Beer in preferment not working
I'm sorry to be asking so many questions but as a new baker with nobody else to ask this forum is a godsend. I will at some point have enough knowledge to be able to help others .. that time is not now! :)
I started a preferment last night using:
115g Doves Wholemeal Rye Flour
115g Lancaster Black Stout
I didn't add yeast initially as it said it had yeast in the stout. After 5 hours I checked it and there was no change. I binned this preferment and made another with a pinch of instant yeast in. This morning it again has no change although the temp was very low last night. Have added a wrapped hot water bottle under it to give a little heat but have also started a plain flour and water preferment with the same ratio just in case. I was using the stout to add colour and flavour to the bread I didn't add it later as I only add 115g of water with the rest being milk which I didn't want to replace really.
I am working on a brown loaf for my husband. I have tried a few recipes but they either lack flavour or do not last long enough. My white bread lasts three days for sandwiches with the last day having mayo etc as the bread is a little drier. I've decided to start with my white loaf and start switching out to get the effect I want. I'm looking for a 'brown bread' as opposed to a wholemeal if poss.
My last loaf was a bit doughy/greasy so have adjusted the fat content this time. This is the attempt for tonight:
Preferment
115g rye flour
115g water or stout?
pinch of instant yeast
Dough
Preferment
215g strong brown bread flour
175g AP flour
16g salt
216g milk
34g butter
20g Black strap molasses
What's in it? How isn't it working?
If I'm guessing correctly you're using just flour and beer. You will, in this case, need beer with "live" yeasts in it.
Lechem .. Sorry I pressed save before I had finished. I have now done the whole post.
If the bottle doesn't have a "CAMRA" stamp then it's not live. Take a look at the label and see if it has a stamp with these letters on it.
If not then it wouldn't work. But adding yeast later should have worked and I can only think the temps might be too cold or there's an issue with the yeast.
Since the beer could very well not be live then it'll be for flavour only in which case find a recipe you like and replace the water with beer.
Thanks. I tried adding the yeast in after but it stayed in tiny balls and didn't seem to mix in or dissolve into the mix so I started again. I think I am going to use the stout preferment and add my usual amount of yeast (16g) if it hasn't changed by tonight.
One of the breads I make that is most popular is an ale & yeast poolish bread. The starter is equal amounts of my husband's homemade beer and unbleached bread flour, with about 1/8 tsp of active dry yeast per loaf. After four to six hours the starter is very bubbly, puffy and floats well in water. Even though there is live yeast and residue in his beer (non filtered, non pasteurized), I add the yeast. And then I add another 1/8 tsp yeast per loaf in the final dough. This bread is a star, a predicable performer.
I measure (weight) the beer into a bowl, then scatter the yeast over the top of it, then add the flour and stir it together briskly. You might want to try giving your starter a good stir if it hasn't done much after a couple of hours.
Also note that if you add that much butter, milk and molasses to the final bread, it will need more yeast to rise than a lean bread would. You might need to add a half tsp or more to the final dough along with the pre-ferment.
I’d like to give it a try, sometime.
Dan
yes I would love your recipe if you would share it.
My preferment was 'puffy' but not bubbly but I have used it anyway but added more yeast to my final dough (10g active). If it's as cold next time I may just warm the stout just a little.
?
Not yet. It is on my lists of things to do but I've not gotten to it yet. I started one and then my husband was taken into hospital and I forgot it and it sort of exploded!
http://tartine-bread.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/arrogant-bastard.html
We can work a way around that. I'm thinking along the lines of turning the levain into a poolish and then adding a little more yeast into the main dough.
Original Levain
43g Starter
157g Arrogant Bastard Ale (you will need a 1 Pt. 6 Oz. bottle for the entire formula)
157g BRM Dark Rye Flour
Reworked:
179g beer/ale of your choice
179g dark rye flour
0.6g dried yeast
Thought I would post yesterdays loaf. The preferment didn't loosen or bubble with either the beer or the water but just went a bit puffy so am thinking it's the flour which I will change to another rye for next time. I added 12g of yeast to the main dough and am glad I did. I hand kneaded for 15 mins. The first rise was good at around 1hr 15mins but the second rise was around 4 hours.
The final bread is beautiful but a little strong on the stout for an everyday sandwich bread so am going to reduce it next time. The texture is spot on but may dry out a little quicker than my normal white but if it does am going to add extra butter instead of oil. I love tweaking until it is just right.
Nice looking loaf. Wished I could taste it. I like breads with intense flavor.
Dan