The Fresh Loaf

News & Information for Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts

Help with wholewheat loaf

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cosmo's picture

Help with wholewheat loaf

I've made wholewheat loaves with much success before, but lately, they don't rise as high nor have an oven spring. When I tear them apart, the smell is very yeast-y with a pasty and gummy crumb, what gives?  I smelled my WW flour, thinking it might be the culprit, it smelled wheaty yet iron-y, I don't know how best to describe it, how does a fresh WW flour smell like? Also, I've started using vital wheat gluten to give it the "raise" it lacks, but nothing happened, the bread only became very chewy.

Breadwhiner's picture

Assuming that you haven't changed flours, my guess is that your yeast has gone bad. Over time (months) yeast loses its activity. So you don't get much rise or spring with bad yeast, the crumb stays wet because the air holes are smaller and the yeasty/iron smell may be from the extra water in your crumb.

Try some new yeast (King Arthur instant is my favorite). If that doesn't work, my name isn't breadwhiner!


qahtan's picture


 Sounds to me as if your w/w flour has gone off, you know ofcourse that it is best used as soon as it is milled....

Plus it could be over proofed.

I made W / W yesterday 3 loaves at 20 ounces each, qahtan 

cosmo's picture

Thanks you guys. But my yeast is ok, I made some nice sweet bread with it, and the crumb was perfect. My bread is just always off when I make WW bread. Much as I would love to use fresh milled wheat flour, I don't have that luxury since they're not easily available in my country (philippines)