I did a stiff starter two weeks ago
and it was the best rise and crumb I’ve had yet! Only been baking for 3 months now so Im really glad I tried it. 😊

First time I’ve ever heard anyone call their dough a “boy”. I love it 💕

I like the stiffer one

A stiff starter is what my grandmother used as they had no fridge, from one day to the next, she would chop off a piece of the dough for the next days bread making. She covered it and kept it on the cool marble for place in the front room

Yet another version on Sourdough's 500,000-year history!  Thank You!

Wow! I have kept both a stiff starter and 100% hydrated starter. The stiff starter is so much easier to maintain.  I am thrilled you actually made bread from the stiff starter instead of taking the stiif starter and making a regular starter. That never made sense to me, it's an extra step, so I gave up keeping a stiff starter. You are wonderful to do this side by side test.

Didn't mean to spam you with comments, but I'm so happy that I found your channel and I love your videos! I learned a lot from you and I love your passion too! Cheers from Hungary! :D

Thanks for sharing.  I find stiff starter tends to rise faster, especially in colder climates. It's easier to maintain and on the whole more successful

I would like to thank you for the Stiff Starter Tip, it made my sourdough bread way better from the shaping to the height. I always had the idea but i never actually got the courage to reduce hydration in my starter until I watched this video. It made a huge difference.

Well done

What’s nice about starters is you can separate it into different jars to experiment…. I made a stiff starter and it was outstanding

I prefer the working with the stiff starter

Thanks for this - I'm also going to combine your advice for autolysing the flour & water for 2 hours before mixing in the starter and salt.

I’ve been using your stiff starter for the last two months. I’ll never go back to 50/50 water flour starter. My 100% whole wheat loaves are the best I’ve ever baked and less sour, softer crumb, more airy and the best ears. Super wombat good! Love your videos!

I lean more to the stiff starter a little more . I tried both ways as you did. I noticed the rise and crumb were better  on the stiff starter bread. Thanks for the video

I switched to stiff starter and have been amazed by not only the bread rise but the EASE to keep the starter fed and the timing so it always peaks in the morning due to the high feed! It is a game changer for a weekly baker!😁

I love cooking and i have always wanted to make sourdough bread becaus of course.. i do a lot of "by heart baking" and im naturally happier with stiff starter.. ❤

I like working with a somewhat stiffer starter. It is mixed at a 1:2:3 ratio @ 66% hydration @ 25C. The stiffer starters are so forgiving, with a long window in which to use them. They have more fuel to use! If you want more sour use a very small amount of culture to seed your starter. Also, try taking the starter to the high point, stir it again, refrigerate for 2-3 day, stir again, warm it up,  take the rise to high point again, and let it fall down slightly. Ready to mix into your dough. Stiff starters have more flour to absorb the falling pH level. Also, by using a smaller inoculation ratio of the dough its pH level starts lower, so as to have a longer way to go before over acidification occurs. I typically mix a 50% whole wheat and rye dough, weighing in at 2,600g, and inoculated with only 56g of stiff levain @ not even quite 4%. Bulk fermentation takes about 8 hours @ 25C
    Just for fun, I recently tried using 2 starters. Another one was mixed at 1:5:4 ratio @ 125% hydration @ 25C When they ripen put them both into the fridge overnight, so to warm them back up the next day before mixing dough. The stiff starter will typically favor wild yeast more so than a 100% hydration starter. The 125% hydration starter favors wild bacteria, over wild yeast. Supposedly, some of the San Francisco sourdough breads are created by using this double levain method. Warmer temperatures favor Lactic acid. Cooler temperatures favor acetic acid. More liquid starter favors lactic acid. Stiffer starters favor more acetic acid, and wild yeast.

I think I’m going to try a stiff starter.
From here, it looked like it was stronger with more work time.
That was enlightening. Thanks.👍

Great