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Three weeks and still not ready.

Kbennett's picture
Kbennett

Three weeks and still not ready.

I started my starter three weeks ago with equal parts King Arthur AP flour and filtered water. I keep it on the top of my fridge. By day three it was bubbling nicely and smelling pleasantly sour. Have been discarding half and feeding it 1/1/1 twice daily for three weeks. It bubbles after feeding, but never increases in size or passes the float test. Last weekend I kept it in my oven with the light on and fed it every 3 hours, but no change at all. I’ve gone through 5 1/2 lbs of flour. What could I be doing wrong?

OldLoaf's picture
OldLoaf

Did you use the pineapple juice method?  Or just flower and water?

You may have overfed it doing it at every 3 hours.  Try to stay with the scedule you have in whatever recipe you are following.  What temp is your kitchen?  If it's relatively cold it may just be sluggish.  Next time you feed it 1:1:1 use warm water (85F) and see if it makes a difference.  Mine seems to do rather well at 72F-73F.

If your using that much flour just to feed your starte then keep less starter.  I only keep around 40g of starter handy.  If I need more I wil just build a levain from it.

Kbennett's picture
Kbennett

I used half King Arthur AP flour and half filtered water. This time of year, my kitchen is about 65 degrees. After two weeks of feeding it twice-daily it was still sluggish, so I thought it might be the temperature. I moved it to my oven with the light on and fed it every three hours for a weekend, but still nothing. 

I hate to give up on it, but maybe it’s time. I’ll try the pineapple juice method and use half whole wheat. 

Thank you for your input!

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

by constantly throwing half out you are diluting the small amount of yeast remaining and not giving the yeast time enough to build up numbers.   you need to take a set amount eg 100 g max , put it aside in a warm  spot. DO NOT FEED it until it doubles in size.  then go carefully and start to feed it 1:1:1 but only when it peaks.  this may take a few days.  

do a search using the search box, there a lots of posts on this topic. the pineapple method is excellent.

Kbennett's picture
Kbennett

I always have about 8 ounces. That’s too much? I always throw out half (4 ounces) then feed it equal parts flour and water so I end up with 8 ounces again. It bubbles and smells sour, but doesn’t increase in size at all. 

Approximately, how long of not being fed will it take for it to double? I thought feeding it was what caused it to increase in size. 

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

and that the bubbling is coming from the lactobacilli or other bacteria in the starter.   Each time you throw away half you are reducing the population of yeast.  By not feeding, you are allowing the yeast population to build up and it may take a day or two.  Just stir the starter and keep warm.  

I only keep a small amount of starter (60 grams) and build a levain when I want to bake.  You dont need a large amount unless you are baking big amounts often.  

By all means feed it some wholewheat or rye. maybe try putting a small amount aside as I suggest and carry on with your normal routine with the rest and see what happpens.

Another idea is to do a search for “the pineapple method” this really does work and many others here can attest to that. 

Good luck. 

HansB's picture
HansB

Use a mixture of whole wheat and AP. You can also add some rye to get it going.

Kbennett's picture
Kbennett

Thanks! I’m going to try half white, half wheat with pineapple juice. 

HansB's picture
HansB

You really don't need pineapple juice...

Dave Cee's picture
Dave Cee

In a clean container put 75g of your discard starter, 75g of filtered water and 100g of white bread flour. Mix well, cover container and place in your oven with light on. Report back in 8 hours. Courage. :)