Hot take: letting sourdough bulk ferment overnight is overrated

I see everyone raving about that long 12 hour bulk ferment for better flavor. I tried it for 3 months straight and my loaves came out flat every time. Switched to a 4 hour bulk at 78F and suddenly got that nice oven spring. My starter is 2 years old and lives in a cool corner of my kitchen. I think people forget ambient temp changes everything. Has anyone else found better results with a shorter bulk?

2 comments

2 Comments

fionarodriguez1mo ago

Isnt it funny how we all think more time equals better results in pretty much everything? Same thing happened to me when I tried to get into cold brew coffee everyone said steep it for 24 hours but 12 gave me way better flavor without the bitterness. Sometimes the internet just latches onto one method and it takes forever to realize your own kitchen doesnt follow the same rules as their kitchen.

milarodriguez1mo agoTop Commenter

The coffee snobs probably just want us to suffer longer.