If you're new to making sourdough bread, you may need clarification as to what kind of flour is best.  The most popular examples of flour include; whole wheat flour, white flour, and so on. 

So what type of flour is best to use for sourdough bread? 

If you’re a novice, organic white bread flour (made from hard wheat) is the best option because:

• It is easy to knead and shape
• It gives the strongest and easiest gluten development
• It will give the best rise in the oven

As a sourdough baker, knowing different flours and their properties is very helpful. This will further help to stretch your baking skills and enable you to produce an array of bread types. Recipes will sometimes call for a variety of flours, but at the basis an organic flour is your best option. 

Use Organic Flour

For sourdough bread, we are looking at natural organic wild yeasts. In other words, it is logical to make organic flour your choice whenever possible to bake sourdough bread. A plus is that it’s natural and chemical-free.

In addition, the sourdough starter smells more like fruity beer or baked bread, which provides your bread with a nice flavor profile.

Using Non-organic Flour

Non-organic flours are normally bleached. This means they are treated with chemicals to whiten and age the flour. Using this flour can make the sourdough starter smell quite acidic, and the sourdough starter may also appear less active.

Benefits of using Organic Flour

• Organic flour has a higher mineral content, so the sourdough starter can best use the minerals from the flour without any interference from added chemicals.
• It gives a more flavorful loaf.
• It gives a good rise and structure to the bread.

While organic and non-organic flours are okay, choosing organic provides a much better flavor. 

Want to make organic sourdough bread at home? Shop our organic wheat flour today!