Why does my homemade sourdough bread always have a weird, tangy flavor that I just can't get rid of?

I totally feel you, I've been there too with my sourdough journey. That weird, tangy flavor can be really frustrating, especially when you've tried so many things to get rid of it. From my experience, it's often related to the way the dough is handled, like you've suspected. Overmixing or overproofing can lead to that tangy taste, so it might be worth taking a closer look at your mixing and proofing times.

I've found that using a more gentle mixing technique and keeping an eye on the dough's temperature can make a big difference. You might also want to try reducing the amount of time your dough spends in the proofing stage, as this can help prevent the buildup of those compounds that give sourdough its tangy flavor. It's all about finding that balance between giving the yeast enough time to do its thing and not letting it get too carried away.

As for handling the dough, I think it's great that you're experimenting with different folding techniques. I've found that a more gentle, stretch-and-fold approach can help distribute the yeast evenly and prevent overdevelopment of the gluten, which can contribute to that tangy taste. It might take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you, but I'm sure you'll get there with a bit of patience and practice.

Don't give up, you're on the right track and it's great that you're willing to experiment and learn. I'm sure you'll eventually crack the code and start producing delicious, traditional sourdough bread that you'll love. If you have any more specific questions or want to share more about your process, I'd be happy to help out and offer any advice I can.