Calculating Starter Hydration

[Finnegans Wake]

A couple of questions on calculating the hydration of your starter...

1. Can it be done by weight and volumetric measurements if one weighs and measures their water and flour?

2. Wouldn't the relative activity of the yeast produce varying amounts of alcohol that makes any 55/45 sort of formulation inaccurate?  If my yeast kick out a bunch of hooch, might not the formulation by weight be 50/40/10 or some such?  And if that is so, can #1 be carried out?

Thoughts?

[Kinsman]

Yup,it might.

I say, get to know your dough and how it should feel.  You won't need to use complicated formulas to ensure a perfect crust every time.

Unless, of course, you simply enjoy doing the calculations.

[PizzaPolice]

So I'm picturing a westbound pioneer trail wagon lumbering along a dirty, bumpy cow path somewhere in the Plains, in the mid-1800's.  The sourdough jug is swinging back and forth on a nail affixed to the back of the wagon.  Ol' Chester seems perplexed. He scratches his head and mumbles to himself.  This goes on for miles.  Maw is quite concerned.  "What in the world is fryin' yore hade, Paw?"  "Is it Injuns?", she asks.  "Nope", he says. "Is it the two busted wagon wheels or the very fact that the kids are sickly and runnin' a high fever?"  Naw", he says.  "Then why are you all pestered then, Paw?"  After a long pause, Chester says, "Maw, Last night I was afreshen the sourdough jug and after separating the weevils from the flour barrel and straining the road dirt out of the water bucket, I'm not one hunnert percent shore that I got the maysurements axactly!"
About a mile down the road, Maw clubs Ol' Chester on the head with broad ax, shoves him off the wagon and continues on to Oregon.

[Kinsman]

"Is it Injuns?", she asks.  "Nope", he says. "Is it the two busted wagon wheels or the very fact that the kids are sickly and runnin' a high fever?"

That post made me laugh out loud.
A fine piece o' writin'.

And an excellent point.

[PizzaPolice]

Thanks Kinsman!

I just checked out you website and can understand why you laughed!  Sounds like a great life you have.  Nice smoke ring.

As far as my preferment, it just chugs along on the kitchen counter no matter how good or bad I treat it.

PizzaPolice

[Fio]

So I'm picturing a westbound pioneer trail wagon lumbering along a dirty, bumpy cow path somewhere in the Plains, in the mid-1800's.  The sourdough jug is swinging back and forth on a nail affixed to the back of the wagon.  Ol' Chester seems perplexed. He scratches his head and mumbles to himself.  This goes on for miles.  Maw is quite concerned.  "What in the world is fryin' yore hade, Paw?"  "Is it Injuns?", she asks.  "Nope", he says. "Is it the two busted wagon wheels or the very fact that the kids are sickly and runnin' a high fever?"  Naw", he says.  "Then why are you all pestered then, Paw?"  After a long pause, Chester says, "Maw, Last night I was afreshen the sourdough jug and after separating the weevils from the flour barrel and straining the road dirt out of the water bucket, I'm not one hunnert percent shore that I got the maysurements axactly!"
About a mile down the road, Maw clubs Ol' Chester on the head with broad ax, shoves him off the wagon and continues on to Oregon.

Quoted for satiric and literary excellence !

[PizzaPolice]

Thanks Fio!  I am humbled by your praise.