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Next step? (First starter issues....)

hs4816's picture
hs4816

Next step? (First starter issues....)

Just found this and reading (?hundreds) of old threads.

On day 9 of a rye starter. House is about 67-70 degrees. It smells nice and day 2 stinky explosion but otherwise doesnt bubble and rise.

I went into this with advice to just discard "whatever" and feed it 1:1. So at any given time I could have had any amount of starter and been adding 25/25 up to 75/75.

I thought I was underfeeding it, so switched to twice a day. Have also tried 100 degree proof in my oven for a few hours. Still no good bubbles or rise bit smells nice.

However, I think where I'm going wrong is I should have a known quantity of starter each time.

Should I go 1:1:1 or 1:2:2?

And would you do 24 hours, 12, or a long wait once like 48h?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

it will take longer to get active yeast thriving.  Overfeeding is often a big problem when starting up a starter also getting the starter warm enough.  100°F is a bit extreme and too warm.  Use 90° as your max.  Next, stop feeding it so much right now.  Watch the starter and wait for bubbles to form.  My suggestion would be to stop feeding, get it about 76° to 78° ( at least above 75°F) and wait for signs of sourness and gas formation.  If it is thick enough it may trap bubbles.

Taste the concoction you have and

*if it tastes like wet flour, give it two days before adding any extra flour to thicken it up.  

*If it tastes sour, reduce to about 40g add a tablespoon of water and enough rye flour to make a soft paste. Get it warmer (starters really like body heat) Then watch it.  Don't feed until it has risen to its max and bubbly.  It should smell fruity and have a sour taste.  It may take a day or two.