Chemistry of baking and natural processes interested me. Now I am a total believer in the health benefits of the long, slow ferment. Plus, once my starter and I got to know each other, I find it much more tolerant of my crazy baking schedule than fast, efficient yeast. How can you go on a two-hour bike ride in the middle of baking with yeast? A long ferment and a cool retard is a beautiful thing!

Characteristics

A subtle tang, but understated. Resilient and tolerant of minor abuse! (Bake mostly on the weekend, and let it get slow and alcohol-y Monday and Tuesday and then bounces right bakes when refresh Wed-Fri and bake Saturday and Sunday.) Effective at acidifying and breaking down flour enzymes, but lets the flavor of the ingredients come through. Started based on rye flour in 2010.

Viscocity

Taste & flavour

Recipe

Starting ingredients

100% Unbleached white wheat flour
125% Water

Feeding ingredients

2.4oz Wheat flour
3oz Water

Retain three ounces from previous refresh. Add 2.4 oz wheat flour; add 3 oz room-temperature filtered water. Mix until smooth in wide mouth mason jar (with a metal fork!) and cover with loosely closed plastic cap. Let sit at room temperature (64F to 75 F depending on season).

2.4oz Wheat flour 3oz Water

Working method

A versatile every day sourdough based on unbleached white wheat flour with roots in natural yeasts on rye

100% Unbleached white wheat flour 125% Water

Result

Hamelman's 5-Grain Levain

Evanston Levain Hamelman's 5-Grain Levain first slice

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Evanston Levain

Age

Country of origin United States

Taste & Flavour

Sourdough in the world

Mixture

Preserve your sourdough for the future

Since 2010

Characteristics

Taste & flavour

Recipe

Starting ingredients

Feeding ingredients

Working method

Result

Hamelman's 5-Grain Levain

Preserve your sourdough for the future

Taste
& Flavour

Sourdough
in the world