Hi all you sourdough experts, I am brand new around here.
I have never made a sourdough before but had too many tomatoes, so I was making tomato soup, so I wanted to make a good french bread to go with it, and somehow now I have a sourdough culture sitting on the shelf in my office. I am really quite excited about it.
I made it from atta flour, coarsly ground rye, and a little white flour - hoping to catch a bit of a variety of yeasts etc.
Anyway, after two days it is bubbling away nicely, but it doesn't smell like anything I would like to eat. In fact it has quite an off smell. I wondered if this is normal for this phase of things, and will it improve if I just keep feeding/subculturing it? Would very much appreciate your thoughts
I have never made a sourdough before but had too many tomatoes, so I was making tomato soup, so I wanted to make a good french bread to go with it, and somehow now I have a sourdough culture sitting on the shelf in my office. I am really quite excited about it.
I made it from atta flour, coarsly ground rye, and a little white flour - hoping to catch a bit of a variety of yeasts etc.
Anyway, after two days it is bubbling away nicely, but it doesn't smell like anything I would like to eat. In fact it has quite an off smell. I wondered if this is normal for this phase of things, and will it improve if I just keep feeding/subculturing it? Would very much appreciate your thoughts
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It's a bit hard to tell from your description but my guess is that if you keep a regular cycling schedule you can't go too far wrong. However, I have read in one study that some strains of E coli can be influential in the first few days of fermentation producing mainly acetic acid and very large amounts of Co2 giving the apperance of strong sourdough fermentation. The remedy is to keep cycling until that pleasant aroma becomes evident. Stay with it, the good bugs - lactics - will win!
http://sourdough.com.au/?q=blog/sourdom/beginners%26%23039%3B-blog-start...
I still get excited about making great bread. I'm usually greeted at home with open arms...LOL ... but especially on days when I bring bread home!
Good luck
I just pulled mine out of the fridge. Definitley Stinky Socks! Doesn't matter. I pulled enough off for 3 loaves tomorrow, fed all 4 jars, the main jar goes back in the fridge, and I'm making bread dough in the morning! The Stinky Sock smell just reminds me of my brother when we were kids. :-D
Is it just me, or is this theraputic for anyone else too?
Thanks guys for your thoughts.It sounds like I am doing OK sofar.I am getting hooch, bubbles, and no weird colours.The smell is a strong sour milk smell which is gradually mellowing (acid forming bacteria I guess).Some of the info I read suggested things like pleasant winey bready smells, and I am certainly not smelling much of that.I was planning on keeping it going for 2 weeks, baking with it, and seeing what it tastes like before I judge it too harshly.I guess the longer I keep it cycling before it goes to live in the fridge, the more mature the culture will get.I am hoping I have not caught a really sour culture though, because I was hoping to make a fairly mild bread at first.
I am hoping I have not caught a really sour culture though, because I was hoping to make a fairly mild bread at first.
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Mild bread flavour can be achieved with final bread dough techniques. There are various things you can do to influence the bread characteristics. Using sourdough bread techniques doesn't mean it will be "sour" per se. Stay with it and you'll see the possibilities unfold.
So far it sounds good.
My starter is about 6 months old now - and smells great, I do not feed it everyday - usually one time a week.
If I bake on Sunday - I will take it out of the fridge on Thursday - and let it come to room temp.
On friday or saturday I will feed it. then use it on sunday
After I have used what I need - (example 4 cups) then I will feed 1/2 of what I took. let it sit for a few hours - then into the fridge.
The other 2 cups will get replaced on the friday feeding.
So I guess - just let your little beasty grow - take care of it - and enjoy the baked goodness that you get from it.
Andrew