatching several videos in your series tomorrow. Thank you IMMENSELY!!!! 😊
@@thesourdoughjourneyQuestion: Your guide and video mentions keeping the starter warmer Day 4 and onward. I noticed your starter ranged from 77-79 degrees while filming. At what point in building a starter do you keep your starter at 74 degrees? I ask because the guide refers to a starter peaking at 74 degrees between 4 and 6 hrs consistently is ready to be used in baking. Thank you!
Tom, you are a rock star!!! I finally understand what was happening to my starters (yes, PLURAL)! I couldn't get them to rise consistently, and I tossed them all. Finally bought some starter and after several days it was going the same way as the previously ones. I have now corrected my mistakes and look forward to maintaining a healthy, strong starter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Oh my goodness. Now I know what's been wrong with my effects to make sourdough bread which always ends up in a bread tin as it seems to be going well then the final shaping ends in a frisbee like dough pat! This now makes sense to me what is wrong and what I need to do next time. Thank you so much you sourdough genius 👌🇬🇧
Tom, thank you for the invaluable insights you share on sourdough baking. Your videos have been incredibly educational for me. I have a few questions: 1. Regarding sourdough starter, could we increase the percentage of starter in the recipe by using all the water for the feeding (1:1:1), then adding the remaining flour to adjust the final hydration of the dough? Basically using higher sourdough stater, like more than 50%.
2. I've been making Neapolitan-style pizza with sourdough, and achieving a strong gluten network is crucial for stretching the dough without tearing. Considering the acidity of sourdough can weaken gluten, would you suggest adding a small amount of baking powder to counterbalance this effect? Sometimes, during a 48-hour cold fermentation, I encounter issues (thanks to your insights I know why now 😀) with flat, weak, and tearing pizza dough. Would baking powder help in such cases? 3. In your video "The SECRET of Bulk Fermentation: Measuring Dough Temperature and % Rise - The Two-Factor Method," when would you recommend shaping the pizza balls? Should we complete bulk fermentation to 100% and then shape the balls for final proofing? Or is it better to shape them before bulk fermentation and treat each individual ball separately during bulk fermentation?
Thank you! 1. When you exceed about 35% starter on your dough, the acidity and weak gluten from the fermented starter begins to break down the dough structure too quickly. 2. I’ve not tried adding baking powder to reduce the acidity. I’ve not heard of any sourdough bakers trying it. The science seems to indicate it would help, but I’m skeptical only because I’ve never heard of anyone doing it. 3. I would shape the balls after bulk fermentation.
Thank you for caring and sharing!!! You are truly a blessing!!! This information was so valuable and helpful. Thanks once again!!!! May God continue to bless you and keep you safe and healthy. 🙌🏻🙏🏻🥳😇
Really fantastic and informative video, thank you so much for the effort and time you put into it. I enjoy learning about the science behind what I'm doing, so I'm so glad I took the time to watch this. I was always confused by people's descriptions of starters being "sleepy" or needing to "wake them up", but I can see now that what it really comes down to is the acidity. I had many lightbulb moments here, including with your explanation of the effect of temperature on the protease. Living in Australia, where my kitchen has been averaging 29C in recent weeks, I have a new appreciation for why my sourdoughs seem to be breaking down so quickly. As a side note, it was interesting hearing you mention that keeping a starter in the fridge can make it hard to see when it has peaked. I keep a 100% hydration rye starter that very visibly doubles, peaks, and falls in the fridge. Perhaps an added advantage of a rye starter over normal bread flour. Thanks once again!
you got me at the NASA apron lol, thanks for making the video so informative, despite the length (yeah I'm a lazy student), I did enjoy all of It, especially the cow demo
You have no idea how helpful these videos are. Im so profoundly grateful for your knowledge, willingness to share this as well as your TIME. Thank you.🙏❤️
Thanks for the helpful video! You put so much effort in it. Thanks for that! I have two questions, because I find it a bit confusing when I heard it. 1. You talked about the peak-to-peak method and mentioned, that you take out the acidic starter from the fridge and feed it in a 1:2:2 ratio. But in the high feeding ratio section you mentioned that this ratio is not so good for acidic starters, because you take all the acidity with you to the next starter. How does that fit? 2. We talk about peak times of 4 hours, but besides temperature this is highly dependent on the ratio, isn't it? So when you use a 1:2:2 ratio it would develop much faster in comparison to a 1:10:10 ratio, does it?
I knew that part could be confusing, but I think you have it backwards. High feeding ratios carry over very little existing starter, so they sometimes can knock down the acidity in one or two feedings. That's why I recommend it first. If that doesn't work, then I recommend the peak to peak method, but if you do the peak to peak method with high feeding ratios, it strettch out the time to much and it's difficult to monitor the starter to catch it at peak. So I am recommending a "suboptimal" lower feeding ratio (1:2:2), so you can get more feedings in during the day or in a short period of time. It is purely a scheduling convenience. If you had a lab team monitoring and feeding your starter 24/7 , then you would do peak to peak with 1:5:5. But if you need to work, sleep, etc, you can get more 1:2:2 feedings in and it has the same outcome in the end.
Ive been doing small experiments since starting my sourdough journey. Even got my kiddos in on them. Its been fun but sometimes i just want to know why right now. You have just made my day and im loving the videos.
You are spot on. I did not want to feed my starter before peak so I waited to smell the vinegar to know I was after peak. To have enough starter to back with I just added a 1:1:1 mixture to my already vinegared starter and saw a huge decrease in the productivity - so much so it is probably not worth trying to bake with. Now I know why. THANKS!!
Holy COW! Pun intended! You are simply the best….funny and complete run down of solutions to many of my issues. Thank you so much! I love the science side of this. You really explained this well. Cheers!
I have a starter from your instructions. But due to my work and home life I have an acidic starter. I am headed in the right direction. Thank you for your research and information!!!!
Your channel is a treasure!❤ I am so new to the sourdough, I would watch your episode a 1000 times to understand every detail in your video! I love there are always science related to the topic! Thank you for doing the hard work! ❤
Wow, what a great teacher you are! I learned a lot about how the sourdough starter functions through different stages. Excellent presentation, thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this video, Tom, and for your many responses on Facebook to my questions and to those of others. They have been invaluable! This video saved my starter. It's a very full-flavored starter, developed by a friend. People love the flavor. I've tried other starters in the same recipe and they just aren't the same in flavor or behavior in the dough. Thanks again for teaching me how to save this very tasty starter.
What a great video, that has really helped my understanding of what's going on in my starter. Thank you very much. I am interested to hear your opinion on something... last year I saw a YT video by a guy Karl De Smedt (Puratos Group), look up "How to give a bath to your sourdough". In that video he makes a "stiff" starter, chops it up, then baths the pieces in water to absorb (dissolve?) some of the acidity. That process took 20 mins, so seems like maybe it has potential to be a "quick" fix for high acid levels. Interested to hear your thoughts on that kind of approach! Again, thanks for this extremely helpful video.
I’ve seen that video and I tried it a few times, but even using a pH meter, I did not see a material decrease in the acidity of my starter. So I prefer the high feeding ratio methods instead.
@@thesourdoughjourney Ahh right, interesting! Last year I tried it, but was unsure if it helped or not at the time - my starter came right again but I had no comparison so could have been coincidence. I like your suggestion of the high feeding ratios, will definitely try that next time - it makes a lot of sense.
Wow! I watched this video at the perfect time. You covered every single question I had gone through in the past 2 weeks! I’ve been struggling not knowing what was going on. Thank you for this information you are amazing and I look forward to watching more of your videos. You got a new follower!
Thank you so much, Tom! You released another video full of valuable information (and fun!) and easy to understand. I highly appreciate all the work and research that you put behind all your videos. I have currently some problems with my starter and I wanted to send you some photos and ask what could be wrong. But now I think I know what it is wrong! Acidity...
So much good content, it might be time for you to create a curriculum on your website for the Institute! Seriously. Quick question: is it a good idea to try to find a higher feeding ratio such that my 24 hour feeding schedule is as close to peak to peak as possible, so I am always in peak to peak mode, thus avoiding excess acid buildup in the first place? I'm thinking there is going to be an unforeseen downside to this (in the zero sum sourdough game)
Thanks! It’s easier to control the temperature. Cool starter will peak more slowly. But if you can’t cool it down, then use very high feeding ratios. No downside to that. I often do 1:10:10 with just 5g of carryover starter.
It's a fantastic video. You're a good teacher. Thank you so much. I'm a beginner sourdough baker and I only bake once a week and keeping the starter in the fridge is not as easy as it seems. I'm looking forward to your refrigerator maintenance method video.
So helpful! I was close to pitching my starter that I got off a friend and left in my fridge for a month. It’s DEFINITELY acidic and I now have a plan to help it get back to full health - thank you so much for helping me understand what’s going on with it, hugely helps. Also enjoyed the visual aid of the cows et al. Thank you so much, already you have given me more confidence!
@@thesourdoughjourney it's started to rise!! After a couple of weeks of faffing and getting nowhere I woke up to progress!! All thanks to you!!! STOKED. Thank you for helping me not pitch it!!
Thank you so much for the wonderfully informative video. I just started following you on IG. I was pleasantly surprised to hear you say you’re in Cleveland cuz we’re in Medina. 😃 This is exactly what’s happening to my starter and now I know how to fix it.
Tom, I should have known you would have the answer I needed. This video is amazing and I learned how to strengthen my starter AND how to keep it strong from now on. I had pretty good results when I first started baking but recently the dough was gummy and didn't rise as well. I was about ready to give up and you saved me. Thank you. I am also very sorry your job at NASA didn't work out! This video made me laugh out loud (not all the way through, just the appropriate parts!). Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Take care, Anna
Great information Tom! Thank you! You Sir, indeed, should have been working at Nasa!😆 Just recently I'd come across the Detmolder two( and three) stage builds. The one on youtube (a professional baker presents it), the first build is with 5% starter and 70% hydration, with rye flour, at 75F for 12 to 16 hrs. The second build goes at 85% carryover starter, with 100% hydration, at 90F for 3-4 hrs. This is obviously too hot from what you've said? Also, Hamelman talks about the 3 phase Detmolder rye method in his excellent book, "Bread." I think, de-acidification, and building natural yeast is the goal of Detmolder methods.
I was an ignorant about the starter and after two screwups I do it methodically and do my bulk fermentation in my proof box. At 10pm I prep the levain 1: 5 :5 so in the morning I can bake. From the levain jar I prep another levain 1:5:5 and when it raises a little bit I put it in the fridge for the next cycle. If I use 1:1: 1 feeding my levain become acidic and flat in few hours. As usual great presentation.
This is sooooo helpful!!! I knew my starter was too acidic and my new 1-5-5- was at peak in 6 hours, but I plan to continue strengthening it and checking the ph until I get it to a reasonable 4ish level. It started at like 3.91 and that was way acidic. Very helpful!!! Thank you I like the explanations, the demonstrations and the long videos. I feel sorry for the cows, though!
Congratulations Tom…this video is one of your best if not the best!!! You put so much work behind and the explanations you give are spot on! I am very much looking forward to a book you will publish hopefully soon. Greetings from Greece.
This is the video i really needed, i have a slow starter. I hope this helps. I hope you still read the comments on this video, because i believe you are making a mistake, specifically on what types of acid lactobacillus produces. Lactobacillus produces lactic acid NOT acetic acid (vinegar). Aceticobacter will produce vinegar. Biggest difference is: acetic acid is produced from alcohol and lactic acid is produced from sugars. Lactic acid is produced from from sugar while acetic acid is produced from alcohol (wich yeast produce). This means lactic acid wil ALWAYSE be produced while acetic acid is not.
Yes. Thanks for the clarification. I oversimplified some things in the video. For some reason, in the sourdough world people use the term “Lactic Acid Bacteria” to refer to both lactic acid and acetic acid producers. It is one of those knowingly wrong things I go along with because it is the accepted convention. And I believe the yeast keeps producing alcohol, long after it stops producing CO2. I’d like to learn more about these details. I’m also interested in your opinion on how acetone is created it a sourdough starter. Many people creating new starters say their starter smells like acetone. I’ve done a lot of research on this and talked to many experts and have never gotten a definitive answer. You can email me directly at thesourdoughjourney@yahoo.com
Sir, thank you very much for the effort and passion you have put into this channel! You have taken me to a whole new level, THANK YOU and please keep going. Just a side note, if you have time, please make a video on your absolute favorite recipe for one loaf that you think is the best. No science, just the recipe. I ask because it was difficult for me to find the recipe in your content. Also, have you ever experimented with baking the Borodinsky bread? Thank you and please keep exploring.
Thank you. No science here, but a little comedy. But a very simple method. NEW!: The Sourdough Brothers: Sourdough for Busy People th-cam.com/video/M8SiQJzFrrw/w-d-xo.html
Always love Tom's content. He also looks like Damien Jurado, so I always half-expect him to pull out a guitar and start singing halfway through his videos.
Thank you very much for posting this informative and thorough, what can I say? Lecture? I for one , am imbued with a great sense of confidence moving forward With my baking adventure / experience. Another step towards passing the gates and entering baking Valhalla.! Respect KCB😁🇬🇧👍
Anyway to guestamate how long a starter is at peak? Or is there too many variables? Temperature, flour type, etc. Love your examples! You would have been a very interesting science teacher! Keep the videos coming!
Thank you so much for all the education you share so generously with all of us!! This video was tremendously helpful in troubleshooting the issues my 3 year old starter “Fred” has been having. I decided to try the high ratio feeding method to aggressively de-acidify Fred. It has been sitting out now for almost 48 hours in a 72 degree kitchen and it has not peaked, it has risen about 1/2 inch, no dome, lots of tiny bubbles… It started out smelling nice and sweet, now I’m starting to smell the acid buildup again. What should I do? Just hang in there and wait for the peak, then feed? Or do I intervene now before it gets too acidic again? Gah!
This is exactly what i needed!! Being disabled, i have to use the fridge for my starter. Otherwise, its seems very active... like this afternoon, i pulled it from the fridge to let it warm up to room temp, otherwise my arms and hands cramp & extra painful. But just pulling it out, doing nothing to it, just set it down and forgot about it. 🙄😳😬 before bed i remembered, of course🤦♀️, and my guy had almost doubled 😊 But, i had noticed yesterday when looking at them (a friend & i exchanged buts of starter.. that's another question, when feeding them the same, but not mixing with each other.. but, do they just become the same? They still smell differently. And we're in the process of moving, so normally i have my mix of what i feed mine, but being stuck at the place we're moving from, when i ran out ofbwhat i brought, just has to use the same flour for both that we had to buy. So, will they really keep their own flavors then, or does it just become the same as mine, and i don't need to keep 2? Just curious 😊) Anyway... ive never had hooch, well... maaaaybe a tiny bit of maybe looser water on top, but even though they'd definitely smell ripe and needing some refreshments, not usually too bad. Yesterday was the first time in a year that i knew right away something was off.. 1. mine never drops super fast like this one did. 2. The smell was STRONG!!! Even with a heavy feed, i didn't smell flour like normal. I still smelled the sharp smell. So i fed again, but now I'll do so again in the morning and so on. Maybe, until done moving, do a real small starter, im not sure why that makes me SO nervous 😊🙄🤦♀️😬 but, small jars, small clean up and my body can't do too much. But, even having them out always to really get strengthen it up, in a small jar its would be working with like a couple tbls... i could do that in a couple mins while making tea....hmmmmm🤔 Regardless, great video and i look forward to looking through others! I love seeing the paperwork or even screenshot... my memory is junk.. so, even though i just make stuff for hubby n me since no kids at home😊 but, i find it all interesting, except the full math part... that i love having written examples i can go with... math makes what little brains i have left just leak out ny ears right away, can feel it😂😊 Thanks again!!!
Super thorough. How can there be any questions on this subject left? Well, I have a math question: the reason to use 1:1:1 is to facilitate calculation of hydration levels of your loaf, right? So how does a 1:5:5 ( for example) change the hydration calculation? Thank you so much for the incredible work on this, and all of your videos.
As long as the last 2 numbers on the ratio are the same, the starter hydration is always 100% (equal parts flour and water). 100g of starter at 1:2:2 and 100g of starter at 1:5:5 have the same hydration % and would impact the dough hydration exactly the same. The dough hydration is only imp@ ted by the starter hydration if you change the totally quantity of starter used in a recipe, such as 200g versus 100g. To calculate the “recipe hydration” you need to add the flour and water components of the starter to the dry flour and water in the recipe.
Wow! This video was so well prepared and informative! A++++++ Brilliant presentation! I needed to see this a week ago but intution led me to the same conclusions for remedy. Now I understand the cause.
😂 you are so bloody funny, you should have been a movie star. On a serious note, you are the bomb! This explanation and knowledge is so amazing. You MUST write a book. Please 🙏
Tom, you are a gem! Thanks for ALL of the information you have given us - and the sense of humor you impart while doing so! I have a question and I apologize if I should be able to answer it after this video but haven’t connected the dots to do so. So I’ve fixed my starter with one of the two methods you showed here. It is now in the rising stage of the third peak-to-peak feed. However, I will need to put this new and much improved starter in the refrigerator because something has come up and I cannot start making the dough right after it peaks. I can start the dough process the next day, so I want to refrigerate it so it won’t starve in the meantime. When is the best time in the cycle to put it in the refrigerator? Right after peak?
Yes, you can always refrigerate it. Usually before peak is best (after it has begin rising), but you can also refrigerate it at peak and use it directly from the fridge for about 3 days.
Thank you. I've just started my starter and am on day 10. I had the false rise on about day 3 or 4 and nothing since. I'm doing a 1:1:1 with a little extra flour to make sure it is quite thick. The smell tells me it is very acidic. I'm going to try a 1:10:10 and see what happens. I've got nothing to lose.
This is a better video for new starters. Watch the second half. The First 10 Days of Your New Sourdough Starter: Troubleshooting Tips th-cam.com/video/_OAhPvQ5Ngo/w-d-xo.html
@@thesourdoughjourney ok. I'll watch that next. I'm halfway through the one on creating the starter. There are a lot of things I didn't do the same as you, especially the type of flour. This is all very helpful.
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Dough acidity is so common that this class should be "a must" for everyone that is a beginner.
Thank you so much for this video; you are awesome!
Thank you!
Tom, you really need to make a sourdough book, it would be a great seller! I learn more from you than any sourdough book I have purchased. Thank you!!
Thank you. I’m still working on content with these videos and my website.
I’d definitely purchase a copy!
You must have at least ONE degree in education?!? If not, you are a natural born teacher. And, I say this as a retired educator of 28 years! All jokes aside, you ARE the TH-cam king of sourdough education! Thank you for all you do!
Thank you. I have no formal training in education, but I have always loved learning and teaching. I come from a family of teachers. My mother was, and most of my siblings are teachers.
I also do the vast majority of these videos completely unscripted. Sometimes I’ll have one page of notes, but often nothing written down when I start.
@@thesourdoughjourneywhat’s your education background?
@@thesourdoughjourney Wow ....amazing dialog without a script!
I have a sluggish homemade starter that seems to very slowly peak, have small bubbles, give off that "vinegar" smell and seems to overferment/overproof my dough into something stickier during shaping than when I finish my stretch and folds. This is EXACTLY the video I needed----had to comment before I even finished the video because the timing was SO APT. Thank you so much for all of your knowledge!!!! You ROCK.
Thank you! 🙏
The NASA part. That cracked me up! Great comic relief in a super education video. Thank you!
Thank you!🙏
Thanks Tom. You probably saved a lot of people from dumping out their starter and running to the store to buy yeast. Your video displays your knowledge of sourdough, how to fix your starter, and a entertaining delivery which made it easy to understand what an acidic starter is.
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback.
This man deserves a hundred thousand of subscribers
Thank you! 🙏
From all of us visual learners, THANK YOU again for your demos combined with clear descriptions - you stand alone in the field of sourdough teachers! (Like a cow, not a dinosaur)
Thank you! 🙏
I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible videos you've shared. For months, I struggled to perfect my sourdough bread, trying various methods without much success. Then, I came across your videos, and everything changed. Your clear instructions and insightful tips made all the difference. Your dedication and generosity in sharing your knowledge do not go unnoticed. Thank you so much for helping me achieve something I once thought was out of reach.
Thank you 🙏
To all viewers… DO NOT MISS THE DEMONSTRATION OF STATER BEHAVIOR!
I’ve been baking sourdough bread for about 4 years. After watching this video my knowledge doubled!
Thank you for the feedback.
This must be the most important video for home bakers that came out from the Institute in Cleveland...!!It has put together all the answers that a medium-advanced level home baker like myself wanted to get for a lot of problems and questions about my baking life...!Well done.....!
Thank you!
Thanks, once again, for the science. I keep my starter refrigerated & TRY to refresh once a week. The day before I want to bake, I do 2 peak to peak feedings, refrigerate overnight, feed again & I'm ready to bake. Now I understand why this works for me. Looking forward to your upcoming refrigerator maintenance.
Thanks! 🙏
I've been using instant yeast for a while, always afraid to try nurturing a sourdough starter and I've finally taken the leap about a week and a half ago.
I'm happy to report that I have a healthy starter after 10 days and I was able to catch the peak for my first mini baguette batch.
With your example using cows and acid spitting dinosaurs, my mind is reminded to care for the cows.
Save the cows everyone!
Anyway, thank you for sharing your knowledge, findings and spending time laying things out for anyone interested in the topic 🙏
Happy sourdough baking!
Thank you!
Brilliant video! By far the best explanation I've seen anywhere.
And the cows & acid-spitting velociraptors were a great (not to mention entertaining) analogy.
Thank you so much.
Great Video! Watching your videos, I have gone from bricks, to pancakes, to pretty darn good sourdough loaves with 6.5 hours BF. I couldn't have done it without you and your wonderful experiments, all of which I have watched multiple times. Many thanks!
Thank you!🙏
Wow ...wow... wow such a concise and precise explanations with fun demonstrations to the feeding cycle for sourdough baking. The explanations are at its best that even beginners like me can comprehend with better understanding through your generous sharing and commitment to sourdough baking. Thank you for your videos and experiments, commitment and dedication for all sourdough bakers especially those who are intimidated by sourdough bread making. Thank you...! All your videos are so well thought of and presented. Living in a tropical country your insight to double bulk fermentation helped me in baking a beautiful loaf. I couldn't have done it without your great explanation! Looking forward to more videos
Thank you!
I finally understand what is happening to my starter that always produces a densed and gummy loaf. Living in a tropical country, it is harder to keep the starter at the desired temperatures.
Thank you 🙏
I just want to say that this happens in microbakeries too. Yesterday, I had to throw kilos of dough in the compost because by the time the dough had hit the percentage rise I was looking for, it had completely liquified 🥲. I feed my starter two times a day, but I guess I haven’t being paying attention to what it was telling me and I paid the price for it 😄 Thank you so much for your videos! I’ve been baking sourdough since 2016 and I never felt I fully got it in a way that made sense until I found your videos. About 6 months ago, I decided to follow my passion and opened my own sourdough microbakery. Even though your videos are targeted more towards home bakers, I still find the information you share to be extremely valuable.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback.
What a nice comment 💞
That demo was worth its weight in gold! I thought you said overfeeding was bad, too. I'm pretty sure it was in the starter video (or series, somewhere in there). I LOVE this video, and it cracked my twelve-year-old grandson up so much to see that barnyard demo. This is awesome - awesome - awesome! Thank you so much, Tom! :) Please, keep up the good lab work! Love your sense of humor.
Thanks! Overfeeding is bad only if you discard and refeed before the starter peaks.
This was EXACTLY the information I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much!!
Glad it was helpful!
@@thesourdoughjourney There isn’t much information available (and I do quite a bit of research) that clarifies how the variables affect the starter that isn’t used everyday/very regularly. Please continue helping us home bakers!
Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge! I find your videos very helpful. You address and answer questions about so many issues!
You are so welcome!🙏
I have watched several videos and read so many articles and you’re the first person who described how to fix this problem clearly and thoroughly ❤❤
Thank you.
This afternoon I took my first ever sourdough loaf out of the oven. whoa - boy did i make SOURdough bread. I've been enjoying your various videos and am SO glad you made this one! I honestly laughed out loud when the cows got some vinegar in their water.(and at your NASA apron confession). Anyway - THANK YOU for making this Journey (or in my case, Adventure) so interesting and entertaining! Peak-to-peak here I go!
Thanks. Good luck!
Appreciate the work you put into this and giving us novices valuable info….I know I really needed this as I believe my starters need to be strengthened! Thank You
Thanks! 🙏
Loved the barnyard tragedy. LOL. Effective way of explaining what happens during the fermentation lifecycle. I followed your advice and did a 1010 feeding of my acidic starter and within seven hours I'm back up and running with a very bubbly and thick active starter. Great videos. Your sense of humor keeps it entertaining.
Thank you! 🙏
As a new SD Baker this video just explained all my SD bread disasters.thank you..a new starter is required,!
Thanks.
I was looking for reviews of Ben Starr's sourdough bread recipe for lazy people, because I had tried it and managed to also fail with this supposedly foolproof method. Found your website with the review and then got hooked because your explanations are really great and comprehensive.
Thanks!
I started uh, well, a starter, beginning of this year following an artisan SD book's instruction. After so many days the starter recipe dropped using whole grains. I dumped it and started following another book. That starter also struggled a bit but I think it was due to the whole timing issue of 24 hrs. in a day (starters don't wear watches). I switched to your advice and fed my starter just after peak. I listened/observed my starter for when she said, "Please sir, may I have some more?"
This was a month old, weak starter and soon it changed to an overflowing mess on my counter regularly so I had to rethink my starter size vs. container vol.
It's nice to not worry about the starter and just focus on the rest of the dough recipe. My loaves look great and I'm getting good compliments after doing the work.
Thanks Tom.
Thanks.
Like a lot of things, I put fixing the real problem (acidity) off until last. Inconsistent starter rise times, sluggish levain, no strength in shaped dough, and no proof. Every word of this video is gold...it should have been the first thing I watched/learned. Thank you! I had previously been doing 1:1:1 feedings, but basically getting dough that wouldn't rise/proof. Super smooth, but zero strength (puddle). I'm convinced now it's acidity.
I'm doing a few peak to peaks to get a feel for shortening times and then will be gradually switching to something like 1:5:5 - which I'm hoping is a great balance of strength ratio and convenience (~12hr peak). If I understand correctly... if I'm good with the time a 1:5:5 takes to peak/cycle, there's no quality difference between that and a 1:1:1 (or a 1: 50:50 for that matter). It's just quantity of starter (and waste) and the cycle duration.
That is correct.
I was discarding in order to feed my starter for a following day bake. I knocked over the straight-from-the-fridge, liquidy jar and, easily, 60-70% of it went EVERYWHERE! The jar was nearly empty, but I did my usual 1:1:1 feeding, no way it was ready for next day baking. I wish I’d known about drastically increasing the feeding ratio back then.
Hoping it won’t happen again (it was the devil to clean up!)but, if something like that happens again, I’ll handle it better.
Thank you!
Thanks.
Dude, your Romulus/Remus Joseph Campbell comment… you have a devoted follower now. I would love to hang out with you for a week and just talk. Amazing.
Thank you. I’m glad someone got it. 😆
I try to throw a few of those in each video.
Thank you! This is the most helpful video I have ever seen for sourdough starters.
Thanks. 🙏
OMG! I believe that is the problem I have been having. Thank God I watched this video
Thank you so much for sharing it 🙏🏽
Thank you.
This tutorial did help!!! I definitely started seeing results using your methods. This most recent trial I had enough to make two loaves. I didn't want to waste it, so started it last night. Put in the fridge over night and half of the am. Just pulled them out of the oven. Patience is definitely key!!!! To fully get the starter up and running it took at least a month. And some nights I'd just let it sit. Thank you again!
Thanks! Good luck.
I found out my starter I'd been struggling with for weeks to get going was acidic thanks to your videos...she's finally ALIVE!! lol Thank you for your content!!
Thank you! 🙏
Thank you for such an informative video!!! It explains perfectly what is going on with my starter at the moment. Loved the acid spitting dinosaur analogy!
Thanks!
I just found your channel. Oh my gosh, this has helped me understand the problems with my starter AND bread so much!! The demo with the cows, acid spitting dinosaurs and finally the teradactyls, really was a "lightbulb moment" for me!! Thank you so much!! Can't wait to go through your channel!!! I agree with another poster....you should write a book.
Seriously, NO ONE on this platform can impart so much knowledge about sourdough than YOU! I’ll be rewatching several videos in your series tomorrow. Thank you IMMENSELY!!!! 😊
Thank you! 🙏
@@thesourdoughjourneyQuestion: Your guide and video mentions keeping the starter warmer Day 4 and onward. I noticed your starter ranged from 77-79 degrees while filming. At what point in building a starter do you keep your starter at 74 degrees? I ask because the guide refers to a starter peaking at 74 degrees between 4 and 6 hrs consistently is ready to be used in baking. Thank you!
77-79 is ideal, but uncommon for many people. I use 74 as a benchmark because that is a more typical “room temperature” for most.
Tom, you are a rock star!!! I finally understand what was happening to my starters (yes, PLURAL)! I couldn't get them to rise consistently, and I tossed them all. Finally bought some starter and after several days it was going the same way as the previously ones. I have now corrected my mistakes and look forward to maintaining a healthy, strong starter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Thank you!
Oh my goodness. Now I know what's been wrong with my effects to make sourdough bread which always ends up in a bread tin as it seems to be going well then the final shaping ends in a frisbee like dough pat! This now makes sense to me what is wrong and what I need to do next time. Thank you so much you sourdough genius 👌🇬🇧
Thank you. 🙏
Tom, thank you for the invaluable insights you share on sourdough baking. Your videos have been incredibly educational for me. I have a few questions:
1. Regarding sourdough starter, could we increase the percentage of starter in the recipe by using all the water for the feeding (1:1:1), then adding the remaining flour to adjust the final hydration of the dough? Basically using higher sourdough stater, like more than 50%.
2. I've been making Neapolitan-style pizza with sourdough, and achieving a strong gluten network is crucial for stretching the dough without tearing. Considering the acidity of sourdough can weaken gluten, would you suggest adding a small amount of baking powder to counterbalance this effect? Sometimes, during a 48-hour cold fermentation, I encounter issues (thanks to your insights I know why now 😀) with flat, weak, and tearing pizza dough. Would baking powder help in such cases?
3. In your video "The SECRET of Bulk Fermentation: Measuring Dough Temperature and % Rise - The Two-Factor Method," when would you recommend shaping the pizza balls? Should we complete bulk fermentation to 100% and then shape the balls for final proofing? Or is it better to shape them before bulk fermentation and treat each individual ball separately during bulk fermentation?
Thank you! 1. When you exceed about 35% starter on your dough, the acidity and weak gluten from the fermented starter begins to break down the dough structure too quickly.
2. I’ve not tried adding baking powder to reduce the acidity. I’ve not heard of any sourdough bakers trying it. The science seems to indicate it would help, but I’m skeptical only because I’ve never heard of anyone doing it.
3. I would shape the balls after bulk fermentation.
I think I never found a more detailed, and yet fun, esplicative video about sourdough starter 😂😂
Thank you very much! This was very helpful! 🙏🏽
Thank you.
Thank you for caring and sharing!!! You are truly a blessing!!! This information was so valuable and helpful. Thanks once again!!!! May God continue to bless you and keep you safe and healthy. 🙌🏻🙏🏻🥳😇
Thank you.
Really fantastic and informative video, thank you so much for the effort and time you put into it. I enjoy learning about the science behind what I'm doing, so I'm so glad I took the time to watch this. I was always confused by people's descriptions of starters being "sleepy" or needing to "wake them up", but I can see now that what it really comes down to is the acidity. I had many lightbulb moments here, including with your explanation of the effect of temperature on the protease. Living in Australia, where my kitchen has been averaging 29C in recent weeks, I have a new appreciation for why my sourdoughs seem to be breaking down so quickly. As a side note, it was interesting hearing you mention that keeping a starter in the fridge can make it hard to see when it has peaked. I keep a 100% hydration rye starter that very visibly doubles, peaks, and falls in the fridge. Perhaps an added advantage of a rye starter over normal bread flour. Thanks once again!
Thank you. 🙏
Yes, rye starters behave a little differently.
This was a Masterpiece. It is also timely as I have been trying to bring my just purchased 'starter' up to active duty.
Thank you!
you got me at the NASA apron lol, thanks for making the video so informative, despite the length (yeah I'm a lazy student), I did enjoy all of It, especially the cow demo
Thank you. 🙏
You have no idea how helpful these videos are. Im so profoundly grateful for your knowledge, willingness to share this as well as your TIME. Thank you.🙏❤️
Thank you. 🙏
Best explanation ever of the sourdough starter microbiome! 😊
Thank you!
Thanks for the helpful video! You put so much effort in it. Thanks for that! I have two questions, because I find it a bit confusing when I heard it.
1. You talked about the peak-to-peak method and mentioned, that you take out the acidic starter from the fridge and feed it in a 1:2:2 ratio. But in the high feeding ratio section you mentioned that this ratio is not so good for acidic starters, because you take all the acidity with you to the next starter. How does that fit?
2. We talk about peak times of 4 hours, but besides temperature this is highly dependent on the ratio, isn't it? So when you use a 1:2:2 ratio it would develop much faster in comparison to a 1:10:10 ratio, does it?
I knew that part could be confusing, but I think you have it backwards. High feeding ratios carry over very little existing starter, so they sometimes can knock down the acidity in one or two feedings. That's why I recommend it first.
If that doesn't work, then I recommend the peak to peak method, but if you do the peak to peak method with high feeding ratios, it strettch out the time to much and it's difficult to monitor the starter to catch it at peak. So I am recommending a "suboptimal" lower feeding ratio (1:2:2), so you can get more feedings in during the day or in a short period of time. It is purely a scheduling convenience. If you had a lab team monitoring and feeding your starter 24/7 , then you would do peak to peak with 1:5:5. But if you need to work, sleep, etc, you can get more 1:2:2 feedings in and it has the same outcome in the end.
Ive been doing small experiments since starting my sourdough journey. Even got my kiddos in on them. Its been fun but sometimes i just want to know why right now. You have just made my day and im loving the videos.
Thanks!
I laughed so hard at how you described the velociraptor 😂
Haha, thanks
Thank you so much for this! I’m just starting my sourdough journey. You’ve helped me so much!!!!!
Thanks.
Such a great topic, no one else talks about. I think that's what has been wrong with my starter. I hope to have a healthy thriving starter soon.
Thanks! Good luck. 👍
You are spot on. I did not want to feed my starter before peak so I waited to smell the vinegar to know I was after peak. To have enough starter to back with I just added a 1:1:1 mixture to my already vinegared starter and saw a huge decrease in the productivity - so much so it is probably not worth trying to bake with. Now I know why. THANKS!!
Thanks!
This is exactly my problem, thank you so much for this video!!!
Thank you.
Holy COW! Pun intended! You are simply the best….funny and complete run down of solutions to many of my issues. Thank you so much! I love the science side of this. You really explained this well. Cheers!
Thank you! 🙏
I have a starter from your instructions. But due to my work and home life I have an acidic starter. I am headed in the right direction. Thank you for your research and information!!!!
Thanks. Good luck.
Pterodactyl coming in hot!😂 Never knew that learning about sourdough starter can be this fun!
Thanks! 🙏
Your channel is a treasure!❤ I am so new to the sourdough, I would watch your episode a 1000 times to understand every detail in your video! I love there are always science related to the topic! Thank you for doing the hard work! ❤
Thank you for the feedback!
Wow, what a great teacher you are! I learned a lot about how the sourdough starter functions through different stages. Excellent presentation, thank you so much!
Thank you.
Thank you most patiently gracious teacher for this remedial video for those of us who just can’t get a successful starter experience ❤
Thank you. 🙏
Thank you so much for this video, Tom, and for your many responses on Facebook to my questions and to those of others. They have been invaluable!
This video saved my starter. It's a very full-flavored starter, developed by a friend. People love the flavor. I've tried other starters in the same recipe and they just aren't the same in flavor or behavior in the dough. Thanks again for teaching me how to save this very tasty starter.
Thanks! 🙏
What a great video, that has really helped my understanding of what's going on in my starter. Thank you very much.
I am interested to hear your opinion on something... last year I saw a YT video by a guy Karl De Smedt (Puratos Group), look up "How to give a bath to your sourdough". In that video he makes a "stiff" starter, chops it up, then baths the pieces in water to absorb (dissolve?) some of the acidity. That process took 20 mins, so seems like maybe it has potential to be a "quick" fix for high acid levels. Interested to hear your thoughts on that kind of approach!
Again, thanks for this extremely helpful video.
I’ve seen that video and I tried it a few times, but even using a pH meter, I did not see a material decrease in the acidity of my starter. So I prefer the high feeding ratio methods instead.
@@thesourdoughjourney Ahh right, interesting! Last year I tried it, but was unsure if it helped or not at the time - my starter came right again but I had no comparison so could have been coincidence. I like your suggestion of the high feeding ratios, will definitely try that next time - it makes a lot of sense.
Wow! I watched this video at the perfect time. You covered every single question I had gone through in the past 2 weeks! I’ve been struggling not knowing what was going on. Thank you for this information you are amazing and I look forward to watching more of your videos. You got a new follower!
Thanks! 🙏
Thank you so much, Tom! You released another video full of valuable information (and fun!) and easy to understand. I highly appreciate all the work and research that you put behind all your videos.
I have currently some problems with my starter and I wanted to send you some photos and ask what could be wrong. But now I think I know what it is wrong! Acidity...
You can email me at thesourdoughjourney@yahoo.com
Thanks a lot, Tom! I will!
Now I will give it a few peak-to-peak feeds 1:2:2.
This video was fantastic. No one ever explained as well as you Tom. Thank you so much.
Thanks you.
So much good content, it might be time for you to create a curriculum on your website for the Institute! Seriously. Quick question: is it a good idea to try to find a higher feeding ratio such that my 24 hour feeding schedule is as close to peak to peak as possible, so I am always in peak to peak mode, thus avoiding excess acid buildup in the first place? I'm thinking there is going to be an unforeseen downside to this (in the zero sum sourdough game)
Thanks! It’s easier to control the temperature. Cool starter will peak more slowly. But if you can’t cool it down, then use very high feeding ratios. No downside to that. I often do 1:10:10 with just 5g of carryover starter.
Thanks so much for this! This is what we needed for the problem we had and did not know lol.
Thanks. Good luck.
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed. Noticed your spiffy Hedley & Bennett apron instantly.
Thank you. It is a lovely apron.
It's a fantastic video. You're a good teacher. Thank you so much. I'm a beginner sourdough baker and I only bake once a week and keeping the starter in the fridge is not as easy as it seems. I'm looking forward to your refrigerator maintenance method video.
Thanks.
So helpful! I was close to pitching my starter that I got off a friend and left in my fridge for a month. It’s DEFINITELY acidic and I now have a plan to help it get back to full health - thank you so much for helping me understand what’s going on with it, hugely helps. Also enjoyed the visual aid of the cows et al. Thank you so much, already you have given me more confidence!
Thanks. Good luck.
@@thesourdoughjourney it's started to rise!! After a couple of weeks of faffing and getting nowhere I woke up to progress!! All thanks to you!!! STOKED. Thank you for helping me not pitch it!!
Thank you so much for the wonderfully informative video. I just started following you on IG. I was pleasantly surprised to hear you say you’re in Cleveland cuz we’re in Medina. 😃 This is exactly what’s happening to my starter and now I know how to fix it.
Thank you! 🙏
Tom, I should have known you would have the answer I needed. This video is amazing and I learned how to strengthen my starter AND how to keep it strong from now on. I had pretty good results when I first started baking but recently the dough was gummy and didn't rise as well. I was about ready to give up and you saved me. Thank you. I am also very sorry your job at NASA didn't work out! This video made me laugh out loud (not all the way through, just the appropriate parts!). Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Take care, Anna
Thank you. 🙏
Great information Tom! Thank you! You Sir, indeed, should have been working at Nasa!😆 Just recently I'd come across the Detmolder two( and three) stage builds. The one on youtube (a professional baker presents it), the first build is with 5% starter and 70% hydration, with rye flour, at 75F for 12 to 16 hrs. The second build goes at 85% carryover starter, with 100% hydration, at 90F for 3-4 hrs. This is obviously too hot from what you've said? Also, Hamelman talks about the 3 phase Detmolder rye method in his excellent book, "Bread." I think, de-acidification, and building natural yeast is the goal of Detmolder methods.
Thank you Barry. I will look into that method.
The barnyard example was hilarious and a great visual. Love your content!!
Thank you.
I was an ignorant about the starter and after two screwups I do it methodically and do my bulk fermentation in my proof box. At 10pm I prep the levain 1: 5 :5 so in the morning I can bake. From the levain jar I prep another levain 1:5:5 and when it raises a little bit I put it in the fridge for the next cycle. If I use 1:1: 1 feeding my levain become acidic and flat in few hours. As usual great presentation.
Thank you? 1:5:5 is a good ratio to keep the acidity down all the time.
The Sourdough Journey. For home bakers. Can’t wait for you to release a book! I’ll pay double for a signed copy. 😂
Thank you!
Amazing!! Incredibly helpful presentation, and hilarious!
Thank you.
This is sooooo helpful!!! I knew my starter was too acidic and my new 1-5-5- was at peak in 6 hours, but I plan to continue strengthening it and checking the ph until I get it to a reasonable 4ish level. It started at like 3.91 and that was way acidic. Very helpful!!! Thank you I like the explanations, the demonstrations and the long videos. I feel sorry for the cows, though!
Thanks. 🙏
Whoa -- at 23:00, things take an unexpected, darker turn, lol. Great explainer video, as always!
You never know what you’re going to learn at The Sourdough Journey.
Thank you very much! It was tough to sit through this movie but it was definitely worth it!
Thank you. 🙏
Congratulations Tom…this video is one of your best if not the best!!! You put so much work behind and the explanations you give are spot on! I am very much looking forward to a book you will publish hopefully soon. Greetings from Greece.
Thank you!
Brilliant. One of the best starter videos I’ve seen. And just what I needed - time to reinvigorate “Charlie”. Thank you Tom.
thank you! 🙏
This is the video i really needed, i have a slow starter. I hope this helps.
I hope you still read the comments on this video, because i believe you are making a mistake, specifically on what types of acid lactobacillus produces. Lactobacillus produces lactic acid NOT acetic acid (vinegar). Aceticobacter will produce vinegar. Biggest difference is: acetic acid is produced from alcohol and lactic acid is produced from sugars. Lactic acid is produced from from sugar while acetic acid is produced from alcohol (wich yeast produce). This means lactic acid wil ALWAYSE be produced while acetic acid is not.
Yes. Thanks for the clarification. I oversimplified some things in the video.
For some reason, in the sourdough world people use the term “Lactic Acid Bacteria” to refer to both lactic acid and acetic acid producers. It is one of those knowingly wrong things I go along with because it is the accepted convention. And I believe the yeast keeps producing alcohol, long after it stops producing CO2. I’d like to learn more about these details. I’m also interested in your opinion on how acetone is created it a sourdough starter. Many people creating new starters say their starter smells like acetone. I’ve done a lot of research on this and talked to many experts and have never gotten a definitive answer.
You can email me directly at thesourdoughjourney@yahoo.com
Great video learnt alot ! You have wonderful visuals that really explain things so thanks for this ....always excited to watch your videos ! 😊
Thank you!🙏
Sir, thank you very much for the effort and passion you have put into this channel! You have taken me to a whole new level, THANK YOU and please keep going. Just a side note, if you have time, please make a video on your absolute favorite recipe for one loaf that you think is the best. No science, just the recipe. I ask because it was difficult for me to find the recipe in your content. Also, have you ever experimented with baking the Borodinsky bread? Thank you and please keep exploring.
Thank you. No science here, but a little comedy. But a very simple method.
NEW!: The Sourdough Brothers: Sourdough for Busy People
th-cam.com/video/M8SiQJzFrrw/w-d-xo.html
Always love Tom's content. He also looks like Damien Jurado, so I always half-expect him to pull out a guitar and start singing halfway through his videos.
Thank you. I was not familiar with Damien but I see a resemblance. I also play guitar. 😀
This information has been incredibly helpful!
Thank you.
please dont stop making videos, I am waiting for pan de crystal analysis
Thank you.
Thank you very much for posting this informative and thorough, what can I say? Lecture?
I for one , am imbued with a great sense of confidence moving forward With my baking adventure / experience.
Another step towards passing the gates and entering baking Valhalla.!
Respect KCB😁🇬🇧👍
Thanks! 🙏
Anyway to guestamate how long a starter is at peak? Or is there too many variables? Temperature, flour type, etc. Love your examples! You would have been a very interesting science teacher! Keep the videos coming!
It’s impossible to know how long it will stay at peak. It depends on the flour, the hydration, the temperature and the acidity. Maybe more.
I'm really enjoying the videos you've made with care. I would also like to see and learn how to make focaccia. Please consider my request.
Thank you. I will add that to my list.
Thank you so much for all the education you share so generously with all of us!! This video was tremendously helpful in troubleshooting the issues my 3 year old starter “Fred” has been having. I decided to try the high ratio feeding method to aggressively de-acidify Fred. It has been sitting out now for almost 48 hours in a 72 degree kitchen and it has not peaked, it has risen about 1/2 inch, no dome, lots of tiny bubbles… It started out smelling nice and sweet, now I’m starting to smell the acid buildup again. What should I do? Just hang in there and wait for the peak, then feed? Or do I intervene now before it gets too acidic again? Gah!
I always wait for peak.
Thanks for this video. It's very useful information. Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
This is exactly what i needed!! Being disabled, i have to use the fridge for my starter. Otherwise, its seems very active... like this afternoon, i pulled it from the fridge to let it warm up to room temp, otherwise my arms and hands cramp & extra painful. But just pulling it out, doing nothing to it, just set it down and forgot about it. 🙄😳😬 before bed i remembered, of course🤦♀️, and my guy had almost doubled 😊
But, i had noticed yesterday when looking at them (a friend & i exchanged buts of starter.. that's another question, when feeding them the same, but not mixing with each other.. but, do they just become the same? They still smell differently. And we're in the process of moving, so normally i have my mix of what i feed mine, but being stuck at the place we're moving from, when i ran out ofbwhat i brought, just has to use the same flour for both that we had to buy. So, will they really keep their own flavors then, or does it just become the same as mine, and i don't need to keep 2? Just curious 😊)
Anyway... ive never had hooch, well... maaaaybe a tiny bit of maybe looser water on top, but even though they'd definitely smell ripe and needing some refreshments, not usually too bad. Yesterday was the first time in a year that i knew right away something was off.. 1. mine never drops super fast like this one did. 2. The smell was STRONG!!! Even with a heavy feed, i didn't smell flour like normal. I still smelled the sharp smell.
So i fed again, but now I'll do so again in the morning and so on. Maybe, until done moving, do a real small starter, im not sure why that makes me SO nervous 😊🙄🤦♀️😬 but, small jars, small clean up and my body can't do too much. But, even having them out always to really get strengthen it up, in a small jar its would be working with like a couple tbls... i could do that in a couple mins while making tea....hmmmmm🤔
Regardless, great video and i look forward to looking through others! I love seeing the paperwork or even screenshot... my memory is junk.. so, even though i just make stuff for hubby n me since no kids at home😊 but, i find it all interesting, except the full math part... that i love having written examples i can go with... math makes what little brains i have left just leak out ny ears right away, can feel it😂😊
Thanks again!!!
Super thorough. How can there be any questions on this subject left? Well, I have a math question: the reason to use 1:1:1 is to facilitate calculation of hydration levels of your loaf, right? So how does a 1:5:5 ( for example) change the hydration calculation? Thank you so much for the incredible work on this, and all of your videos.
As long as the last 2 numbers on the ratio are the same, the starter hydration is always 100% (equal parts flour and water). 100g of starter at 1:2:2 and 100g of starter at 1:5:5 have the same hydration % and would impact the dough hydration exactly the same. The dough hydration is only imp@ ted by the starter hydration if you change the totally quantity of starter used in a recipe, such as 200g versus 100g. To calculate the “recipe hydration” you need to add the flour and water components of the starter to the dry flour and water in the recipe.
Wow! This video was so well prepared and informative! A++++++ Brilliant presentation! I needed to see this a week ago but intution led me to the same conclusions for remedy. Now I understand the cause.
Thanks!
😂 you are so bloody funny, you should have been a movie star. On a serious note, you are the bomb! This explanation and knowledge is so amazing. You MUST write a book. Please 🙏
Thank you. 🙏
This one is a comedy.
NEW!: The Sourdough Brothers: Sourdough for Busy People
th-cam.com/video/M8SiQJzFrrw/w-d-xo.html
Tom, you are a gem! Thanks for ALL of the information you have given us - and the sense of humor you impart while doing so! I have a question and I apologize if I should be able to answer it after this video but haven’t connected the dots to do so. So I’ve fixed my starter with one of the two methods you showed here. It is now in the rising stage of the third peak-to-peak feed. However, I will need to put this new and much improved starter in the refrigerator because something has come up and I cannot start making the dough right after it peaks. I can start the dough process the next day, so I want to refrigerate it so it won’t starve in the meantime. When is the best time in the cycle to put it in the refrigerator? Right after peak?
Yes, you can always refrigerate it. Usually before peak is best (after it has begin rising), but you can also refrigerate it at peak and use it directly from the fridge for about 3 days.
Thank you. I've just started my starter and am on day 10. I had the false rise on about day 3 or 4 and nothing since. I'm doing a 1:1:1 with a little extra flour to make sure it is quite thick. The smell tells me it is very acidic. I'm going to try a 1:10:10 and see what happens. I've got nothing to lose.
This is a better video for new starters.
Watch the second half. The First 10 Days of Your New Sourdough Starter: Troubleshooting Tips
th-cam.com/video/_OAhPvQ5Ngo/w-d-xo.html
@@thesourdoughjourney ok. I'll watch that next. I'm halfway through the one on creating the starter. There are a lot of things I didn't do the same as you, especially the type of flour. This is all very helpful.