Talk to me about water, please?

Toast

I've read (and read, and read, and read) any number of things about the quality of the water used in the starter and in the bread itself.

Do NOT use tap water if it has chlorine. Is this true? I read that you can use it, if you leave it overnight on the counter to dissipate. 

Use filtered water. I have filtered water from my refrigerator, but not on my faucet. Is that sufficient?

Use bottled water. Cost prohibitive, although when making pizza dough, I do use a specific type of bottled water. 

Then, water temp. I know about temp with regard to commercial yeast, but given the long periods needed for fermentation, either on the counter, or in a refrigerator, is the temperature all that important in sourdough? Providing, of course I don't use too hot a water and kill off the wild yeast.

So then? What type of water do you use, and how do you manage temperature for both starter and creating the actual bread dough. 

(I'm reading far too much, it seems. So many things seem to contradict one another also, so forgive my barrage of questions). 

Thank you for taking the time to help! 

I'm reading far too much, it seems. So many things seem to contradict one another...

Reason is because everyone has a different experience. Some find tap water is fine and others don't. Some find that filtered water works and others find it doesn't. Depends on the filter.

I find tap water that has been boiled and left to cool works just perfectly. For me.

If you go down this route please remember that it needs to cool and don't use boiling water. It is obvious but all the same I have to say it.

I use tap water that has chlorine in it. Never had an issue. I use it directly from the tap, no standing, no filtering, just get on with it.

You may want to lookup chloramine though. Some water companies have started to use that - I don't know if it has an effect on bread or not, but the fish-tank owners are somewhat concerned.

If you drink your tapwater (and I really do not understand why people in a country that has drinkable tap water would ever buy bottled!) then go ahead and use it. If you find it smells overly chloriney then let it stand in a jug in the fridge overnight. (although that may not get rid of chloramine)

-Gordon

Chlorine in your water will dissipate with time, sitting on the counter. Chloramine, which is chlorine plus ammonia, will not. You should be able to find out which disinfectant chemicals your local water service uses on their website. My local water service uses chloramine (and has since 1957, so it's not a recent thing), so I use bottled water for all my bread. I just feel better about it. With gallons regularly going on sale for 99¢, it's not a big expense for me.

This is one of those things that requires experimentation with your water. There is some tap water that really is no good for starters. I have yet to live in an area where this is the case. I do usually let the water run for a few seconds before it goes in the measuring cup, but that is just an old habit from when the water sitting in the pipes was not always as clean (in one of the places I lived). My water has chlorine and chloramine, and have never had problems. If I were a commercial business, I might not chance that the change in water chemistry that is possible from tap (at least for my starer).

For the final bread, tap water is much more economical.

Someone once said (I think it was Susan, but not sure)... this is sourdough, not childbirth... or something to that effect. Things rarely require as much care as people say.

chlorine has been removed.  I don't have any problems.  I also don't have problems if I let tap water stand for 24 hours so we must not have chloramine in the water here in Gilbert.  The reason we have RO isn't for bread making but because the water is very hard with an off taste otherwise.  

The wee beasties love trace elements and minerals found in good water though so if you live where good tap water can be found like New York and other places then use that water.  Don't boil the water unless you have pathogens in your well water or other drinking water - it de-oxygenates the water and these living things happen to love oxygen as much as they love you!

But, any water that doesn't kill off the wee beasties and doesn't have pathogens in it will work.

Thank you all! Makes sense that water is particular to the location.

Well, I used tap water in my first loaf, and no third ear yet, but it's only been one day, so who knows! 

I'm still using my bottled water for pizza dough though! 

age.  With genetic engineering we all will have them before you now it.  I

m holding out for the Watson Brain plug in app.  Then you can be smart as heck and still live in the clouds with your feet way of the ground.

Acknowledged as the driest continent  we recognise the value of good water , here in Perth the water supplied to the house is pretty good and fine to drink straight from the tap. I have not encountered any problems with its use either in Baking, starter maintenance or in deed home brewing where the biggest ingredient is water.

Our water corporation  provides water that has been chlorinated and fluoridated  and nowadays 47% comes from the Indian Ocean  via 2 x Desalination plants.

Kind regards Derek

 


 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 


comes from the Mekong and goes thru a filtration system where alkaline is raised, then it comes into our camp water system where is fine filtered again several times and eventually run between silver plates charged with electricity.  It is excellent water and contains no micro organisms and a good proper variety of trace minerals.  However it still gives off a muddy taste and aroma.  I've found that heating it improves the taste as the muddy aroma dissipates with the steam.   I let the water then stand with a cloth over it to absorb more air before using.  I just boil a bit more for my coffee and come out about right.  Magnetic Induction is great! 

Areas with high pH water readings need a longer lag time for the bacteria in the sourdough to lower pH readings before the yeast are happy to populate.  This can be a problem in starting up a starter or feeding a starter that was raised with a lower pH water.  The starter may have to adapt and needs time to make that adaption.   Low calcium levels can also create problems.

I use my well water, no chlorine, but low ph, about 6.2. I looked into water when I was starting out, thought maybe my water was the problem. It turned out it wasn't. I've used water from three different locations, 2 well supply and one municipal supply. None of them exhibited any negative influence on the resultant bread.

I keep a container of water next to my starter, that way the water is the same temp as the starter, no shock to the newly-fed starter or the dough.