Fermentation


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Fermentation Facts

What is Sourdough

The Sourdough process is a fermentation process, just as is wine making. This will give you a short introduction to the process, so you'll have some idea or what you're getting into. When you nurture the living organisms of sourdough and bake your first loaf you enter an exciting new world of baking.
Ferment a) a living organism (as a yeast) that causes fermentation by virtue of its enzymes. b) an enzymatically controlled breakdown of an energy-rich compound (as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid).

All bread was "sourdough" until bakers' yeast was developed to produce fast rising (short fermentation). With this fast rising yeast, the flavor of bread was essentially lost. Long fermentation is the secret to flavor in sourdough baking. But the primary flavor does not come from the yeast, but instead from lactobacilli present in symbiosis with the strain or strains of wild yeast in the culture. There can be one strain of wild yeast and one strain of lactobacilli, but there also can be several strains of each in a sourdough culture. In most cultures these strains have not been scientifically identified.

One, the famous San Francisco culture, was extensively studied in an attempt to simplify the sourdough process for commercial bakers. This simplification could not be achieved. There was no way the flavor could be maintained unless the lactobacilli had ample time to multiply and produce flavor compounds and acidity. Some important information did result from this research: it was determined that sourdough cultures are symbiotic and stable. They do not change if taken to another geographical location, nor do they change from contaminates in the air. (This synergism can be destroyed by adding bakers' yeast.)

The Cultures -what you get

We are often asked "how much do I get in the package?" This really can't be answered, since what you get are microscopic organisms. The quantity of these organisms, even if it could be measured, is not important, since they are living and multiply after the culture is activated. They are in about an ounce of flour. With proper care, you can bake for years with the contents of one culture package.

Only dry, or primarily dry, cultures can be shipped, as a moist culture would become active, expand and destroy the container. You follow the enclosed directions for activation.

Once the culture is activated and in a liquid form, it is placed in the refrigerator where it will maintain its properties and contamination is no longer a problem. It should be "fed" and proofed every four to six months to keep the organisms viable.

More complete information and directions are in the book, Classic Sourdoughs by Ed Wood.