How to Make Sourdough LESS Sour: There are ways!
If you have a sourdough starter and discovered you really don’t like the flavor, I have some tips for how to make sourdough less sour.
In this post we are first going to dive what a sourdough starter is and what alters the flavor of sourdough bread.
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First things first, if you are new to sourdough and want to make your own sourdough starter, start here: How to Make a Sourdough Starter
My husband is a person that doesn’t care for a very sour sourdough bread. He much prefers a milder flavor.
The good news is there are ways to alter the flavor of sourdough and make it less sour.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is essentially wild yeast that is captured by fermenting flour and water.
This process causes a build up of lactic acid bacteria and carbon dioxide. This fermentation process is what gives sourdough the tangy and sour flavor.
The “mother culture” will last for generations if maintained properly.
Why would you want to use a sourdough starter?
Sourdough is a good idea if you tend to have difficulty after eating bread products. Of course, this is not advisable for those with CELIAC DISEASE.
However, if you experience bloat after eating bread, a long fermented sourdough loaf will be much less triggering on your digestion.
Sourdough bread has a depth of flavor that you just can’t get from conventional yeast. This flavor can be adjusted depending on your tastes.
What is Active Sourdough Starter?
Active starter is starter that has been fed within the last 24 hours and is bubbly and active looking.
What is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough starter discard is basically hungry starter. It may have a liquid on top called “hooch” and an acetone smell. This is important to remember for altering the sourness of the starter.
Here is a link for all of my sourdough recipes: Sourdough Recipes
What types of flour to feed the starter
You are pretty much free to use any flour type you choose to feed your sourdough starter.
I grind my own flour using a Grain Mill
Using Whole Grains in Sourdough
Using freshly milled whole wheat flour in sourdough makes for an incredibly flavorful and nutritious loaf of bread. Whole grains have the bran and germ intact and are full of nutrients that our bodies need.
Using this type of flour in your sourdough starter can have an impact on the flavor. However, it’s worth it to have the added nutrition of the whole grain flour.
For instance, when using all purpose flour (white flour) or bread flour, I get a less sour flavor.
But, when using freshly milled whole grain flour or rye flour, I get a bit more tang in my starter.
How often should I feed my sourdough starter?
If you leave your starter on the counter, you will want to feed more often. Feed the starter at least every 24-36 hours.
If you keep your starter in the fridge like I do, you will only need to feed the starter every week or so.
I feed mine and use it straight from the fridge until the jar gets low and it needs fed again.
What determines the flavor (sourness) of your sourdough bread
Hooch
Hooch is a liquid byproduct of the fermentation process of the starter. This liquid does not mean you don’t have a healthy starter. Actually, it is quite normal and to be expected.
This liquid is quite sour and has a strong acetone flavor. This is much like citric acid, which by the way, is added to store bought “sourdough bread” to give it the signature sour tang or sourdough flavor.
An easy way to lessen that sour flavor in your starter is to pour off the hooch before feeding your starter.
Fermentation Time
The longer it takes to ferment your dough, the more sour the flavor. If it takes a long time for the bread rise, it will be very sour. For instance, a long fermentation time of 18-24 hours will yield a very sour loaf.
So, to make your sourdough bread less sour, you will need to lessen the time it takes for the bread to rise.
For this you will need either your room temperature to be warm or have a proofing box to keep the bread dough at a warm temperature throughout the bulk fermentation.
Fermentation Temperature
Let’s expand on how temperature plays a role in the flavor of your sourdough bread.
If it is very warm and humid while the dough ferments, the bread will be less sour.
Cooler temperatures or using a fridge for your fermentation will make a much more sour sourdough bread. This is what you will commonly see called a cold ferment. This will lend to a more sour flavor.
Since temperature plays such a role in the sourness of sourdough bread, it’s important to know how to either lengthen or shorten this time.
I let my dough rise in a proofing box in the winter since our home is on the cooler side during this time.
In short, the less time it takes to rise, the less sour your homemade sourdough bread will be.
If you want your bread sour, keep it cool while fermenting.
Tips to achieve a less sour sourdough loaf
Water temperature
One of the easiest ways to shorten the fermentation time is the start with warm water in the recipe. This jump starts the process thereby making it shorter.
Room Temperature
As stated above, the temperature of the room where the dough is rising makes a huge difference in the fermentation time.
If your goal is to have a loaf of sourdough bread that has a mild flavor, you want the room to be at least 72-74 degrees F.
If your room is much cooler than that, I would recommend that you use a proofing box linked above or find a warmer spot in your home for the rise.
By contrast, if you want a very sour loaf, you would want an extended cold fermentation. Generally, this can be achieved in the fridge.
What if your bread is still to sour?
If none of these tips give you the sourness of sourdough bread you are looking for, The best way I can suggest is you use a pinch of instant yeast in the recipe to greatly shorten the fermentation time.
The small amount of yeast will cause the bread to rise more quickly and give you a much less sour loaf.
In Conclusion
Sourdough is an amazing process and journey to take with your bread baking endeavors.
The process can be daunting at first and be really frustrating if you find after all the time it took to make the starter you don’t even like the taste of the bread.
Luckily, this sourness can be adjusted depending on your taste.
Keep in mind that time and temperature are the main factors in the flavor of sourdough bread.