Hi Burney,

if you mean one good starter against another good starter, I don't
think it can. If you mean an over fermented starter in over fermented
dough as apposed to properly fermented starter in well fermented dough
then yes it can and a lot.

Over fermented dough with over fermented starter is off tasting and
has a pale crust unless you've added heaps of sugar or painted it with
washes as so many do to hide bad dough management. The crumb is
needless to say dense and grey. Then of course all the gradations in
between.

I suspect what is being seen in this case is due to different starter
working a slightly different speeds. But unless Mikey has baked dozens
of loaves all simultaneously with the different starter all treated in
exactly the same way it's pretty difficult to make the conclusions
that he does, I'm not saying he's wrong, he could be lucky but my
experience over the years says otherwise. The difference to a loaf
from the subtlest of changes in manipulation of method, timing and
ingredients, not to mention temperature which has a massive difference
for just a few degrees far out ways any differences in starter. IMHO
at least. : -)

Jim


On 6 Mar, 06:55, BH wrote:
...
Will someone help me understand why / how a starter can affect the
color and taste of the crust?

*TIA

Burney