Seed Culture gone awry?
I started a rye seed culture on Saturday, using Reinhart's method in BBA. Day 1 it looked like a lump of playdough. I did the Day 2 additions and, despite the note in the book that I'd likely see no more than a 50% rise, the thing doubled. I discarded half (eyeballed it as the batteries on my scale died right after I got my flour and water additions measured out) and added the Day 3 flour and water. This was around 11am, and so far I've seen almost no rise.
Is it possible that it wore itself out yesterday? The house is slightly cooler today - 75F instead of 78F and I have the doors and windows closed as it's cool and slightly more humid out. I'm not going to worry too much about it, but I sort of expected to see *SOME* sort of movement by now. It's barely even made a slight 'mound' at the center and has barely crept past the tape mark. With the rise I'd gotten yesterday I was actually concerned that today's addition would result in it trying to creep out of the container. If I don't get a doubling as I was expecting should I just give it an extra day? And if so, do I feed it - or should I start over? I was really hoping to be making bread this coming weekend! The smell is good - not overpoweringly knock-your-socks-off strong, and not 'off' in scent from what I've noticed the past couple of days.
My second seed culture, made with the 'pineapple juice' smaller-batch method in his Whole Grain Breads book is also looking a bit off. I didn't have any pineapple juice so substituted fresh-squeezed orange juice. I don't really smell anything, but it is trying to separate slightly. I've been aerating it for 1 minute at a time at somewhat irregular intervals, 3 times yesterday and twice so far today. It's more liquidy than when it first started, or so it seems, and when I mix it I seem to be getting gluten forming as a small glob of flour starts to cling to the fork. This starter is on its Day 2 phase, with the first addition due tomorrow. It's such a small batch really that at least if it turns out to have not worked, for some reason, at least I won't be losing much.