The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

I keep killing starters :(

phoxphyre's picture
phoxphyre

I keep killing starters :(

Heya, as the subject says: I am a sourdough-starter killer. And I have no idea why.

I kept my own starter for over a year, and have no idea why I couldn't revive it from my fridge one day. After getting a starter from a local bakery, I fed it one day and it was dead the next (read no yeast smell at all). That was 6 months ago. Feeling brave, I tried again. I think my latest is dead too!

It's spring here, and our temperatures are between 9 and 25. So it's not hugely cold.

I've split the latest in two, and I'm feeding one pineapple juice and stone-ground whole wheat flour once a day. The flour was initially some older rye flour, but I ran out and moved to the fresher whole wheat stuff. The "starter" expanded a lot initially (but didn't smell yeasty), so I suspect bacteria. The other "starter" I'm feeding tap water and stone-ground whole wheat flour once a day. It's got tiny bubbles and tastes more tart than the other. I'm not discarding anything from either starter.

But shoooooot :( Any thoughts?

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

Starters are pretty hard to kill but if you are over feeding it, the yeast doesn't have a chance to multiply before you dilute it again with another feeding. Only feed it once it has risen and started to shrink. As well feed it equal amounts of water and flour by weight. So this would be one part starter, one part water and one part of some whole grain flour. For example: 100 g of each. 

If you are under feeding it, it will give off a strong smell of acetone or nail polish remover. Feed it as above. When you get it nice and healthy, look up No Fuss No Muss starter on this site. It will make your life incredibly easier. 

phoxphyre's picture
phoxphyre

I have been feeding it a couple of tablespoons of liquid and enough flour that it's a thick paste. For a while it was smelling like nail polish remover, but didn't smell yeasty.

The water-starter doesn't rise much at all, it's just started to show bubbles. The pineapple one explodes, but has started to cut back on its activity.

Do you think I should stir and leave 'em longer than 24 hours between feeds, to see what's happening?

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

of your starter. The activity at the beginning is not yeast, it is bacteria. It takes about a week to ten days before the yeast establishes itself and the concoction becomes acidic enough to kill the bacteria. 

Please use weight when feeding your starter and like I said, only feed it when you see activity. Be sure to stir it well a couple of times a day to keep the beasties happy and growing. 

phoxphyre's picture
phoxphyre

I got home last night and my wholemeal flour and water starter had risen, so that's interesting. It was tart to the point of tasting effervescent. Because I'm foolish, I have split off a small section of it so I've got the following

1. 1/4c starter, 30g water, 30g wholewheat flour. I'm wondering what will happen if I feed him every 12hrs for a couple of days. He rose this morning to twice his volume, but didn't taste very tart. Will give this a couple of days if you think it's worth it.

2. 1/4c starter, 30g water, 30g wholewheat flour (parent of #1). Will feed every 24hrs. Stirred this morning and tasted a bit tart. Had bubbles, and had risen but not fallen

3. 1/4c starter, 30g water (previously given pineapple juice), 30g wholewheat flour (previously given older rye flour). Will feed every 24hrs. Stirred, and tasted tart. Had bubbles, and had risen but not fallen.

 

Was following the pineapple juice directions, and hoping that I'm transitioning out of the second phase. Hence the exploratory starter #1.

doughooker's picture
doughooker

Two things to try, but no guarantees.

Try using bread or all-purpose flour, or adding some diastatic malt to your starter.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

With proportions as well. How much fresh flour and water to starter? Nail Polish smell tells me it's hungry. You say you're feeding it a couple of tablespoons of liquid and enough flour to make a thick paste but you don't say which flour and how much starter there is.

You've got a well established starter from a bakery and it should be just fine.

Might be combination of your feeding schedule and water. Try switching to tap water which has been boiled and left to cool. If you aren't using any wholegrains then try adding some in. If your feedings are poor then give healthier feedings. But a bit more info is needed.

Jane Dough's picture
Jane Dough

When  I read these stories I want to say don't bother overanalyzing what you have already dubbed a failure. Pick a reputable website that gives you step by step instruction on building a starter. And follow the instruction without question. Be patient. And after seven days or so then assess.  A warm spot does help when starting out but most of us have heated homes to some degree or another by some method or another. 

A couple of sites that come to mind:

thefreshloaf.com

Weekendbakery.com

theperfectloaf.com

northwestsourdough.com

wildyeastblog.com

Make sure your equipment is clean. Go buy a few hundred grams of fresh flour without a lot of additives; let your water sit out to dissolve the minerals or use bottle.  And then wait for it. It will happen. 

I often think flour selection is not addressed with sufficient attention when building a starter.  To this day I am surprised at the different rate of growth when using an all purpose flour vs a whole wheat or a rye.  My organic unbleached all purpose will not be fit to use for a full 20 hours after refresh while dmsnyder's original blend of 70% AP, 20 % WW and 10% rye I will use as early as two hours after refreshing.  Everyone's experience is different. When I try a new "flour" it's always an unknown. The same applies when starting out. There is a norm but not a hard and fast rule. The first starter I ever built took 8 days to reach what some reached in 5. 

We do not create failures on this site :). Nor will you.  The odd unexpected result maybe....

Have fun!

 

clazar123's picture
clazar123

25-30C will make a big difference