Sourdough Starter (LIVE - all you need to know + Q&A)

In this masterclass you will learn everything you need to know about sourdough starters including how to make one and then how to bake your first bread with it.
Slides: docs.google.com/presentation/...
Links to the recipe I suggested:
Basic sourdough bread: • The LAST Sourdough Bre...
No-knead sourdough bread: • The Last NO-KNEAD SOUR...
Sandwich sourdough bread: • This is how You make t...
Rye sourdough bread: • The Last German Bread ...
Follow me here if you like:
Instagram: / the_bread_code
Telegram Group: t.me/the_bread_code
Reddit: / the_bread_code
Tools I use:
Banneton Proofing basket (25cm length, 15cm width, 8.5cm height): amzn.to/39SqgrM
Bread T-shirts/hoodies: the-bread-code.myteespring.co/
Cooling racks: amzn.to/3mCEujf
Dough Scraper: amzn.to/3n6fodo
Dutch oven with handles (Challenger Bread Pan): challengerbreadware.com/?ref=...
Dutch oven with glas lid: brovn.com/
Flour I am using: blog.the-bread-code.io/tutori...
Laser Thermometer: amzn.to/39XX4ja
Loaf Pan (30cm length x 12cm width x 9cm height): amzn.to/3m7sJkI
Loaf Pan with Lid (34cm length, 13cm width, 12cm height): amzn.to/37TIFlo
Lodge Cast Iron round for Boules: amzn.to/3n3vzIJ
No stick spray (vegetable based): amzn.to/2Ko5ea4
pH Meter: amzn.to/2IygT5c
Weck starter jars: amzn.to/37Rlmc0
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
3:39 What is a sourdough starter?
6:00 Why should you make a starter?
7:46 How to make a sourdough starter
13:38 When is your starter ready?
18:25 Which flour to feed your starter?
21:50 What about feeding ratios?
24:40 What about temperatures?
28:00 How to store your starter?
29:30Baking your first bread
34:50 Tools
36:20 Sourdough starter troubleshooting
40:30 Q&A
#sourdough #bread

[@markgebo197]

My starter is named Bread Zeppelin for all the right reasons!

[@the_bread_code]

That's definitely a great name!

[@bob-ue8pl]

Now you've done it! We'll never be able to come up with a great name like you did!!

[@MikeR65]

Epic!!!

[@marjafromfinland2667]

5:13

[@marjafromfinland2667]

6:13 6:13 vvbbb😊😅😊😅😅😮😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@cinnianne6061]

My starter is named Clint Yeastwood." Go ahead, Bake my day!" Thanks for an excellent tutorial. I've been baking dense loaves and finally finding your tutorial may be exactly what I "kneaded"

[@jeffreypumfrey476]

Thank you, Hendrik. My starter will be ready in 2 weeks time (~April 17) so I shall name it ‘The Yeaster Bunny.’

[@carolcheung876]

The name of my sourdough starter is called "Baby Love" because I'll take very good care of it. Thank you so very much of your video. Your explanation is clear and easy to follow. I like your chart too so that I can referenced it quickly. Great job!

[@valeriafuriasse9903]

really loved the slides ! anyway your way to inprove your skills and knowledge ( and ours) through the scientific way of thinking of a precise and mathematical and metodic as your job suggests you to keep is amazing ! many thanks

[@jakubkuzniar5417]

Your channel is pretty much everything that anyone would ever knead (xD) You're insane! Thanx Hendrik :)

[@nancyhuynh5547]

Sorry I’m not really clear your answer of where to store your back up starter. Thanks for your work and your awesome informations

[@the_bread_code]

Haha thank you!

[@the_bread_code]

@Nancy - check this out, hope it helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3bUm6SXibCJaJY

[@maureenperez9999]

Love that line. 😎

[@bobbifosburg2210]

You are a gift to the world! Thank you so much!

[@yonason6047]

Your sourdough classes are my favorite. Thanks very much!

[@vensel9697]

I really enjoyed your video. I'm also an engineer so I really appreciate the detail and pace of this and all your other videos. Thank you for all your hard work! I called my starter Valiant.

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you. You are most welcome! Valiant is a good name.

[@Blueparradiddle]

Thanks very much for your instruction, much appreciated. Just started my first ever starter and called it 'First One' !, cheers !, Mike UK

[@HollyM3]

Wonderful info! I adore your passion for bread making!

[@WilliamsDaughter330]

Just a shout out to say Thank You !!! Love your Live Chat ~ this is my 1st time viewing your live chat and I’m Learning bits and pieces. Love to Bread Pitt

[@tvettabt]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I learn so much from you! I've got my new starter named & going. Here's hoping my bread will eventually look as good as your bread.

[@the_bread_code]

You are most welcome! Good luck with your starter :-)

[@cz8587]

You had me at "good morning and GLUTEN tag." Corny bread jokes forrrrevvvver!!

[@Leo_nora_1]

"And a Czech one too" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@josephine9975]

My husband who is German got to name ours. His name is Oskar. My sourdough turned out like the German bread you showed on the right. I’ll have to tweak my timing and ratio because Oskar is a flour eating beast and a n Australia, it’s starting to get warmer in Victoria, so in 45 minutes he was rising up like lava. I’m using whole wheat sprouted flour from Laucke, for reference. Thank you very much for all the tips. I love your German approach to making bread.

[@Bassbarbie]

What a fantastic video. So informative! I’ve now set up my starter - Hamilton. New subscriber 😊

[@alexanderhammer688]

Hi Hendrik, this was a great and highly informative video, which answered a whole bunch of questions I was afraid to ask. Alles klar!

[@BabyBoomerDad64]

Das ist wunderbaar!! Love this teaching. Your friend from Sud Africa

[@missytwitch154]

Mine is named the “Chosen One”. I grind my flour , so when I separate the bran from the bread flour I just mix it with some of the whole wheat and it’s the dump for whatever bran or left over whole wheat I grounded. Feed it twice a day it’s always hungry and has not let me down.

[@sheilakemp5914]

Please do this again some other time, the questions and answers are an excellent way of learning; you are good teacher. I also would like to know about the blisters method on the crust. Also wanted to share with you, there are thermometers that has Celsius and Fahrenheit on them to explain the difference . Thank you again, Sheila Kemp from California.

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Shelia. Thank you! As far as I can see the perfect proofing point, lots of steam and a dough with high hydration seems to be the secret to getting those blisters. I even got them a few days ago when proofing at room temperature.

[@americanrebel413]

Sorry I missed your live presentation, I am almost ready to start a sourdough starter, Awesome video thank you.

[@the_bread_code]

Hope you enjoy! It's a great thing to do!

[@RobertaPeck]

Head Code, you are the man!!!

[@the_bread_code]

🤣 head code? I do have a big head, yep!

[@MikeR65]

@@the_bread_code 😂

[@maureenperez9999]

I used a 50/50 Rye, Bread Flour to feed my starter for baking one day. It was doubled after 6 hrs, but not very bubbly, so I left it in the cupboard another hour and marked the line with a rubber band. It still rose a little bit...then it seemed to have more bubbles. So, I used it in your "amazing overnight sourdough" video. The one that everything is mixed in at once and allowed to rise at rm temp. The overnight temp in our California home right now, is about 75 degrees. My bread rose some from ovenspring, but since it was half white half WW flour in it, in only rose about 2/3 or less after taking it out of the oven. Still denser than I like, as well. Not sure what I did wrong here either.

[@clarenewz]

Don't stop the jokes, the check 1 2 made me laugh out loud. Thanks for your wisdom and expertise, from one engineer to another I appreciate your approach to things.

[@the_bread_code]

Glad you like them!

[@markhawkins465]

Great video! All your videos are informative and entertaining. Keep them coming. By the way, my 12 year old starter is named Julia as a tribute to my Mom.

[@gabe20244]

Sorry to be a bit pedantic, but I think this is very cool. It's not training the yeast, you are selecting traits that allow it to evolve in a specific way! Much cooler than the idea of training. You are more so breeding it like a dog, cow, or chicken rather than anything else. The yeast with the traits that allow it to exist in conditions that change in a specific way would be more likely to survive than the yeast that has traits evolved for more consistent conditions. This would give you a "domesticated" Yeast variant of whatever wild yeast you have around you. Think of it like your own dog breed! It's a really cool process and goes to show how much control we have over our world, all in a tiny little jar.

[@sharonstettner8236]

My starters' name is Bear~ Strong when he is out feeding and goes to hibernation with grace! So enjoy you!

[@the_bread_code]

That's a great name too!

[@akasheshe167]

What a lovely human you are! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ~~Shelly in California 😀

[@the_bread_code]

You are so welcome!

[@alexmunpo]

Hi! Thanks for your video - class I am about to try to do my first starter! But first of all I am trying to study and learn everything as posible, I really like the scientific point of view you presented I would apreciatte if you can suggest me some books or lectures, like the one you showed in the presentattion! And again thanks! I really loved this video

[@bluemaki1]

I clicked on the thumb up button before I start watching, because I knew how its going to turn out!

[@sharonclaridge]

Mine is called Nigel after a friend who is very cultured and has great taste. He moved to a different part of the country and we don't see him so much now so this is a way to feel he is still around :)

[@SandokhanKucic]

My rye starter is called Roger (rye in German is Roggen) and my wheat starter is called Wheaton 😁 I'm feeding 1:1:1 and latest every two weeks there will be a new bread. So I'm not running in any issues. Viele Grüße!

[@the_bread_code]

Awesome names there! Greetings back.

[@ciizar6941]

Bread Pitt... I can't take it... that's sooo amazing :D

[@Scimittar]

I'm the sourdough starter, twisting sourdough starter!! Yeeeaahhh!!

[@nadjafelton1894]

Great channel, I subbed! As for the starter, mine is 10+ years old and sat in the fridge abandoned for over a year. It still makes great bread after a couple of feedings, starting with one or two rounds of 1:1:1, followed by 2x 1:5:5. I think if I forgot about it for 5 years it would still survive. Haven’t tried the drying method yet, I don’t think it’s needed.

[@maureenperez9999]

I've been using unbleached King Arthur Bread Flour or Bob's Red Mill unbleached BREAD flour. Both work great for these recipes. I live in the USA. Protein is about 12.7%. I do google protein contents before baking with flour. I would try a higher protein content sometime but I have seen from comments that it can be much more expensive. I do not cut corners, when making bread. I'm already spending a fortune. I also am learning about a batch method that doesn't use high protein flour, but UNBLEACHED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR for that method. It is the recommended flour for that method. It is not sourdough, but yeast-based Artisan Bread with more "European" flavors than sourdough. Still haven't figured out how much I like it though. Just like sourdough, I have issues constantly when making "artisan no-knead" breads. I simply suck at making bread of any kind. I do lean more toward perfecting sourdough recipes like Henrich's. I'd rather fail at a loaf, then miss out on the sourdough "tang."

[@charlesasker8335]

Stanley Starter is the name i christened mine with!

[@TinyPirate]

Chopstick is good for mixing! Gets to all the corners 😊

[@68sweetnovember]

Wonderful.

[@emanuelasimeoni7885]

Thank you!

[@SteelroseNC]

Love your channel Hendrik ,you helped me improve my baking game tons 👌 Have you ever tried making Bagels? Would love to see your take on that if you find the time

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Steelrose. Thank you! I have made them before, but the recipe is not yet there where I want it. Will keep you posted!

[@SteelroseNC]

@@the_bread_code You should check out Adongs recipie here on KZbin, I had best results with that one 👍👍👍

[@SteelroseNC]

@@the_bread_code kzbin.info/www/bejne/laCmlGacqLKmkMk there you go

[@the_bread_code]

​@@SteelroseNC Great! I took a note. Thanks!

[@choosegrowth]

I named my first two Hall and Oats ( they were started with different Types of flour) but I’m new to sourdough and I thought they had mold and I threw them out. Only to realize they were fine… 🤦‍♀️ but my new one is names “The yeasty bois” cause I love a good pun!

[@sarakosti1]

After a week of making a sourdough starter with 100% rye 1-1-1 ration I have awesome results! And it smells soooo good. Afterwards I shifted to a 1-5-5 ratio. My sourdough is raising but seems a little sluggish. It will more than double in 12+ hours. Is this normal? How should a 1-5-5 sourdough starter react compared to 1-1-1 starter? Love your videos! Keep up the good work!

[@marlon7156]

I love your channel. I have some mind blogging questions that will blow up your engineering mind. Here are the two crazy questions... 1. *I heard you never need to discard and feed the starter weekly, only monthly.* A five month starving starter will still make amazing flavorful bread. Is this true that you only need to feed your starter when you are about to run out? 2. *Can you feed pasta shells* or actual crumbs to your starter because technically, both are just made from flour and water and that's what feed a starter? If it's true that I never need to feed my starter unless I need more, and never need to discard, that is a game changer because you're not wasting flour and water daily or weekly. Throwing away starter is more costly than just buying yeast from Amazon. I already fed pasta shells to my starter. My starter is now carnivorous because it feeds on its own child after baking bread. I created *first ever carnivorous starter* hahaha 😂 😂 😂 😂

[@rationit]

Sorry I missed you live stream just caught up, I think I've suss now how to get rid of some a if the sour taste. I have to have 2 jar 1 very sour . informative cheers

[@the_bread_code]

Give it a shot and let me know how that works!

[@gaelleg7083]

Very instructive video, thank you so much! You should make an ebook with all your charts and your tips! I have a question: when feeding the sourdough to make a loaf of bread, should we use the same ratio as the bread one? For example, if my dough is supposed to have a 65% hydration, should the sourdough have the same hydration to not mess with the final hydration of the dough? hope t makes sense...Thanks in advance for your help! A French-from-France living in Canada :-)

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. Typically the recipes account for the slight increase in hydration :-). So I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[@christinaoliveryoung6019]

I was laughing so hard at your joke that I had to immediately call my Dad and tell him, he thought it was hilarious too!

[@pio4362]

I will be calling my wholegrain starter "Kaiser culture" in honour of my favourite German baker :D

[@the_bread_code]

🤣

[@rmc9076]

Thank you for you great information on sour dough . I’ve been making the sour dough bread over a year and the floating of starter has really helped me to know my starter is ready to start my recipe of water flour salt . I’m playing with higher hydration now and happy with the results. Drying my starter is a question I have ? Would it live if I dehydrated it? I could share with friends ?

[@the_bread_code]

Yep 🙏🏻. It will last for many years this way.

[@purplesuzylou]

Hey Hendrik, I missed your livestream unfortunately, only just caught up with it. Thanks for another great video 🙏. I have a question for you about pimping up my bread flour (12% protein). How much VWG should I add to 400g of this flour? I'm rubbish at maths! 😂 Thanks in advance x

[@the_bread_code]

For 500 grams of bread flour, try adding 15 grams of VWG :-). Then you are at 15% protein roughly.

[@joesqudy]

I have one question for you, you only use a small amount of starter in your recipe, at what point would I want to use anything greater than 100, or 200 g of starter? I’ve seen some recipes that call for up to 200g, I tried it once, and still had no success with open crumb. With your help, I think I have finally figured out by re-watching your videos, what I’m doing wrong. I will keep you updated. I am the kind of person who wants to know why something does what it does or how things work, we have have the same kind of minds and I love the way you teach with your charts and data (I used to do that for a living, so I totally relate, LOL). Thank you so much. 😋

[@katrinajong4905]

Hi! I find your explanation very useful and precise, enjoyed all your video. I am staying in a hot and humid country, I tried to make starter but it is always not as active even after 10 days. I do see some bubbles but the starter pretty sticky and runny.. was it due to the acidity that you mentioned in the video? Should I adjust my ratio of feeding to 1:5:5 ? Currently I am using 1:1:1... about 10 days my starter still not rising at all, or should I feed twice a day ? Thanks for your help!

[@angelikaradominska5512]

This was really nice life stream. Thanks for answered on my comment 😘

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you, you are welcome! Feel free to send more questions my way. Happy baking!

[@angelikaradominska5512]

@@the_bread_code just a few minutes ago I take out my seedy rye bread out of the oven. It looks great 😄

[@joyceblack3226]

I brought mine down to 5 starter, 20 g.AP + 10 g dark rye + 30 g. Spring water. I keep the little guy in the microwave with the door open, so the light is on to provide a bit of heat.

[@petrinax2944]

I wanted to name my starter Beth and then I asked someone what I should name my starter and they said Bethany so I guess we both had the same idea on sourdough names. Additionally for the people who use F°, 6°C is equivalent to around 43°F and if you want your sourdough to ferment slower but your fridge is too cold you can freeze a bowl and cover your sourdough container, it'll cool it for a few hours at least.

[@lailingngan1828]

Hello, what is/are the “book/s” you mentioned towards the end of the video? I think that would help me to understand better. What love your videos and have saved most of them so that I can go back and review. Thank you for what your clear presented and for your help . I love that you explain them systematically with scientific methods. Thank you.

[@wilhelmienvannieuwenhuizen4119]

I have more than one starter, I have three for all my baking. It is "little brother" and his siblings.😊

[@the_bread_code]

Haha, good one too, indeed a little brother!

[@Leo_nora_1]

That is so cute.

[@jdesaridchallenge5785]

Hi greetings from Malaysia. I am very new to this. After watching your video, I started making a starter using rye flour on 7/2 @7pm. The next day, it doubled. I fed it again @7pm too (8/2). This morning it had doubled too but @4+ pm, it started to drop. So I fed it @4.40pm. By 7.40 pm, it had doubled again. My question is am I supposed to feed it once a day? How do I know when it is ready to be used to bake ? I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your videos. I learnt a lot from them.

[@tracey278]

Thank you for your video very informative, I do have a question, if I have a rye only fed starter can I use this in a bread four loaf ? And the other way round if I have a starter made from only whole wheat can it be used in a 100% rye flour loaf ? Thank you and hello from Australian the land down under

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Tracey, yes - no worries that will work. I use my rye starter for everything. You can just change the flour of your starter all the time, nothing to worry :-)

[@rbtubee2]

First thank you!!! Question: with your method of storing SD long term and using a 1:10 ratio, where do you store the jar? Can one leave in the refrigerator or in a cupboard? I’m concerned a cupboard might get too warm. .

[@maureencheah9292]

Hi Henrich , thanks for sharing all the great tips and recipes.. Brat Pitt travels the world with you, how do u manage that with customs and do u hand carry him ? This would b a great tip to me as i wud love to bake sourdough bread for my son when i visit him in NY.. Or wud you suggest i check in the dry starter ? Travelling time from my country to NY is about 24hrs. Tks

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Maureen. As of now nobody bothered. I typically take it with me in a 50ml jar that I can carry directly in my hand luggage. Drying would definitely also work :-).

[@paulacamposar]

Thank you for such generous session and all the information shared. Just a side feedback; have you noticed how many times you apologized and said I’m sorry this, I’m sorry that…? Your content is great and you put your own effort and personal touch to it, well done and you deserve to be proud of your knowledge and passion for sourdough 😊

[@Dennis-Olsson]

Best time for me to feed my starter to have it ready for baking next morning at 06.30 is around 15.00 day before. So i usually take like 1G of starter and the amount of water/flower i need depending on how many breads im making. Sometimes it's at its peak and sometimes a little over in the morning. This is obviously harder now when its been warmer to get right. I always put it around 23 degrees and use icecold water. How would you do to have it at it's peak in the morning? I could bring the sourdough home and feed it at night but it's so simple to do it all at work. ^ thanks your awesome!

[@the_bread_code]

Nice. You mastered it. 1g of starter then some flour/water. I think you have a very healthy and active starter!

[@heather1387]

When you were travelling did you open the lid on your starter to pick up different yeasts/bacteria from those areas? Also would you also get the same affect from getting you flour from different regions?

[@UrbanSikeborg]

You mentioned health benefits of sourdough bread, with a question mark. There's still much to learn. But a study published in December 2019 tested the digestibility of three types of bread: conventional baker's yeast bread, sourdough with a moderate acidity and sourdough bread with higher acidity (mainly due to the time of fermentation). The nutritional values in the in vitro tests had the highest scores for sourdough breads. Sourdough bread with moderate acidification stimulated more appetite and made the test persons feel less full ("induced lower satiety") whereas the more acidic-tasting sourdough made them feel full in the shortest time. The emptying of the stomach ("gastric emptying") was faster with sourdough breads. Both types of sourdough breads had lower curves of blood sugar changes ("glycaemia response"). Sourdough bread has much more free amino acids than baker's yeast bread, and the levels of free amino acids were maintained at constantly high levels for extended time. [Rizzello et al. [2019],Sourdough Fermented Breads are More Digestible than Those Started with Baker’s Yeast Alone: An In Vivo Challenge Dissecting Distinct Gastrointestinal Responses, Nutrients 2019 Dec., p. 2954. doi: 10.3390/nu11122954. URL: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6950244/] (The authors also refers to another study from 2019 that had shown that sourdough fermentation increased the protein digestibility and amount of soluble fibre, and a decrease of the glycaemic index, phytate content, trypsin inhibitors and other anti-nutritional factors.)

[@the_bread_code]

Interesting! I would also think that the breakdown of the flour by the amylase and protease enzyme makes a long fermented bread better for a person :-). Regardless of yeast/sourdough.

[@MikeR65]

There is so much to learn about sourdough.

[@jensudbeck1752]

BTW -great tips in the video

[@the_bread_code]

Glad you like them!

[@ursulabecker730]

Hi Where do you buy these glasses to make the fermentation? What are these glasses called ? Thanks

[@lindawilson3071]

I make 6 loafs at a time so I keep about a qt of starter or more. One wheat and one rye. I bake 3 or 4 times a week. I bake 100% rye a lot of the time. Your method I would be feeding it a lot of flour. I bake right from the mother starter. I discard then add a little over a cup of flour and a cup of water and it doubles.

[@tsunami888]

Hey Hendrik, greetings from NY! I find that with my apartment at a constant 26-27°C, my starter burns through the feed really quickly if I do 1:5:5. I have been using a feeding ratio of 1:10:10, but I find that for my actual baking of my sourdough bread... bulk fermenaation still takes about 5-6 hrs to double when I open my kitchen windows and lower the temperature to 25.5 - 26°C. I guess what I am wondering is whether or not an increased feeding ratio will slow down starter activity? My starter peaks at around 12 hrs (1:10:10, 27°C) and is about triple the size. It makes me think that my starter is a little lethargic because of the increased feeding ratio.... any ideas?

[@eelinfoo620]

danke... aus Malaysia :)

[@the_bread_code]

You are welcome!

[@guyscudamore2353]

Great video thanks, do you also use wholemeal flour for the starter and also for the bread or is it better to stay with white flour?

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Guy. Always using whole wheat for my starter here :-)

[@guyscudamore2353]

Do you ever just use wholewheat flour? I’m using organic wholewheat Spelt. This doesn’t rise as much as yours and requires several needing bouts over a longer period to avoid the acidic tang. Do you think this is right or might I be using too much starter?

[@meb3153]

where's the cheapest place to get weck jars? keep up the great work!

[@gvalley6816]

Regarding wheat berries that have been stored for over 30 y in a sealed, dark space, container with some insert pancake to avoid moist. Also the berries almost ferments before It sprout (not sure if that is relevant). 1- how much protein will the milled flour have? 1- first time doing stater w Rye doing GREAT thanks to you. Seems like when I used the in question flour to feed the starter it needed more hydration to attain a mixture like when I use Rye. It also regressed not getting the x2 size increase. How will this affect the master piece I’m planning to make when I mimic your directions for 100% Whole Wheat sourdough bread? Love your “Why u do…” behind the whole process. Thank you

[@gregwmanning]

The highest gluten flour I can find is about 11%. Is it practical to blend pure gluten (80%) to my flour to raise the gluten content of my flour? The gluten is very expensive. What would you do persist with low gluten flour or have a go at blending? Thanks Greg

[@titilaug6355]

Moin, during the process, each day after the sourdough doubled (let’s say we obtained 70g). We have to take a portion of the sourdough and feed it with flour and water (using 1-5-5 ration for me). Question: what do you do with the left over of the sourdough produced ?

[@the_bread_code]

Try storing it in a jar in the fridge. Then once you have enough, make this amazing German discard starter bread. I love it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYeWd6yMr9-Ji6s

[@ghazouaz7957]

Hi!Super! We use tape water or bottled water?

[@tejalshah341]

Hello! Great informative videos thank you so much! For making a starter should I use bottled water or is tap water ok? Also once making the bread dough again is bottled water better or is two water ok? Look forward to hearing from you! I’ve just started following your channel recently and love how you provide the how! I started baking sourdough at Xmas with a white starter my sister gave me. I’m keen to make a rye starter as prefer rye/wheat taste Hope to hear from you soon!

[@the_bread_code]

Bottled and tap water should both be okay! Ideally no chlorine. Here tap water doesn't have chlorine :-)

[@tejalshah341]

@@the_bread_code great thank you!

[@jeanjunker]

Ideally, I think you want The Minerals from the water so be sure they are not filtered out. Or, let your tap water sit out overnight.

[@qicongjcd123]

Can having a sink with bleach water( I was bleaching dish clothes) spoil your starter. On day three of attempt at making starter it had doubled in size, very active. Next day it did not rise at all. I had bleached the day before. Should I start over. Thanks for all your videos. I am using whole wheat bread flour to make my starter. We had a 50 degree drop in temperature on third day also. We live in Texas!

[@iainMacTube]

Gluten tag 🤣 i see what you did there. What a great series this is. Thank you so much. My question is on process. If I make, say, 2 loaves per week, will I need to feed my starter in between? Or can I just hold back enough at room temperature for a 1:5:5 feeding before starting the next loaf?

[@the_bread_code]

Gluuuuuten Tag 🤣. Let's say you bake on Monday. You can skip the feeding on tuesday. I'd give it another feed on wednesday evening and another on 1:5:5 on thursday evening, assuming you want to bake on friday. If you want to bake on saturday, give it one additional feeding.

[@iainMacTube]

@@the_bread_code thanks for the speedy response Hendrik. More Bread Code KZbin for me tonight 😀 Bis dann, danke, tschüss

[@malinayicruzpena2327]

First of all, thank you so much for creating all of these videos. Thanks to you, my bread making skills have improved LOTS :). I have a question, when you talk about feeding ratios 1:5:5 you mean using that to create a levain right? what about feeding ratios for a day to day maintenance of the starter? I keep mine in the counter, fed 1:1:1 once a day but wonder if I need to change that (I have two starters, a whole wheat and a rye starter) and the rye is looking very sluggish atm. Many thanks from New Zealand :o)

[@the_bread_code]

Excellent question. Even for maintenance feedings I do the 1:5:5 ratio. After 24 hours it almost has as much yeast/bacteria again compared to a 1:1:1 ratio after 5-6 hours. Sometimes I miss a day in feeding though on the counter, but that's okay too. The 1:5:5 for the levain I find very important though :-)

[@malinayicruzpena2327]

@@the_bread_code thank you so much for responding. I’ll try to increase feeding ratios and see how it goes :)

[@tasteslikechicken984]

Your videos are amazing and I love your passion! Question: I can't ever get an all-rye starter to work (other flours work fine). I keep my rye flour in the freezer. Could this have anything to do with my problems?

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Tastes. Thanks! Oh - that might be the problem yes. It could be that your natural yeast/bacteria is killed by freezing :-). This is what you are trying to cultivate.

[@deborahshaka8231]

@@the_bread_code Thank you so much! So no more freezing the four... And I just realized you're saying GLUTEN tag. Ha ha!

[@banhmiii964]

I'm a little confused that some people said I should feed my starter once a day with 1:1:1 ratio while others said twice a day is better (I live in tropical country). I wanna know which one is more suitable and do I have to change the feeding ratio depending on the climate? Sorry for my bad English and thank you :)

[@dasikakn]

“If you can save 50 cents, then why not save it”. Words to live by, my friend!

[@joeees7790]

How did you get your hands on that Lufthansa service cart?

[@the_bread_code]

You can buy them :-). They have been around all the world. Quite expensive, but I love it.

[@michaelmckenney7214]

When I have developed starter and making bread, I take out 50g (starter) for my recipe. Do I feed the remaining starter every week going forward? Or do I remove 50g starter into a new container and mix 1-5-5? Some people on utube have a junk jar of the starter they removed from the original batch. Confusing to me Loved the videos and naming my starter

[@deborahsnow6734]

Finally! After several days of "baby dough" I have a name for my starter --- Doughregard! Now at least I have a chance . . . .

[@tazwoh2002]

What flour did you use for your starter, It looks like a mixture of flours ?

[@SidebandSamurai]

Excellent video thank you for your knowledge. I have a question for you. @20:10 you mentioned that you had a starter almost die on you because you used all purpose flour. You believe that this was due to the lack of nutrition in the AP flour that caused this. You use Rye flour because more of the hull is in the flour mixture. It is the yeast on the hull that gives the "kick", there for makes an excellent ingredient for sourdough starter. Is it possible your starter is benefiting every time you feed the starter, because you are introducing new colonies of yeast into the flour mixture? That its not the nutritional value of the rye flour, but simply the fact you are replacing some of the dead yeast with new yeast from the rye flour you put in the starter, making it all that stronger? I have seen other KZbin videos were the presenter made sourdough from AP flour but it took a very long time 15 to 17 days to achieve a viable starter and during the cultivating process, the starter almost died, but then came back. These presenters also state that 15 to 17 days might not be long enough cultivation time to use the starter. That you have to cultivate up to 30 days to have a viable starter. Some presenters used a mixture of AP and whole wheat or AP and Rye which results in better cultivation. In either case the presenter stated you get a better results if you mix the flour. Also what I have learned if you "have" to use AP, use Unbleached AP flour. Bleached flour (which makes it white) is really not good for baking bread at all.

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Sideband, very interesting. Yep that could also be one of the factors. Especially if the acid is too high and you might have killed some yeast cultures. All purpose starter could work - although I have never tried it. Maybe you end up cultivating some species that are good at mostly eating the starch. Unbleached flour, yep 100%. That makes sense.

[@ghazouaz7957]

Hi! When the starter is ready how often we need to feed it?

[@estherscegolsky1972]

I still have question- what you do with loads of glasses with previous starters???

[@leechingwong593]

I to hope you can enlighten me if I use all purpose flour with protein of 9, I was told I can add wheat gluten to increase the percentage of protein...if it is workable, how much to add for 300g APF? Thanks.

[@scottdewitt7134]

I would also like to know what the texture if the starter should be. I’ve seen some videos that it was runny. Mines like peanut butter. Was wondering if it’s to thick and that is why I’m not getting any rise.

[@the_bread_code]

I like to use a whole wheat rye flour, it's not as runny as a whole wheat starter then for instance. The consistency depends a lot on the flour that you are feeding.

[@mariafrota7167]

Hello! I'm Lena from Rio de Janeiro. You're great! My question: my starter rises in 3'days at 25C. How do I know the right raising level to begin working the dough?

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

Hi Lena! I have found that starters can rise quickly at the onset, but don't feed the dough well enough to make it rise efficiently. I would feed my new starter for about a month, ensuring it is doubling consistently, before using it to make bread to ensure maximum success.

[@AJ-jh1sf]

Hi Hendrik, I like your videos. They are interesting and full of helpful information. I have a question. I just started a sourdough starter a couple of days ago using whole rye flour. It is day 3 and it doubles in size after 4 hours, as I live in Hawaii, so it's practically always humid and warm, and often very hot. I feed it after 12 hours, but on this third day it started to deflate a bit after 8 hours. Should I wait the full 12 hours before refeeding, or feed earlier if it is deflating? And also, what about when the starter is established? If it deflates, does that mean it is time to feed it? Thank you kindly for all the info you are giving us, I appreciate it.

[@the_bread_code]

Feeding it once per day no matter where you are is enough! These days I like to make a stiff starter our of my existing starter, it could be a game changer.

[@AJ-jh1sf]

Thank u, and I did plan to do that after the starter is established. I figure maybe a couple more days of doubling and then I will. Thanks again!

[@DaveK385]

Is there a reason why you cut off a sample instead of using a see-through vessel like a Cambro container and waiting for the entire dough mass to double in size?

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Dave. Mostly because I don't have such a container. It could also be a little hard to do a stretch and fold in a container like that. However - it is of course a little more reliable if you have changing temperatures as you look at the main dough. The sample could heat up/cool down faster as it has a smaller volume.

[@DreamEvilPictures]

Why do you scoop some of the original starter into another jar? I don’t understand the intention of that. Thank you for the video!

[@davidbrown3309]

Like many people, I've been struggling with the Great Race between yeast and acid, trying to find the proper balance. I've started fermenting my dough in a proofing box (80F) but still the yeast growth seems to be very slow. No matter what I've done (so far), the acid seems to be winning. I've thought about adding a bit of sodium bicarbonate to the mix to give the yeast a fighting chance. Today, I thought "Either this is a really bad idea or something Henrich might experiment with." What do you think?

[@the_bread_code]

Hey David, oh noes! What's the issue with the final bread - you don't like the slight acidic note to it, or do you end up baking too flat breads? Try a 1:5:5 feeding for a few days once per day. Then prepare your levain and it should work :-)

[@heyjethy]

Moin, Hendrik! At about 41:32 into the live stream, someone on the live chat asked about how to make the loaf less gummy. Am very curious about that too. Still trying to get my bread baking right in every aspect (starter acidity, fermentation, proofing, etc). I get varied results with every iteration, but one thing I think is constant is the texture of the crumb. It's got a slight stickiness to it. I thought maybe I should bake a bit longer next time, but my last bake had a dark crust already and the internal temperature was on point, but it still had that crumb texture. It troubles me the most, than not getting a lot of oven spring or a lacy crumb. Might that be a factor of over hydration? or over/under fermentation? or something else?

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Jethy. You said it already. I think you are not fermenting long enough. That's why you don't have enough tiny pockets of air inside of your bread. That's why your bread is becoming gummy :-). Try extracting a small sample from your dough to see how much it rises. Try shaping it at 50% size increase, wait with baking until your dough passes the finger poke test :-)

[@heyjethy]

@@the_bread_code my last bake had been retarding in the fridge for nearly 48 hours, actually, Planned for baking after 24 but got really busy. So I was wondering how over-fermenting affects the texture of the crumb. here's a crumb shot: photos.app.goo.gl/ZrFjiGZhttRzhwpB6 A family member bought a batard from an artisan bakery the other day, and I was able to examine the crumb. it also had a bit of tacky feel, so I guess that's expected. It was much fluffier though (crumb shot: photos.app.goo.gl/a4qTqdt8xkrLibPb8). Which brings me to another question... how many days do your breads typically stay soft or fluffy? the sample jar is pretty clever, by the way. I do make use of it, thanks to you.

[@the_bread_code]

@@heyjethy Looking great! Thanks for sharing the picture!

[@1159Ironman]

Hello my friend. Im Bill from Delaware, USA. I love your video's. I've seen them all and for sourdough masterclass probably 20x. I have so many questions and I like how you take the scientific approach. I'm a mechanical technician which is like engineer here in US. Our temperature here is very erratic and fluctuates alot. I also don't like my apartment more than 21°C . I have a hard time keeping my starter temperature steady. I tried oven with light on but seems too warm and i feed once per day. I use whole wheat 14.7%. I've tried ratios from 1-3-3 to 1-7-7. My starter barely doubles and then doesn't deflate much. Not much bubbles on outside of jar but bubbly inside then when I scoop or stir it turns liquid like. I keep it out everyday for about 2 months now because I try to bake with it so much. With this I seem to have everything else down except my sample does not rise and the bulk rise over ferments if I'm not careful so sample doesn't help me much and then dough doesn't proof and I get Frisbee (tho good for cutting up inside to toast for croutons). No difference if i bulk rise 8 hrs or 12 hrs. Also hydration seems good 70%. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Sorry this is so long but I want to be thorough. You are the sourdough King 🤴. Thanks Bill.

[@the_bread_code]

Hey William. Try doing the bulk fermentation to a 30-50% size increase for your whole wheat flour. I'll have a new dedicated video on whole wheat flour coming out soon. Hope that will be helpful. The sample must be placed close to the main dough. It also only works if the temperature in your kitchen doesn't change that much.

[@debrapaulson7882]

Have you ever used kefir in place of some of the water in sourdough. I make kefir daily and would like to try it.

[@the_bread_code]

Definitely works. Just replace the water with kefir.