Sourdough starter after 10 days vs 30 days which one bakes better

I kept two starters going side by side for a month. One I baked with after just 10 days and the other I let mature for the full 30 days. The 10 day loaf came out flat with a tight crumb but had a nice mild tang. The 30 day loaf gave me a big open crumb and way more sour flavor but took longer to rise. It got me wondering if a newer starter is really that bad or if we just rush things too much. Do you think maturity makes that big a difference or is it more about how you feed it?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey8435d ago

Actually the 10 day starter likely needed better feeding rather than just more time to mature.

jasonc504d ago

My 10 day starter actually outperformed my older one in a blind taste test with my neighbor. I kept it on the counter and fed it twice a day with half whole wheat and half white flour. The crumb was tighter sure but the flavor was way cleaner and more consistent. My friend who's been baking for 20 years actually prefers bread from younger starters because they don't get that funky overripe fruit taste. Time doesn't fix bad feeding habits. You can have a 30 day starter that's weak if you're not keeping the ratios right. I think people get too obsessed with age when it's really about how active the yeast population is right now.