Why Does My Sourdough Dough Smell Sour?

SOUR OR NOT SOUR? wHICH DO YOU CHOOSE?

We all know sourdough is supposed to be sour, it is called sourdough after all:) 😮‍💨So a sour-smelling dough doesn’t mean anything is wrong! It’s really just a matter of preference! And the best part of making homemade sourdough is that you get to adjust it to your preferences!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about sour sourdough lately! Why does my starter smell sour? Why does my dough smell sour? So here are some tips and tricks to get your sourdough tasting the way you’d like! You can play around, experiment, and find the method that matches your sour-ness preferences!

1) Starter IN THE FRIDGE❄️:

Starter that has been sitting in the fridge for longer will gradually rise and ferment, even in the cold environment. This will develop more acid in the starter and create a more sour taste.

So how do you combat the acid fermentation in the fridge? Its simple!

1) Never let your starter sit in the fridge for more than a week without feeding it, and if you do…

2)Simply feed your starter twice, before you’re ready to use it! So, if you would have fed your starter at night (day 1) to make the dough the next morning (day 2), instead-feed it in the morning/afternoon (day 1), and again at night (day 1) and then use it on day 2!

(and if you would have fed it in the morning, feed it the night before, and again in the morning)!

I spy the starter in its jar 😉

2) too cold for too long🌡️:

Again temperature is key! If you set your dough or your starter to rise in a cold place, for a long time, it’ll get more sour. In the winter this is more common, but it is possible in a cold apartment too. Simply let your dough rise in a room-temp or a warmer room, and not for too long.

63 degrees is a little too cold for your sourdough:)

3) Longer proof in the fridge⏲️:

The longer your dough proofs (that’s when it’s shaped and sitting in the fridge:)= the more sour it will be! If you find your dough is too sour, reduce the time it sits in the fridge!

4) whole grain flour🌾:

Whole grain flours increase the acid in your bread and create a more sour taste. If you want to decrease the sourness of your loaf, stick to using white flour!

Questions about too-sour sourdough?

ASK BELOW!