Fresh yeast beat my sourdough starter in 3 blind taste tests

I spent 8 months babying my starter and everyone at my table picked the fresh yeast loaf in 3 separate trials. Has anyone else switched back after going down the sourdough rabbit hole?

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jadej5011d ago

Did you use the same hydration and proofing schedule for both loaves? I think that makes a huge difference since fresh yeast is way more predictable, but sourdough can be finicky with temperature and timing. Maybe your starter just needed a longer cold ferment to build up that tangy flavor? Also, were the tasters comparing the texture, the crust, or just the overall taste? I've had people pick the commercial loaf before because it was softer, not necessarily because it tasted better. What kind of flour are you using in your sourdough, and have you tried a stiff starter instead of the runny one?

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