Is my new starter behaving normally?
I started a brand new starter on Monday night with 40g water 20g Rye and 20g white flour. Tuesday night it was almost double in size with lots of bubbles. The smell was a bit strange, but not horrid. I discarded half and fed 40g water + 40g flour mix again, and by this morning (Wednesday) it had burst out of the jar and onto the counter. Since it expanded so quickly, I decided to discard and feed it again even though it was only about 8 hours since the last feed (bearing in mind this starter is less than 48 hours old). It smells better than it did on Tuesday night.
I've never read of a new stater developing so quickly. Is this down to bad bacteria? Is my starter safe to continue cultivating, or will I give myself a stomach ache when I do get around to using it? The ambient temperature is around 27C in the house.
Thank you!
it sounds perfectly "normal" for a new starter in warm temps like that to be somewhat enthusiastic! The activity isn't yet from the LAB and yeasts that you want, but it won't be an issue for you so long as you don't try using it until the LAB and yeasts are well established and have driven off the other bacteria.
I'd suggest that you slow down on feeding it for a day or two, and just stir it down every 12 hours or so. Right now you need the acid levels to increase to encourage the yeast growth, and feeding it is just slowing down that acidity. The starter most likely will look like it has gone dormant or died for a day or two (often days 3 and 4), but just stir it every 12 hours and don't feed it until it starts looking active again.
Lechem just posted a link to a video that shows the difference in starter appearance with the early "bad" growth, and how it changes when the LAB and yeasts are in charge:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/52313/another-how-make-sourdough-starter-video
Good luck with the new starter, and bake happy!
Yeah, that is normal for most starters. It is bacteria, but not the kind you want. I would do an every 3 day feeding, stirring thoroughly a couple times a day. Activity should stop, and when it starts again (somewhere around a week), do an every other day feeding for about a week, or until you see lots of activity. When you're feeding it a couple times a day, or more, you're good to go.
Thank you both. The activity has stopped since I fed it a third time. I'll try feeding lots for a while until it starts again.
Edit: I meant to say less, not lots. Phone keyboard...
Who's gonna win?
Be stubborn and don't give in. Keep warm and stir. Best of luck.
Once you see small bubbles begin to appear then begin feeding again. Doesn't have to be big feeds just yet but some food will help. You will find that quite quickly, after the initial period of quiet and the beginnings of it waking up, it should come back to full strength. Once you see it strengthening then up the feeds accordingly. The stronger it is the more it'll benefit from bigger feeds.
If you see it is waking up slowly and the bubbles are small and it's been two or three days then no need to discard. Just add in a few spoons of fresh flour. Then you'll see more activity so discard sone and top up. After which you will find it ears through that more easily and shows a good rising so increase the feed to discarding 2/3rds and topping back up. Once it ears through that amount in 4-6 hours then your starter is viable and ready even if it is a bit young. So bake with it but carry on with regular feeds as it'll continue to mature over the coming weeks.