My first sourdough starter from 2012 versus the one I built last month is like night and day.

After 11 years of trial and error (and a lot of early flat loaves), I started a new batch using a whole wheat flour base instead of just all-purpose and the rise in the first 3 days was way more active, has anyone else noticed a huge difference switching flour types for their starter?

2 comments

2 Comments

brianm279d ago

Whole wheat kicks off a faster bacteria bloom. Creates a completely different microbe balance.

reese_garcia9d ago

Huh, I gotta push back on that a little. I mean, whole wheat does have more fiber, so yeah, the bacteria have more to work with right away. But from what I've seen, the difference isn't that huge unless you're comparing it to super processed white bread that's basically sawdust. If you're using decent white flour, like a good artisan loaf, the bloom might be slower but you still get a solid microbe mix. It's more about the fermentation time and starter health than just the grain color, you know? A slower rise can actually build more complex flavors too.