The 18-hour sourdough: why we take our time

Every sourdough loaf in our bakery starts the same way — with a feeding of our starter, "Betty." Betty is the living culture that's been fermenting in our kitchen since day one, and she's the reason our bread tastes the way it does.

The starter

A sourdough starter is a living ecosystem of wild yeast and bacteria. We feed Betty twice a day with organic flour and water. The yeast produces the rise; the bacteria produce the tang. After 18 hours of slow fermentation, the dough develops a depth of flavour you simply cannot rush.

The process

Mix, autolyse (a fancy word for letting the flour hydrate), stretch and fold, bulk ferment, shape, proof, score, bake. Every step matters. We stretch and fold every 30 minutes during bulk fermentation — four folds, two hours — to build the gluten network that gives sourdough its open, irregular crumb.

Why 18 hours?

Because flavour is time. A fast-rise commercial yeast bread is ready in two hours — but it tastes like flour and water. Sourdough fermented at cool room temperature develops lactic and acetic acids that give it that unmistakable tang, a crackling crust, and a crumb that stays fresh for days.

How to keep it at home

Store your loaf in a paper bag (not plastic — it traps moisture and softens the crust). Cut side down on a wooden board is ideal. It's best within 2–3 days. After that, slice, freeze, and toast.