Making Sourdough Bread

[jimmyjack]

Recently, I have started to make bread with a newly purchased bread machine that looks not unlike the Tartis from Dr Who. I wanted to embark on this wholesome quest to fulfill several family and personal needs. Since starting brewing I find myself drawn to home crafts and learning the ways of the ancients and oh yea a loaf of bread costs roughly $1.37 to make. My first efforts failed miserably reminiscent of my first brewing experiment with extract. Marching forward I researched and came up with some reasonable recipes that are turning out great white and whole-grain loaves for the whole family. In my bread research I have uncovered ways in which to make Sourdough bread of all sizes and varieties. To my surprise artisan bread making is not unlike brewing and very habit forming. Sourdough requires you to make a natural yeast starter over the course of a few weeks. In fact you can even purchase starters from the US. Once you have your starter you can make Sourdough forever.

Sourdough link
Sourdough link
Sourdough companion

Cheers,

JJ

 

[Mercs Own]

Recently, I have started to make bread with a newly purchased bread machine that looks not unlike the Tartis from Dr Who. I wanted to embark on this wholesome quest to fulfill several family and personal needs. Since starting brewing I find myself drawn to home crafts and learning the ways of the ancients and oh yea a loaf of bread costs roughly $1.37 to make. My first efforts failed miserably reminiscent of my first brewing experiment with extract. Marching forward I researched and came up with some reasonable recipes that are turning out great white and whole-grain loaves for the whole family. In my bread research I have uncovered ways in which to make Sourdough bread of all sizes and varieties. To my surprise artisan bread making is not unlike brewing and very habit forming. Sourdough requires you to make a natural yeast starter over the course of a few weeks. In fact you can even purchase starters from the US. Once you have your starter you can make Sourdough forever.

Sourdough link
Sourdough link
Sourdough companion

Cheers,

JJ

Ah JJ next you will ba making your own salami!!!

I made my own sourdoughs for a couple of years and had two starters going for that period. One was a wild ferment from organic grapes the other was a starter from a bottle of chimay red. They both had a lovely qualities and character - the beer starter I would use for darker heavier loaves.

Never used a bread making machine though always rolled it out into a shape on the tray and baked it - if it was a wet mix it would spread flat on the tray, sometimes I would use the old fashion heavy bread baking loaf tins.

I would like to get back to it but as I am travelling a lot at the moment I would not be around to feed them every second or third day.

Good luck and when you get a recipe going that is working really good for you post it here.

cheers

 

[Doc]

What a timely topic.
I'm researching it as well, right now based on my wifes obsession with Sourdough bread, and a new beer cooking book I bought in the US.

I see the Perth boys are on to it too.

Looking to get a sourdough starter going maybe tonight/tomorrow ready for my first batch.
I think I have the perfect culture going in the brewshed for it too (anyone who has been to my brew shed will know what I'm talking about )

The base recipe I'm starting with also includes beer in the sourdough bread :beerbang:

Doc

 

[kirem]

I have made some sourdough. Pretty good stuff.

I have two starters. One I let go to see what would grow, this one has a very strong flavour,

the other I used a commercial bakers yeast in a starter.

Both ran for about 2 weeks before I started using them.

Now I tip the clear liquid off the top and add a bit of flour and warm water every second day and use them every weekend. The sour dough loaves last a lot longer than ANY other bread I have purchased before going stale or mouldy.

I am planning a sough rye dough

Once you have a good starter going, you won't tolerate white death anymore.

 

[Airgead]

I used to make all our bread. Beautiful sourdough using my own starter. Did wholemeal, white and a really nice rye. Did it for a couple of years but unfortunately had to stop when the kids came along - not enough time. Now that they are old enough to help I might have to start again. Mind you it would be a full time job keeping up with their appetites...

You've inspired me. I'll fire up a starter and get some home made sourdough happening again.

Cheers
Dave

 

[smudge]

Basic Brewing Radio had a good show where John Owen gave a description of sourdough baking here. He covered
the basics and more advanced techniques, all from a brewer's perspective which was good.

My problem? Fitting in the sourdough bread making, Merc's salami, biltong/jerky, cheese making and still
having time to brew.

Cheers,
smudge

PS it was the January 10th 2008 podcast.

 

[Airgead]

ng in the sourdough bread making, Merc's salami, biltong/jerky, cheese making and still
having time to brew.

Cheers,
smudge

Maybe you could combine them... a bit of sourdough starter in the mash when you make your next wit perhaps? Might give that a go myself to get a bit of extra tartness going.

Cheers
Dave

 

[smudge]

Dave,

Mmmmm..... I knew I stuffed it up! I mashed the salami with the camembert and dry 'jerked??' with the biltong in the keg.
I did have the sourdough starter on a stirplate though. Should I decant the starter or just pitch the slurry ....?

Cheers,
smudge

(wish I knew how to put your quote at the top of the post. I tried.... I really did try!)

 

[Doc]

I've got my starter up and running.
I have all the details in my AHB Blog entry here
Plan on putting 355ml of my Gose into the bread mix too :beerbang:

Beers,
Doc

 

[Katherine]

My partner and i make a beautiful stout sour dough.... goes down well with aged cheddar... good with soup also.. I love this thread. Dont know how I missed it until today.

 

[Katherine]

Ah JJ next you will ba making your own salami!!!

I made my own sourdoughs for a couple of years and had two starters going for that period. One was a wild ferment from organic grapes the other was a starter from a bottle of chimay red. They both had a lovely qualities and character - the beer starter I would use for darker heavier loaves.

Never used a bread making machine though always rolled it out into a shape on the tray and baked it - if it was a wet mix it would spread flat on the tray, sometimes I would use the old fashion heavy bread baking loaf tins.

I would like to get back to it but as I am travelling a lot at the moment I would not be around to feed them every second or third day.

Good luck and when you get a recipe going that is working really good for you post it here.

cheers

A question to you...

Is the beer one a wild yeast starter, or are you using the beer for the yeast???

We have tried both ways...

 

[Mercs Own]

A question to you...

Is the beer one a wild yeast starter, or are you using the beer for the yeast???

We have tried both ways...

I basically made up a starter - cup of flour, cup of water and using the last third of a chimay (all the yeast in the bottle). Left that for a couple of days covered until it started to bubble (I think or I could have started feeding it the next day???) and then went through the usual feeding regime - tip half out, add equal amount that you tiped out made up of flour and water day in day out until it looked good and healthy and smelled fresh beery and yeasty.

With the grapes I just hand crushed them into a large jar and left them skins sticks and stalks. after a few days the liquid began to bubble so I strained out all of the solids and added the liquid to a flour water mix and fed it and grew it up.

They both had lovely character but I always felt I was cheating with the beer as in a way it wasnt really started with a wild yeast but hey it worked.

 

[Tim F]

I just made a beautiful starter using freshly picked olives. Used about 8-10 olives off the tree, unwashed obviously. Mixed with 50/50 flour and water, about 1 cup of each and a good pinch of salt. Let that sit for 4 days, stirring every day. Once it was nice and bubbly and tasting tangy, I took out the olives, mixed in just enough flour to make a wet but workable dough, and then let it rise all day while I was at work before shaping it into a focaccia. I have never made anything that rose so well as this, check it out. It went into the oven 1 inch thick. The dough tastes absolutely sensational, different from my normal sourdough starter.



Oh and I made this pizza with the rest of the dough. :icon_drool2:

 

[Doc]

Some fine looking bread there Tim.
I made up my sourdough bread last night and let it rise overnight.
Gave it a working over this morning and it is doing its second rise now.
Will be baking some time later this arvo.
Two massive loaves of Sourdough bread. One with my Gosebier in it, and the other with my Schwarzbier in it.

Doc

 

[Katherine]

Some fine looking bread there Tim.
I made up my sourdough bread last night and let it rise overnight.
Gave it a working over this morning and it is doing its second rise now.
Will be baking some time later this arvo.
Two massive loaves of Sourdough bread. One with my Gosebier in it, and the other with my Schwarzbier in it.

Doc

PHOTOS PLEASE.. if possible! All you need is unsalted butter and bottle of something and your set!

Our next project is doing a red wine Sour Dough...

 

[Doc]

Here are the pics of the Schwarzbier Sourdough bread.
Ended up being a late lunch, but it was worth the wait. Delicious.




Doc

 

[Doc]

And fresh out of the oven is the Gose Sourdough loaf.
It won't get hacked at prob until Sunday.



Doc

 

[Katherine]

That looks so so good! Well done!

 

[johnno]

Doc,
That looks fantastic. Bit of cheese and it is a feast.
I too have been meaning to get a sourdough starter going. I have been practising making bread in my cob oven and it has been going pretty good.
Bread is awesome!

errrr..so is lamb, which is why I usually throw a piece in after the bread is done


cheers
johnno

 

[Mercs Own]

Doc,
That looks fantastic. Bit of cheese and it is a feast.
I too have been meaning to get a sourdough starter going. I have been practising making bread in my cob oven and it has been going pretty good.
Bread is awesome!

errrr..so is lamb, which is why I usually throw a piece in after the bread is done


cheers
johnno

Great job Doc! And Johnno that all looks fantastic! Cob oven? Is that just a term for wood fired or is it specific to a different design and build etc??