Sourdough: I'm stumped!!

[oldcoot]

Last year, as you may recall, I went on at great length about "my" method for sourdough. You know: cup of water, cup of flour, package of active dry yeast, mix and set aside three days. Worked perfectly for me every time. The mix developed a pleasant, sour aroma in 60 to 72 hours, and made as good a sourdough loaf as any I've ever had.

Well, now I get my come-uppance!

Using the same floour, the same yeast, the same water, the same bowl, the same cover cloth, on the same piano stool in the same den -

and it comes out like paint thinner!!

Godawful stuff! Four times now!

How come?????????

 

[oldcoot]

Since you guys 'n gals didn't offer a solution, I had to investigate further myself. Thanks a lot, gang!

I erred: I said I'd used the same yeast, but B/W reminded me that last year I'd used SAF Gourmet Yeast, swithing this year to Fleischmann's when the market stopped carrying SAF.

So, after 5 paint-thinnner failures with Fleishmann's, I tried a different brand called "Rise". Worked perfectly, actually starting to gain that clean, sour aroma in just a few hours.

Now I'm not positive the yeast is the problem, as "one swallow doesn't make a Spring", etc. So I'll be confirming the result. Hard to imagine an old standby like Fleischmann's would fail so badly when it comes to sourdough, but perhaps it is a different yeast that doesn't perform well for sourdough.

Stay tuned.

 

[PA Baker]

I'm glad you might have found the answer, oldcoot! Do keep us posted! I've always used Fleischman's (not for sourdough,though) and as long as the expiration date is good, have never had a problem so I'll be interested to hear what more you learn.

 

[oldcoot]

I began a test identical to last nite's at 4 p.m. this afternoon. This time I'm using Red Star active dry yeast - made by Le Saffre, the maker of SAF that I used last year. Just now checked it (7:35 p.m., and it, like the Rize yeast last night, has already developed a mild sour aroma instead of the paint thinner stench Fleischmanns has given me. Tommorrow I'll give Fleischmann's the exact same test. Hopefully, I - we? - may learn something.

 

[oldcoot]

Well, folks,m I'm more confused than before. I have now tried several vrands of yeast and have failed miserably to attain a good sourdough starter.

The Fleischmann's no longer smells like paint thinnner, but it doesn't develop a good sour aroma, either. Even after five days!!

All using the same system that was so successful a year ago. Equal amounts of water and flour, and a package of yeast, blended well in a clean ceramic bowl, covered with the same cotton cloth, and put in the samre room temperature location.

What in H--- am I doing wrong? HELP!!!

 

[Dove]

Oldcoot,
Ddo you think the weather might have something to do with it??
I don't know much about baking bread from scratch..
good to see you back here.
Marge~Dove

 

[bevkile]

What care are you taking with your yeast after you purchase it? How do you store it? Fridge and freezer? Not on the shelf, I hope. The trouble is that we don't know how it was stored BEFORE we purchased it. I am a SAF believer, myself. I have half a pound, left from my original 5 lb, purchased 12 years ago (It is alive and well). As I get closer to running out, I will order from the net (call and order). Originally I ordered mine from the health food store in my home town in Indiana. I couldn't find it here Florida and I didn't have a PC.

I have a small bottle in the fridge, and the remainder is stored in the freezer.

I found this site where you can call and order SAF and the price is right.
http://waltonfeed.com/yeast.html

 

[Shunka]

I use 1 c. warm water, 1/4 c. buttermilk, room temp, 1-1/2 c. flour and 1 Tbs. sugar for my starter. I have never had much luck with the ones that yeast is added to.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Looking at only yeast, water and flour ... least likely is the yeast. Water quality and flavor can change at times ... but you'll probably notice that when you drink a glass each day.

That only leaves the flour ... the "paint thinner" flavor/aroma could have come from the flour going rancid. If it was from the same bag of flour you used last year it could have gone rancid ... new bag but same brand could have been randic off the shelf. The difference in aroma could be from using a different brand - or a bag of the same brand milled from a different growing season, and/or a bag of the same brand from a different mill.

Yeah, I know - that helps a lot.

 

[oldcoot]

Good thoughts, Michael. I have tried different flours and yeasts. While I have not experienced the "paint thinner" stench recently (no idea why), I still am not getting the clean, sour aroma I was accustomed to. Nor the intensity of the aroma, either. I remain stumped. And I'm getting a bit ticked off, too. Tired of trying to get a decent loaf of sourdough.

I appreciate all the suggestions. As for the use of buttermilk, while that may give a well flavored bread, it cannot match the flavor of true sourdough, which is what I seek.

Tomorrow, time permitting, I shall carefully rinsee the yeast off of a ripe Santa Rosa plum from my tree, and see what may develop from that.