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.
Replies
Don't discard it, but it will need time and further cycles to gain strength.
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)?