That bakery demo in Portland last spring split the room on cold fermentation

I went to a workshop at this place in Portland called Flour & Fire back in March. The instructor swore by a 72 hour cold ferment for baguettes, said it builds flavor like nothing else. But this other baker in the group stood up and argued you lose oven spring past 48 hours, showed us side by side photos with a 15% height difference. Got me thinking, do you really get enough extra taste to justify the flatter loaf? I've been doing 36 hour ferments for years and feel like I'm missing something. Has anyone here run a blind taste test on their own batches?

2 comments

2 Comments

henderson.kim1mo ago

Man, that comparison to dry aging beef is actually pretty spot on. I hadn't thought of it like that but yeah the moisture loss is real. So here's what I'm wondering though - did any of those home bakers who did the blind test say whether the 72 hour crumb felt gummy or wet at all? I've done a few longer cold ferments and sometimes the inside feels almost tacky and I can't tell if that's just me overproofing or if it's a normal trade off for the deeper flavor.

paul2331mo ago

This whole thing mirrors that speed vs. depth trade off you see everywhere now. People want instant results so they shorten everything up, but that 72 hour cold ferment is basically the sourdough version of slow cooking a brisket versus grilling a steak fast and hot. You trade a little bit of lift for a deeper, more complex flavor that hits you in the back of the mouth. Most home bakers I know who actually sat down and tried both side by side blind admitted the 72 hour loaf won on taste even if it was slightly flatter. It's the same pattern with people aging cheese or dry aging beef, you lose some moisture but the flavor concentration is a totally different ballgame.