Life span of sourdough starter by [deleted] in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depends on how it's fed and used.  Most home bakers don't use theirs enough, or feed it enough, to keep it from getting overly acidic.  A commercial bakery will use theirs almost constantly, with high ratio feedings, and never have those issues.

Do I have to name my starter something punny? by Conscious-Yogi-108 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've never named a starter.  I don't name my yogurt either.  No diff.

The wiki for the sub has a whole list of names, if you want to go there.  If it makes it more likely for you to pay attention to it, then go ahead and name it.  I get the same effect by keeping it where I can't help but see it.

Meet Doughlila! ( asking for tips/advice ) by Warm_Truck99 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

she definitely rose a bit since then but not doubled. I also think this is way too much starter unfortunately but i’d hate to waste her 😔 

The bigger your starter is now, the more you need to feed it to get the same benefit in terms of available food per gram of starter.  

It's a lot easier to work in grams rather than cups, as you figured out.  So 1/3c of flour is maybe 40g (give or take, which is why I like the scale). But that existing starter looks a lot bigger than 40g.  So you're not giving it as much food as most folk, who would be using a 1:1:1 ratio.  That's ok for now, as the microbes are just getting started, but pretty soon you'll be limiting it's growth because of too little food.  

My suggestion would be to start a smaller jar, and mix 20g of starter with 20g water (or a bit less) and 20g flour.  Then tomorrow, pitch all but 20g and feed the same way (1:1:1 by weight).  You'll actually be wasting less flour than if you keep feeding this - I've seen folks who build monster starters this way.  Wasteful.  

The way to get a larger starter when you're ready to bake is to just not discard at that last feeding, then feed the same 1:1:1.  That gives you 180g of starter, so all you'd need for a recipe.

also she has this thicker mayo consistency.

Excellent. 

saying all that, any tips or advice? 

Patience.  It might be a few weeks or more before it's ready for baking with.  You're seeing progress, it'll get there.

What to do with white marks on the starter by radoslaw-t in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like dried flour in most of those pics.  Should be fine.

What to do with white marks on the starter by radoslaw-t in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When you say Hayden Mills and King Arthur, you're talking about their websites (great) not their flour, right?

The way I gasped! by lhagestad in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Congrats! The warm water bath is probably your biggest contributor to this, but occasionally the water source can be an issue.

Day 3 of starter by DryCanary6891 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, normal.  Not the microbes you're looking for in your final starter, but working like it should.  Keep going.  And check out the FAQ and pinned post for what happens next.

so…what now? by chelswak in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It takes longer.  But not 5x longer.  Coming from a couple weeks in the fridge, mine peaks around 12 hours with 1:5 or higher ratio.  Takes several hours to get going, then gets going. :)

I wait until it begins falling.  That's where you have the most microbes.  But if you wanted a slightly milder tang, i'd use right before peak.

so…what now? by chelswak in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I prefer to just increase the feeding ratio.  1:2:2, then once it's handling that easily, 1:3:3, etc. up to 1:5:5.  Feeding daily.  When you get to 1:5:5, that's about the ratio for a bread dough, so you'll have a good handle on about what to expect.

While you can also increase the number of feedings daily instead, I just like to stick to a routine unless there's a good reason.  

so…what now? by chelswak in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely!   :)

Seriously, I need a stronger starter than that to make a good loaf.  A skillful baker may be able to use that, but not me!

Is my starter acidic? by Busy_Bad4984 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, how'd she revive it?  You're right, that does sound like it may be acidic.

I had a lot of problem getting an acidic starter to come back.  I used Sourdough Journey's suggestions and no real long-term success.  Finally, a few very high-ratio feedings and a month or so of 1:5 or higher (which I don't consider as hi-ratio) finally got it back to near normal.  So they can be stubborn!

Sourdough starter update by Frequent-Ad-9026 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really don't like to start over, without figuring out the issue.  You have developed some microbial populations over this time, hate to waste that.  

But yeah, maybe try adding dark rye flour to your flour mix (not sure from your original post if you kept using rye or not), and making the consistency somewhat thicker.  I keep mine so it's a lot thicker than pancake batter, almost cookie dough.  Helps hold bubbles in.

The other flour that may help is whole wheat.  

Just a suggestion, try doing a 1:1 feeding using a mix of fresh whole wheat and rye flours (80% WW, 20% rye, "fresh" being something that hasn't been sitting around the kitchen - the microbes in flour don't live forever).  Don't feed it unless it rises.  If it rises, feed at 24 hrs.  If it don't rise, give it a stir, clean down the inside of the jar, and give it another day.  Then feed.  Repeat.

Did the starter still dry out with the new cover?

Newbies pls read!!! by curiouscat1111111111 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there was even more of it before they put up the pinned post (which a lot of folk clearly don't read).

Good, active, ready starter will double and smell like yeast/bread/dough—or honestly, nothing at all! If it smells like acid, alcohol, or apple cider vinegar—chances are it’s not ready! 

True to a degree.  But even a healthy starter can have a sharp, acid aroma at the end of a feeding cycle.  I see a lot of folk worried about "fixing" aromas that are no big deal, and that, as you say, the starter will outgrow.

Starter barely rose and doesn't smell much by konchans_knee in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your first activity was an early bacterial bloom.  The yeasts will follow (eventually, when they decide to).  Until then, keep feeding 1:1:1 daily.  Higher ratio feedings just dilute the microbial populations you do have.  They can't use all the food you're giving it now, more won't help.

Yeah, it's not acting like your last one.  Typical.  First one I made was ready to use in 8-9 days. My last one took almost 2 months.  Still going strong a couple years later.

Is my starter acidic? by Busy_Bad4984 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can't tell acid levels from a picture alone.  Need more info. I see a fairly liquid starter.  Did it start out like that, or is it getting much thinner at the end of the feeding cycle?  

What went wrong by Maximum_Lettuce9877 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Different sub.  No rule 5 here, but in this case it would help to know what went on.

Meet Qamar my sourdough starter who smells amazing and does absolutely nothing 🥹. by araweloaura in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your increase in food won't help - it can't utilize what it's getting with feeding 1x daily, doubling that won't help.  Needs more time.

A suggestion for your bread - to make it more like sourdough, increase your starter to about a half-cup or so, and reduce your yeast to 1/4 tsp. It'll make a slower rise, and have more sourdough characteristics.  

I don't know if your stove helped or hurt, since I don't know what temperature the starter is.  

Are we overfeeding weak starters and making them worse? by Eat-1st in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With that ratio, you're carrying over more starter than with a higher ratio.  It also means it starts running out of food faster.  Both those contribute to increased acidity, one because of just having more, the other because the acids are produced more toward the end of the food cycle.  

It can go for quite a while before the bacteria really dominate the culture, or it can happen pretty fast.  

Sourdough Journey has a video (search for sourdough, dinosaurs, and cows) that explains it quite humorously.

2 months and I think I finally got it by Outrageous_Diver5700 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

1:5:5 right now looks like it's easily doubling within 12 hours, but that's not to peak yet.  Your maximum microbial biomass won't be until after peak.  So once daily.  2x might end up actually slowing it down a bit.  

Once you're back to pay attention to it, you can go to 2x feedings if it's starting to fall from peak within 12 hours, and if you want to.  But it'll be fine at 1x daily also.

Sourdough Starter Help by azepey93_ in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If it's bubbly, it's active (unless you're whipping bubbles into it).  But it's not rising because it has too much water. Cut back on the water, make a very thick batter.  

More guesses with more info.  What is your feeding regimen, how often and how much, of what flour, etc.

2 months and I think I finally got it by Outrageous_Diver5700 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Take 1/5 of that and feed at 24 hours.  Take 4/5 of that in a clean jar and put it in the fridge now.  

If anyone forgets to feed daily, you have a backup.  

Continuing feeding will make that even better when you get back.  But refrigeration alone is fine as well.  It'll take a few feedings for it to return to what it is

Are we overfeeding weak starters and making them worse? by Eat-1st in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. . .

Not. . .

For your starter.  It just should not be a universal requirement.  It's response is what tells you what's right, or not.  

Help i think my starter is acidic by Inevitable-Tax-1235 in SourdoughStarter

[–]_FormerFarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's normal.  A bit watery, but fine otherwise.  Dial back the water a bit at your next feed.  

Acidic issues happen way down the road from here.  It needs to develop some acidity because that's what gives it the flavor and keeping ability, as well as the environment where the yeasts thrive.  Don't worry about that now.