The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

what is a ripe starter?

sannimiti's picture
sannimiti

what is a ripe starter?

hey there, i usually make pr's basic sourdough which is made from firm starter but i've read lots of  recipes here which demand a 100% hydration ripe starter. what is this? i understand 100% hydr. is feeding the starter equal weights of flour and water, right?! like, i feed mine 250gr each flour and water to each 250 gr of starter. thanks for clearing this up!

staff of life's picture
staff of life

is a starter that is ready to use.  In a firm starter, it will have domed and receded a bit; in a wet starter, it will have started to pucker at the top.  When it's ripe, you need to either feed it or use it.

SOL

sannimiti's picture
sannimiti

thank you so much for explaining this! could have thought of it myself but wasn't sure.