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Starter doesn't bubble on top....

Ogi the Yogi's picture
Ogi the Yogi

Starter doesn't bubble on top....

Hey guys I have a quick question, my starter which I keep in a mason jar at a 100% hydration so I feed my 50 grams of starter 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour daily. This is a rye flour starter, and I keep it covered with a coffee filter and rubber band. 

The starter has bubbles all the way around the jan and the bottom, but forms a hard crust on the top which when I scrape off it has the air bubbles on the inside. 

I have been watching and reading a lot blogs and it seems to me that most starters are much more active and have bubbles on the top which mine does not. 

My starter also seems thicker than other peoples. White flour starter tends to look more liquidy. 

Is there a way I can convert my rye starter to a white flour starter and should I have various starters? 

 

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Unless you have time to babysit more than one starter. You can build other starters from just the one when you need to do so. Just take some off and feed it to the new specs.

Different types of flour will behave... well, er... differently. A 100% hydrated whole rye starter won't be as liquid as a 100% hydrated bread flour starter. Rye absorbs more water.

As far as drying out goes I think that's to do with covering it with a coffee filter so it's more aerated. I found that using a screw top lid and not tightening it too tight tends to keep a starter from drying.

I assume you bake everyday and that's why you keep it on the countertop and feed it every day. Otherwise why not keep it in the fridge?

To convert your rye starter just start feeding it with a flour of your choice. A nice combo is 70% bread flour, 20% whole wheat and 10% whole rye. Just a suggestion.

Ru007's picture
Ru007

No need for more than one starter. I keep a stiff rye starter in the fridge in a mason jar and that's it (I just dried some of it in case my jar meets some unfortunate demise. LOL!).

Why do you want to convert your rye starter to a white one? I used to have a white starter, but i found it needed more feeding than a pure rye one, so now i just keep a rye starter in the fridge that i feed once every 8 or so weeks. But like Abe says, it depends on how often you bake. 

The hard layer is probably due to exposure to air on top. I keep my jar covered just like yours only I used plastic wrap.

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

problem is solved