After 9 days it is starting to look a little healthier. Still not doubled in size or got much bigger in bulk but healthy froth and smells fine. Still likes being warm!
Then after 5 hours not a lot of activity!
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After 9 days it is starting to look a little healthier. Still not doubled in size or got much bigger in bulk but healthy froth and smells fine. Still likes being warm!
Then after 5 hours not a lot of activity!
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Hi Steve,
I am wondering if the jar is a bit optimistic for the amount you are working with- maybe your gas is escaping via the wide surface area so you are not seeing it rise in bulk. My rye starter is old enough to live in the fridge between bakings and it is around 100 g in a plastic jar that fits in a shelf on the fridge door. The 100 g maybe fills 1/4 height when resting then goes up to around 2/3 mark about 4-6 hours after feeding, but it always looks a lot more dry than my wheat versions. The secondary wheat starters (maybe not the right term) made from the primary rye are more liquid like yours and never seem to rise much in the jar but with around the amount of bubbles you currently have it makes a fine loaf of bread. You could try taking maybe a tablespoon of what you have and see how it goes in a second jar with a few feeds over a day then try making a loaf of bread if it bubbles like your main starter. If the main starter is still not ready ie second jar does not activate then you have not lost any time
Cheers
Good idea - many thanks. My jar is not totally sealed, as I have had 2 jars crack and I wondered whether it might have been the pressure.
Started a smaller sealed jar as well, with a little rye flour in it.
Hi Steve,
Don't know if you now have a working starter or whether you are still struggling a little. I made my starter about 5 weeks ago and it took about 8 days before it was ready to start making bread (this is the first time I have done this) So I am a novice compared to many of the contributors on the site. However, I thought I would share with you what I have done. Firstly, I started with the sealed glass jar similar to that in your photo. I soon abandoned that because I got fed up with the fact that every day I had to tip the starter out into a bowl in order to stir in the the flour and water. Having done that I had to wash out the jar and then return the starter to the jar. So I bought a mixing bowl with a high glaze finish and I cover it with a shower cap (the sort that they provide free in hotel rooms etc) It clips onto the top of the bowl in an instant and keeps out dirt etc. Of course it is not an airtight seal but that does not (in my opinion) seem to be problem. The great thing is that I can add flour and water without moving it into another container. I use a spatular to get to the edges of the bowl. The bowl will tend to get dried starter attached to the edges as the starter rises and falls so I clean the bowl out about once every third day. My starter is kept a room temperature in my kitchen which at this time of the year is around 20 degrees centigrade. I normally feed the starter about 4 or 5 hours before I start to make dough. I feed it equal quantities of water and flour (by weight) but the flour is about 80% wheat flour and 20% rye flour. I bake most days so the amount I feed it is roughly governed by how much I use. If I have a day when I do not bake, I discard some of the starter and feed the remainder as usual.
I would be tempted to try the following :- tip your strater into a bowl and feed it. Five hours later chuck half of it away and feed it again and see what happens ... just a thought. Happy baking. Chris
Many thanks for your comments. The smaller containers are now fine and I can easily scoop some of the starter out and mix more flour and water in. My starter took about 10 days but was helped along by adding some rye flour later on.
Glad you are having some success. Chris