Could it be the fineness of the flour?
My family has made 100% whole-wheat bread for a long time and we all love it to pieces. I have taken over responsibility of family bread-baker for the past 2 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, within the past month or so, the bread suddenly ceased to rise nearly as well. I found it puzzling, because I was doing everything exactly the same as before. In fact, I made quite sure that I was doing everything just the same. I then began suspecting the flour as the cause.
We started making this bread when we purchased a Marathon Uni-mill stone grinder, which means the grinder is now about 30 years old. The flour it grinds seems much more coarse than I think I remember it being. My guess is that the stones have just been used so much that they have been worn down and can't grind the flour as finely.
Is it true that the fineness of the flour is the cause of the bread's failure to rise?
If so, can I fix the stones, replace them, or would I have to buy a whole new grinder? I know this information is probably already on this site, I just thought it would be quicker to ask than to search.
Thank you so much! I look forward to learning a lot more on The Fresh Loaf!
I doubt you could wear out the stones, maybe somebody bumped the fine-coarse adjustment when cleaning.
The only change in our mill over 35 years is the motor start capacitor has dried out and needed replaced,,,
TWICE!
If the grind is different from what you remember then I would suspect the mill first. My second guess would be that you got a new batch of berries that is quite different than what you had before. Possibly the stones simply need cleaning after 30 years?
Jeff
Hey, We just opened another bag of wheat. It seemed softer, and I think ground more finely and the bread turned out very well. I guess it was just the wheat.
Does anyone know how to clean the stones?
Thanks
I am not familiar with your mill but with most the easiest cleaning comes from running a handful of whole dry rice grains through the mill.
Jeff