The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Starter in fridge

BrightM's picture
BrightM

Starter in fridge

Hi

I've been experimenting with maintaining a starter in the fridge

I noticed that a Rye starter when kept all the time in the fridge became fluffy after 2 days (and passed the float test) and stayed like that for another few days even though that it didn't rise.

I'm assuming that that Rye starter is very active and can be used to start a bread stright from the fridge

On the other hand a pure plain wheat flour starter did nothing after 2 days except for making nice bubbles.

It didn't rise it didn't float even after 3, or 4 days.

I assume that a wheat starter has to be fed at lease twice OUTSIDE the fridge before using but the Rye starter can be used direct from the fridge

What do the experienced bakers say?

Thank you

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

thin to hold them and they are not being held in the culture to make it float.  It may be just as active as the rye.  Most liquid starters held in the firdge for a week after feeding can be use straight out of the fridge to make a loaf of bread.

Jean - DelightfulRepast.com's picture
Jean - Delightf...

I only ever make white sourdough, using organic unbleached white flour. I keep my my small amount of starter in a half-pint jar in the refrigerator, take it out once a week to make two loaves for the week, feed it twice before making the final dough, put a little fed starter back into the jar after each feeding, then put the jar back in the refrigerator at the same time I'm making the final dough. I like this routine, so I've never tried to use it straight from the refrigerator.

drogon's picture
drogon

My Rye behaves similarly, but my wheat (& spelts) are the same but slower - not that they normally go more than 2 days in the fridge anyway.

As for your assumption about a starter needing to be fed twice - not for me. Tonight (Monday) I will use my spelt starter directly from the fridge where its sat since Friday evening. I'll take 240g out of the jar, replace it with 120g white spelt and 120g flour and it'll go back in the fridge about an hour later. In about 20 minutes time (3pm) I'll be taking the white wheat and rye starters out of the fridge, bulking them up (I need about 2.5Kg of white wheat, so will be 500g starter + 1000g white wheat and 1000g water) then the jar will be topped up (250g wheat + 250g water) and left out until about 8pm when it'll go back in the fridge.

What I did do recently though - after I'd been away for 3 weeks over the new year was to tip-out most of my starters and refresh them before using them again. I did this the day before baking, so I suppose they did get a double refresh, but that's the exception rather than the rule. I normally bake sourdough 5 days a week.

-Gordon @moorbakes

AlanG's picture
AlanG

all the time other than for about 2-3 hours after re-feeding.  I always do levain build the day before baking and it sits on the counter for 12=14 hours depending on the ambient temperature (longer in winter; shorter in summer).  I have never had any problems. with this method.