That time a customer told me my sourdough was too sour

I had a regular at my farmers market booth in Portland tell me straight up my sourdough was too tangy. Said it reminded her of vinegar and she couldn't enjoy it with butter. I pushed back at first because I thought that's what sourdough fans want. But after a few more people made similar comments over two weeks, I lowered my bulk fermentation time from 14 hours to 9. The bread still has character but it's more balanced now. Have any of you adjusted your recipes based on customer feedback and regretted it later or was it worth it?

2 comments

2 Comments

miles_perez3d ago

Honestly, I read this cool article from a bakery in San Francisco that said the whole "sourdough has to be super tangy" thing is kind of a myth started by recent trends. They found that a lot of people actually prefer a milder tang, especially if they're using it for everyday sandwiches or toast. So your adjustment to 9 hours sounds smart to me. Tbh, I think a lot of bakers get caught up in proving they can make the most intense flavor, but if your customers tell you it's too much, it's probably worth listening. Ngl, it's brave to change your recipe like that and it probably brought in more sales in the long run.

holly8982d ago

Have you ever tried adjusting your starter hydration? A friend of mine who bakes at home found that a wetter starter gave her a much milder tang without changing her fermentation time at all.