Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago

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I wanted to know which sourdough starter favours yeast activity and thus produces the most CO2, a liquid, a regular or a stiff starter. To reduce variables I used the same starter (liquid) and fed it with different quantities of flour and water.

Stiff Starter:
150g flour
75g water
10g liquid starter

Regular Starter:
150g flour
150g water
10g liquid starter

Liquid Starter:
150g flour
450g water
10g liquid starter


What happened is that the stiff starter inflated the balloon the fastest. The regular one was stuck at the wall first, came in 2nd. The liquid starter fell in behind. Taste wise the stiff one was way milder. The pH in the end was 4.5 whereas for the regular and liquid it was at around 4.

This confirms that a stiffer starter will favor the yeast activity, whereas at higher hydration your lactic acid bacteria are more active. You can use that to your advantage depending on what style of bread you want to bake. To get more fluffyness, stiffer starter, for more tang a higher hydration starter.

Also thanks to everyone who helped me find the proper balloon size. I only had very small at home 🤣.

#sourdoughstarter #Shorts