What is the cause of the rise, then drop in TTA in water brews and what are the consequences in the finished product?
TTA in water brews or flour brews is developed through the assimilation of sugar by the yeast. When all of the sugar is used, the yeast cannot manufacture acid. The buffer takes over and begins to neutralize the acid causing a drop in TTA. Doughs that are produced from a water brew with a low TTA or a TTA that has dropped off after reaching a peak will be sticky, slow to proof, and will show weakness. Weakness will show up as brown spots on the bread or buns. The brown spots are the result of blisters just under the crust.
