January 11, 2017 - 3:47pm
rye sourdough starter sinks
i read somewhere on this site that i could test the effectiveness of my starter by dropping a teaspoon in water.
i dropped 1 teaspoon of the rye starter in cold water & it literally form a coil on the bottom of the glass. i thought it was supposed to rise.
please tell me what i did wrong.
thanks,
claudia
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Never used the float test, but my understanding is you do it when the starter is at its peak. If it doesn't float, is not ready.
How old is it?
my starter is ~ 2 months old. i've baked 3 loaves (different grains each) with it. the rise was fantastic. i have used instant yeast with each loaf. i don't know if it's the sourdough or the yeast. i'm using a KAF sourdough recipe that i've used for years to compare the results (i do add various extra grains to the recipe).
i'd like to move on to another bread but until i know if this is a viable starter i'm not sure. i've had several starters pass away (neglect? home water?) but since i'm using osmosis water the current one seems happier.
any hints would be helpful.
Claudia
Do a test - use the same recipe - omit the instant yeast. Use 1/10 the amounts of the other ingredients so you're not wasting anything - see what happens. You should have the answer pretty quick.
thanks phaz. i will try the test on my next bread. at least i'll know where i'm at with my new un-named rye starter. i hate to name them until they are very healthy & viable.
Claudia
How are you feeding and beefing up the starter before a bake? I don't float test my starter, to put it bluntly, never had any doubt about a starter when it smelled right, all bubbly and thick.
"A coil on the bottom of the glass"... Did you pour it in slowly (that would pop all the bubbles) or shove in a portion like spooning out cookie dough?
hi mini oven
after 2 weeks of daily feeds and a few discards, the starter was a very happy camper; bubbles, rise etc. i parked it in the frig (top shelf ~ 30-35 F). i take it out once or twice a week & feed (1 c whole grain rye flour (Hodgson's or KAF + 3/4c H2O). if i'm baking i use what i need and refeed, wait 1/2 day for rise/bubbles, etc & park on top shelf of frig. it's always bubbly & semi-thick & smells yeasty good.
the float test - i use cold osmosis water & poured slowly. could that be the problem? should i shove the tsp of starter directly in the water?
thanks, Claudia