Novice question for liquid bread yeast

[inchrisin]

I have a little experience with yeast because I'm a successful homebrewer. I buy commercial packs of liquid yeast and dried yeast to make batches of beer. I re harvest them and make more beer off the original yeast. I guess you'd call this propagating yeast.

I'm new to making bread. I've recently seen several bread recipes that call for an equivalent of liquid yeast and that piques my curiosity.

I'm at a loss. How do bakers acquire and harvest liquid yeast for bread from batch to batch. I'm used to breaking out an Erlenmeyer flask and buying liquid yeast from a homebrew store. I make beer and skim the yeast from batch to batch. Can you fill in the gaps for me and explain how bakers harvest liquid yeast? Where does it start and how do I propagate healthy yeast from batch to batch of bread?

 

[Mad Cook]

I've been baking my own bread since Methuselah was a lad but I've never heard of liquid yeast for bread making in the UK. I'll be interested to hear about it from anyone who uses it.

(The nearest I can get to liquid yeast on-line over here is "liquid cream yeast" available for commercial bread makers.)

 

[inchrisin]

I've been baking my own bread since Methuselah was a lad but I've never heard of liquid yeast for bread making in the UK. I'll be interested to hear about it from anyone who uses it.

(The nearest I can get to liquid yeast on-line over here is "liquid cream yeast" available for commercial bread makers.)

Vienna Bread / Pain Viennois - The Real Deal Cooking Channel

I nailed this recipe the first time I made it. I've tried 4 times after and I'm failing it. I'm looking to perfect it because it is LIFE ALTERING. It's perfect for any kind of sandwich, if you can wait that long to eat it. Highly recommended if you're willing to put in the effort.

 

[tenspeed]

I can't claim to be an expert bread baker, but I've learned how to make a pretty good baguette. In my learning process I came across a post from a King Arthur blogger who uses instant yeast for all her breads. Works every time, and no proofing required. If it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me. Who knows more about baking bread than the folks at King Arthur? If it was me, I would have given up on the liquid yeast after the first failure. It takes way too much time to make baguettes to have it fail for using the wrong yeast.

I prefer the harder crust of a baguette. I've tried a few recipes, and settled on the King Arthur baguette pan baguette recipe. I use the Chicago Metallic baguette pans (only $12 or so from Amazon), and make half size baguettes. Given the amount of time required, I make two batches so I get a dozen small baguettes. I keep them in the freezer for sandwiches and dinner baguettes. By the way, I've learned that I can't eyeball the amount of dough, and use the scale to make identically sized baguettes.

 

[inchrisin]

I think the thing that appeals most to me about liquid yeast is that it's something I can produce at home. An endless supply of yeast, if you will. You'd divide a measurement out for a loaf of bread and you'd keep the rest healthy in the fridge. Kind of like buttermilk.

 

[GotGarlic]

I think the thing that appeals most to me about liquid yeast is that it's something I can produce at home. An endless supply of yeast, if you will. You'd divide a measurement out for a loaf of bread and you'd keep the rest healthy in the fridge. Kind of like buttermilk.

That sounds like a sourdough starter. I've never heard it called liquid yeast, though.

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-starter-recipe

 

[bethzaring]

I think the thing that appeals most to me about liquid yeast is that it's something I can produce at home. An endless supply of yeast, if you will. You'd divide a measurement out for a loaf of bread and you'd keep the rest healthy in the fridge. Kind of like buttermilk.

In this case, advice from a 40+ year baker, buy the instant yeast, or active dry yeast. It's cheap. I buy it by the pound and keep it in the freezer. I bake bread several times a week. Couldn't be easier, just get a t. of yeast from the freezer when you want to bake.