Rye wild yeast barm

Bushturkey's picture
Bushturkey

Hi.

I have a white leaven that's about 6 months old.

3 days ago I took some out and refreshed it with rye flour and water. I've got 2 cultures now (well, we live in a multicultural society!).

My rye culture was frothing up quite well, so I used some to make a rye starter to build it into a loaf.

The starter doesn't seem to have risen at all after more than 10 hours, so I ditched it and made another one (thinking I didn't leave the culture to grow long enough). I'll be checking it soon, but after 2 hours (when Ileft to go to work, I didn't really see any activity in the starter. The starter is quite firm (I followed the instruction in Peter Reinhart's "Bread Baker's Apprentice").

What do you reckon's wrong? Any ideas?

Additional:

The other one also didn't rise. After 16 hours. I'll wait a little longer, perhaps.

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Danubian's picture
Danubian 2008 March 14
Provided you've had a viable sourdough. Have you cycled (refreshed) it periododically over that 6 months? If not, it'll probably take a while to regrow the populations back into the ascendency and dominance.

Don't discard it, but it will need time and further cycles to gain strength.
Bushturkey's picture
Bushturkey 2008 March 16

Thanks Danubian.

I've been refreshing my (white) sourdough at least once a week. I keep it in the fridge. If I don't it usually flows out of the jar.

I used some to put in another jar and start a rye sourdough.

I left it and it did double less than 24 hours after I added rye flour (half a cup and half cup water), so I took some and make a firm starter (with an equal amount of 100% organic rye flour). I ditched it when it didn't rise at all ater 10 hours.

I refreshed the rye sourdough and it again doubled in volume fairly quickly. I made another starter. I left it and it finally showed some activity about 48 hours later.

My final dough formula was starter (75%), organic rye flour 25%, organic bread flour (Laucke Mills) 75%, water 70%, salt 3%, organic evaporated sugar cane juice 4% and I used a soaker of rolled rye flakes, soaked in water (4%).

The dough rose OK and I folded it 3 times (hourly intervals). There was hardly any oven spring, athough the flavour of the bread is good.

I don't know how to add pictures, but I'll work on it.

On another subject: Is there a baking course I could take in Australia (South Aus preferably)?

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