Tried sourdough with store yeast vs. wild starter side by side

Last Saturday I baked two loaves at once to see if all that starter hype was real. Same flour, same water, same folding schedule, just different leavening. The store yeast loaf rose fast and looked fine, but the crumb was tight and it tasted like plain bread. The wild starter loaf took 6 extra hours to bulk ferment and I almost threw it out. The difference in taste and texture was massive though, the starter one had that tangy chewiness that actually made a sandwich better. Has anyone else done a blind test and found the starter worth the extra time?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_green8219d ago

Oh yeah I did this exact test a few months back and it was wild how different they turned out. My starter loaf took forever to rise and I kept checking it thinking I messed up but the flavor was night and day once I cut into it. The store yeast one was fine for toast but the starter bread had that deep sour tang that made everything taste better.

sarah22919d ago

My buddy Mike did a side-by-side like this and he swore the starter loaf was a fluke until he tasted it. He said the texture was completely different, almost velvety, and the store yeast one felt like dry cardboard in comparison. Now he keeps his starter in the fridge and says the wait is the only bad part.