Wild yeast in sourdough starter

[ElsieD]

Host's note: this discussion began as a side discussion in the topic Yeast as a Flavoring Agent:

 

That white film on the skin of things like plums, grapes and cabbage is wild yeast.  When it is fed, grown, and kept alive in a batter of flour and water, it is sour dough yeast.  Cultured yeast are strains that are developed to promote certain characteristics like rapid rising in breads or to promote the best fermentation results in beer or wine. Cultured yeast will quickly revert back to its wild state if  fed and grown in sour dough like conditions. Heat kills yeast, cold inhibits it.

I am trying to develope some starter for sourdough bread. It didn't work the first time and I have started a new batch today. Are you saying that if I buy some grapes with a white film on them and throw the skins in my nascent starter it will help it along?

Edited October 13, 2014 by Smithy (log)

[Norm Matthews]

No.  With wild yeast, it's a coin toss whether you will get a good yeast for bread or not. It might be amazing, it might be awful. There are thousands of different varieties.  What makes good wine might not be good for bread.  A little cultured bread yeast will be a better bet. It will revert to wild in a week or two.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Ashen]

yep, I know someone who has started a sourdough from grape skins..   this is a link about it. You have to be careful though as you won't get a viable strain  every time.  if you read through the link it will give you a description of a good capture or bad capture of a wild yeast strain. 

Edited October 13, 2014 by Ashen (log)

[Martin Fisher]

I am trying to develope some starter for sourdough bread. It didn't work the first time and I have started a new batch today. Are you saying that if I buy some grapes with a white film on them and throw the skins in my nascent starter it will help it along?

 

 

There are techniques to significantly increase your chances of creating an acceptable indigenous starter.

 

See this post.... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136752/sourdough-starter#post_939398

[heidih]

I am trying to develope some starter for sourdough bread. It didn't work the first time and I have started a new batch today. Are you saying that if I buy some grapes with a white film on them and throw the skins in my nascent starter it will help it along?

 

This belongs in the bread topic but I felt compelled to answer you - this is an article about Nancy Silverton's starter (of the famous La Brea Bakery)  http://www.food.com/recipe/nancy-silverton-s-grape-sourdough-starter-316306

[Norm Matthews]

Just remember that there are thousands of varieties of yeast.  What is indigenous to your area might or might not be the same kind on the grapes that makes good bread for La Brea Bakery.  Also there are some California red grapes that won't grow in Canada and some native American grapes that don't make good wine.

[Lisa Shock]

Your best bet is to only work with organic, unbleached flour for the first two weeks. That will have yeast in it. Once it gets going, commercial flour will work just fine.