What Makes Sourdough Sour | How To Make Sourdough More Sour - Cultures For Health (2024)

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 yoursourdough breadkitor 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.

Click to download our Sourdough Guide today, which contains tips and tricks on making sourdough bread that is more sour and flavorful to get the desired results.

HOW TO MAKE A MORE SOUR SOURDOUGH

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

Giving acetic acid-producing organismsoptimal conditions to thriveand multiply will producea more tangy finished product. Here are some ways to achieve this.

1. Adjust the Starter

• Maintain your starter at alower hydration level.This means using a higher ratio of flour to water.Acetic acid is produced more abundantly in adrier environmentlike this while lactic acid-producing organisms seem to thrive in a wet environment.
• Use whole-grain flours, which the acid-producing bacteria love.
• Keep thehoochor 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 alonger, slower risemay 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 thefinal riseforat least four hoursorovernight in the refrigerator. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let itsit 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.

HOW TO MAKE A LESS SOUR SOURDOUGH

To create the opposite effect from above and create a more mild flavor in your finished sourdough, try these adjustments.

1. Adjust the Starter

• Feed your starter regularly. The temperature of your culturing area and the strength of your starter will influence how often your starter needs feedings, which can be anywhere from8 to 24 hours. Try increasing the frequency of your feedings to create a more mild taste. This should minimize the alcohol content and reduce the overall acidity of the sourdough.Less acidity means less tang!

2. Adjust the Bread Dough

• Use moresourdough starterin the dough. A larger percentage of sourdough starter in the dough allows it to both rise in a cooler locationandhave ashorter rising time. Both of these conditions help to tamethe sourness in sourdough bylowering acetic acid production. (The amount of starter may need to be adjusted by season: more starter in the winter and less in summer.)
• Add baking soda. Baking soda is an alkaline substance. Adding it to sourdoughneutralizessome of the acidity and gives the dough a little extra leavening boost.

Each sourdough starter is unique, so keep adjusting until you produce a bread that is ideally suited to your taste.

WHAT TO DO WITH IMPERFECT SOURDOUGH BREAD

As you experiment with adjusting the sourness of your sourdough bread, there may be times that your bread doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to. It's okay, it happens, and it truly is the best way to learn and perfect your sourdough baking.

Luckily, not-so-perfect sourdough doesn't have to go to waste. Try one of these recipes to use up any sourdough that doesn't turn out perfectly.

• Sourdough Panzanella
• 10 Uses for Stale Sourdough Bread

START MAKING PERFECT SOURDOUGH WITH CULTURES FOR HEALTH

The easiest way to start making sourdough at home or to continue making it - Cultures for Health.

We've got everything you need to make the best sourdough possible includingour amazing sourdough starter kitandmultiple sourdough startersin tons of different styles including:

• San Francisco Style Sourdough Starter
• Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter
• Rye Sourdough Starter
• Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter

On top of all of that, we haveall the toolsof the trade you need to make sourdough at home.

Click here to check out our large selection of sourdough starters and tools now!

Download your copy of our Sourdough Guide and Recipe Book today!

Ready to Learn More?

• A Complete List of Sourdough Baking Terms