I've been attempting to perform a Whole Wheat Poolish involving:
250g King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
325g 2% fat milk
15g Honey for the yeast activation
60g Water.
A pinch of yeast????
I couldn't determine the mass of yeast since my scale wasn't sensitive enough below 2 grams. I let it sit in a 42 Fahrenheit fridge overnight for 8 hours and then relied on one hour intervals between 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the kitchen counter and refrigeration. This is so far how the poolish looks like.
I tried giving it a very small taste and smell. I notice a somewhat sweet smell and an extremely light tang. Is it ready for use?
A nice aroma that hasn't turned into an alcoholic smell, bubbly with good gluten formation.
You don't wish to over do it to the point of over fermented and too degraded.
https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/more-artisan-bread-baking-tips-poolish-biga/