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Showerthought: Fermentation vessel material could be altering my sourdough starter activity
I've been maintaining a sourdough starter for years in a glass jar. Lately, I switched to a ceramic crock and noticed slower rising times. What experiences do others have with different fermentation containers?
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fionat767mo ago
Ceramic crocks: turning eager yeast into procrastinators since forever!
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daniel_wright297mo ago
Material science sneaking into baking (go figure) once delayed my rise for days.
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the_nancy7mo ago
Your mention of delayed rises hits home, my sourdough used to stall in ceramic bowls all the time. Anthony_green97 nailed it with the temperature difference, so I started warming my crock with hot water before adding the dough. Now my bread rises predictably, no more days long waits.
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anthony_green977mo ago
Have you considered how the thickness of the crock might affect temperature regulation? I was just reading an old bread baking book that mentioned ceramic vessels often maintain a cooler core temperature than glass, which can slow down yeast activity. That could totally explain your slower rises! The author suggested that glass transfers ambient heat more quickly, creating a slightly warmer environment for fermentation. It's wild how material science sneaks into everyday baking like this!
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