January 14, 2015 - 11:41am
Water for starter and dough
Should water for making dough be spring or boiled/left to cool (ala water for starter)? I've read that chlorine kills yeast. I assume that means not just yeast for starting sourdough starters but also commercial (KAF) yeast. My starter didn't take off and so began again with boiled and cooled water, once I read about chlorine and yeast. I'm thinking that when I bake I should use only water I've left out to dechlorinate, boiled and cooled or spring water both for starter and for dough. Thanks in advance.
hester
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and a lot will depend on the water quality where you live.
I use water right from the tap, hot and cold mixed when I want warm water, but I know where it comes from and what they put in it. It is chlorinated, but it doesn't seem to make any difference here. I use it in all my sourdoughs.
You can get rid of most of the chlorine by filling a jug and putting it in the fridge for a few hours. No need to boil, or you could use one of the many water filters available - e.g. Britta, etc.
-Gordon
My starter failed and now it's just getting a bit active after using boiled and cooled tap water. Although I've used tap water in my straight and pre fermented doughs w no problem I'm guessing my rises will improve if I used boiled & cooled tap water. That's my next experiment.
Thanks for your reply.
hester
I've no idea where you are, but can you get an organic stone-ground wholmeal (wholegrain) flour to start your starter? That should give it the best kick-start possible.
Our water (UK) is chlorinated, but I can't smell it coming out of the taps. If I ¾ fill a big jug and let it stand (covered) for an hour, then take the lid off, I can smell it - chlorine is heavier than air, so it'll settle out on-top of the water - just waft it away.
-Gordon
Thanks again. Our water is chlorinated. I'm starting w Rye as my attempt with whole wheat failed (Likely not the wheat's fault but the water's). Nonetheless I'm using rye as that's what it seems has the most goodies that help the starter to take-off.
hester
I use water that has gone through a carbon filter, Raleigh, NC. Mike Avery (http://www.sourdoughhome.com/) says he uses water straight from the tap. It depends upon how much free chlorine is in the water. I know that at one time there was so much free chlorine in the tap water in Washington, DC, the I could not drink it, or make coffee from it.
Ford
The water in my town is chlorinated with a type of chlorine that one cannot get rid of via any countertop process. (There is a type of chlorine that will evaporate with a short amount of resting time in an open container. Short, like a day or two. Ask your water bureau to verify what kind is used in your local water.) Plus, my water is naturally very soft. Neither of those are the best environment for starters, but mine have not suffered at all. I have occasionally bought bottled water to use for a loaf, but almost never have I used it for a starter refresh.
for your reply, Jay.
Mine is hard as nails, which seems to be favorable for baking and according to my husband, brewing also. Fermentation (pickles, bread, anything else we've ever tried) seems always to work for us. Do you know anyone with a well, preferably without a water softener? Easy enough to accumulate gallon jugs and fill 'em up.
When I was making my sourdough culture, I found my tap water seemed to be detrimental. So I used seltzer (sparkling water). Most lactic acid bacteria grow better in anaerobic environments and many need some CO2 when the culture is young. This worked beautifully. now that my starter is good and strong, I use tap water.
Perhaps I"ll pick some up today. Abe is helping me w my very sluggish starter, which is not yet dead, but is lagging. I've not given up yet, though.
thanks
hester