May 21, 2017 - 10:54am
Hooch keeps happening
i have tried building starters three times, and every time I get hooch floating on the top of the starter. This last time I used
- 200g of distilled water (heated to 95 degrees),
- 60g each of whole wheat and white bread flour,
- mixed it in a weck jar with the lid on (rubber seal removed and not clamped down),
- in a 73-75 degree environment (we live in Texas, everything is warm here)
Within 24 hours it had already separated. I poured it off and am feeding it as normal, but that seems awful fast to form. Is there something I need to account for that I haven't done?
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200g of water / 120g of flour = 167% hydration. The flour is simply settling to the bottom of the jar because it can't absorb all of that water. Back the water quantity down to 120g or less and the paste will be able to hold together without separating.
And, while you are at it, water temperature in the 75-85F range will do quite nicely.
Paul