January 14, 2013 - 7:25pm
First WWW starter attempt
Hi all! I'm new to the forum after lurking for a few weeks.
Yesterday I made my first sourdough starter using KAF's white whole wheat flour (4 oz flour & 4 oz water).
Today when I went to do the first feeding it had developed these green spots. The KAF chat person said it seemed odd that the starter would have gone bad so quick but probably should throw it out to be safe. So I did. But I wanted to check in here and see if anyone had any thoughts.
Thanks!
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Just to be clear this mix sat for just 24 hours and developed those spots? What are you using for water, tap,bottled, spring?
I'm not sure I would have been so fast to chuck it out. I would have continued the process and see if the spots returned. When you start over see if it happens again.
Faith
Yeah, I got a little paranoid because of the color. It was in a plastic food storage container with plastic wrap around it. I used tap water, it's what we drink in our house. I made another starter only this time I put it in a ceramic crock. Tomorrow I'll get some bottled water.
if it happens again, should i just stir it in, do the feeding and see what happens?
Thanks!
That's what I would do...but that's just me. I've never started with WWW so I don't know if it's something particular to the flour. If you start over using your tap water and it happens again, start one with bottled water if it hapens again it's in the flour if not the water.
What range of temperatures did your starter experience?
Paul
I worked at a winery many years ago. If you half filled a clean bottle with their tap water and let it sit out it would grow 2" of gray mold in a week.
Not saying that is what's going on here but it's a good reason to check the results with bottled water. Especially in this day and age where some people are able to light their faucets on fire.
Faith
I made a new starter last night, the only thing I changed was the container (now in a ceramic crock). This is what my starter looked like after 24 hours.
More green...WOW
First I would try again with bottled water. Mini oven talks about using unsweetened pineapple juice to kill the bad stuff. I've never used it and not sure what bad stuff she talks about. Perhaps your green stuff.
If you don't get the green with bottled water you may want to get your water checked. To confirm it may be the water try another flour using your tap water and see if it turns green.
Faith
Oh no, the lighting must be bad. There wasn't any green this time, a very little grey. I stirred it up and fed it. I also got some bottled water and glass jars so I'm going to try another batch.
I had a whole wheat starter, and it would regularly start to turn grey on top between refreshments.
This is simply because of whole wheat's greater fat content. Parts exposed to air (i.e., the top of a starter) will tend to oxidise and go begin to go rancid.
Cool that is great news.
I'm on day two of my new starters (testing a process). I hope my older children don't get jealous.
...and turn green? Lol!
Have you ever read Debra Wink's Pinapple solution #1 and #2? Worth looking up. That's where the pioneering of juice with starters got started. Then look up Bill's Maintaining a 100% hydration starter for more maintainence information.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/3064/maintaining-100-hydration-white-flour-starter
I had some button on my camera that made everything turn blue until I handed it to my son to fix. Some goofy flesh tone option was not on.
I will look them up.
Thanks Faith