The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Can I Convert My Starter

May 5, 2020 - 9:51am
Katzetnik's picture
Katzetnik

Can I Convert My Starter

Hi All,

my Strong white flour sour dough starter is alive and well! Unfortunately I am struggling, in the present climate to get Organic Strong White flour to continue to feed it or, indeed bake anything. 

I have been lucky enough to source Organic Whole Meal Flour from a good mill.

My question then. How do i Transition my active Strong White Sourdough starter to an active Whole meal starter?

Thanks guys :-)

Wayne

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idaveindy's picture
idaveindy
May 5 2020 - 10:24am

to transition in stages, using a small portion of new flour to a larger portion of previous flour, and then gradually increase the portion of new flour with each feeding.

However, here are some tidbits of info that might help...

  • The flour that you feed your starter does not necessarily have to be organic.  Exception would be if you are selling (or otherwise distributing)  bread that you are advertising as organic.
  • The flour that you feed your starter does not have to be "strong." Lower protein all purpose flour would suffice.  Save "the good stuff" for the levain build, or the last starter-feeding before baking.
  • not for the levain-build, but for general maintenance feeding, small portions of pastry flour or corn starch (white "corn flour" in the UK) can be used, to stretch out your supply of good wheat flour. I've experimented with that, up to 50% non-wheat flour.  User Mini Oven has said that rice flour may introduce unwanted organisms.
  • Regular use of whole wheat (whole grain) flour for regular maintenance feedings is going to "likely"  introduce new lactic acid bacteria and new wild yeast to your ongoing culture, and may eventually take it over.  IOW, your starter will could likely change character and flavor profile, and perhaps performance.
  • Use of whole wheat flour will likely "supercharge" your starter and make it more powerful per gram, making things ferment faster, (requiring a higher feed ratio, or more frequent feedings) due to the extra enzymes in the bran of the whole wheat flour (compared to white wheat flour) which boost the breakdown of starch into sugar.

Hope this helps.

Katzetnik's picture
Katzetnik
May 7 2020 - 12:12am

Very helpful thanks, regarding using "non" organic strong white bread flour, would that not be detrimental to the wild yeast in the starter?

Wayne

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy
May 7 2020 - 5:18am

"regarding using "non" organic strong white bread flour, would that not be detrimental to the wild yeast in the starter?"

I've never used organic flour to feed my starters, except for some occasional Kamut (which is available only in organic form). I've been using sourdough starters for about 3 years.  It's mostly been regular store brands (Kroger, Trader Joe); plus the major name brands such as Gold Medal, King Arthur, and Bob's Red Mill.   I do stay away from bleached flour and bromated flour.

I've also used home-milled whole grain for feedings, but  that seems to super-charge the starter, so now I just use mainly cheap white flour, Kroger AP when available.

--

There may be both anecdotal evidence and some studies to show that organic flour is somehow "better" than non-organic flour for starter maintenance.  But, non-organic is certainly "good enough."  IMO, The overall quality (and performance attributes) of the flour has more effect on the bread than organic versus non-organic.

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The main thing is the flour that you use for the "levain build", or if you don't build a separate levain, then the last two feedings of the starter before using it,  as that is the flour that is going into the bread.