I switched from a digital scale to a mechanical one for my sourdough starter

For six months, I weighed my flour and water with a digital scale that read to the tenth of a gram. My loaves were good, but not great. Last month, I dug out an old mechanical balance scale from a garage sale. The starter activity changed in three days, with more bubbles and a better rise. I think the slight variance from the mechanical scale, maybe plus or minus two grams, actually helps the culture. Has anyone else found that being a little less precise with feeding ratios improved their fermentation?

4 comments

4 Comments

hugoc971mo ago

I was a total scale snob, but your post makes me want to try being less exact.

sarah53129d ago

Fully agree, ditching the scale was such a game changer for me too. Cooking by feel and taste is way more fun and the results are actually better.

paigep2029d ago

Try starting with recipes that use cups and spoons instead of grams. That's what got me comfortable. Like pancakes are super forgiving, you can add a little more milk if it's too thick or a bit more flour if it's runny. Once you see how much you can mess up and still get good food, it clicks.

rowan7251mo ago

Know that feeling all too well. It's freeing once you let go of the numbers. The food just tastes better.