The Fresh Loaf

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Is this the correct way to test your sourdough starter ?

Thaichef's picture
Thaichef

Is this the correct way to test your sourdough starter ?

Hello :  I kept my starter going for a while and just fed it about two hours ago. It is not bubbling now but I hope that it will after 4-5 hours.

I remembered reading Tartine Bread book at the Barnes and Noble book store and it said "to test if your starter is ready is to do a "float test" . I did and drop about 1 tablespoon of starter into a cup of water. The starter sinks to the bottom which according to Chad Robertson, the Starter is not ready!!!

I was surprised since I had been using my starter without any problem for a while. So... what to do???

Thanks.

thaichef.

.

AlanG's picture
AlanG

As long as the kept starter is active things should be OK.  I follow Hammelman's approach and take a small amount of refrigerated starter and mix it with the right amount of flour and water to create the levain.  I'm getting a Vermont sourdough ready to bake tomorrow so it's 30g starter (100% hydration), 150g bread flour, and 188g water.  This sits out overnight for varying lengths of time depending on the temperature.  It's still cold here in DC so it will probably sit for 12 hours or so.  I've not had any failures.

WendySusan's picture
WendySusan

about that float test.  I fed my starter yesterday and its been bubbling like crazy all day.  It had been in the fridge for a while and I thought for sure it had died.

Now funny you mentioned that book because I just picked it up from the library and found that part.  I tried the float test...most of the starter sank to the bottom except for one or two tiny pieces but if you watched it, you could see little bubbles coming up to the surface almost like soda bubbles, so I'm guessing that might mean its good.  

I'm no expert by an means but this experience leads me to believe the float test may not be 100% accurate....or you at least have to watch for the bubbles.

Here are some pix....this one is from this morning and

the this one is from just a few minutes ago after I stirred it.

I'm thinking its pretty viable. Hope this helps.

hreik's picture
hreik

Page 47: "By morning the leaven will be aerated by wild yeast activity and the volume will have increased by about 20%. The most reliable indication that your leaven is ready is if it floats in water...." He's talking about levain not starter.

 

WendySusan's picture
WendySusan

now I need to build a levain and do the test again.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

You do not need to build a levain, your starter is the levain.

Feed it roughly 12 hours before you want to bake, then do the float test.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

The levain is the starter, some call it levain, some call it mother, some call it plain and simple starter.

If you feed your levain in the night it should be able to float the next morning.

Mine always passed the float test when I used a 100% hydration starter.

WendySusan's picture
WendySusan

you could post a picture of your starter in its float position the next time for reference?  Thanks!

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Not sure if you asked me with the floating starter, but I am using a 50% hydration starter now and do not need the float test.

WendySusan's picture
WendySusan

I have a starter...two actually...that I keep and feed...one wheat which is almost like a batter, one rye which is more like a mousse.  When I'm ready to bake, I take some out and start feeding it and building it up to the correct level I need to bake....so is that the starter or is that the levain in correct terminology?

PetraR's picture
PetraR

The starter is the levain:)

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

4 hours each and if the levain doubles 4 hours after the last feeding, it is at its peak and more than ready to raise a loaf of bread.

Happy Baking 

AbeNW11's picture
AbeNW11 (not verified)

The active starter you use in the recipe is the levain. Whether you feed your starter and take some off to use in the recipe or you take some of your starter to build in a preferment it is what you use as your leavening agent which is the levain. 

saminato's picture
saminato

Please, for how long my starter should float in order to be ready? Sometimes the starter floats a little (4 seconds) and goes to the botton.

Thank you very much. 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

If it floats for just a few seconds and then sinks, it isn't ready. 

saminato's picture
saminato

Thank you very much! :-)

drogon's picture
drogon

Ready or not, I regularly make bread with starter directly from the fridge that sinks in water.

Makes great bread.

-Gordon

Edo Bread's picture
Edo Bread

Float test is useful. It is a good way to see that things are at their peak. Yes you could have a "sinker" and still get a loaf of bread, but you might find you don't get the oven spring and excellent crumb that you could have.

Rising Okinawa's picture
Rising Okinawa

So to be clear, the best time to bake with my starter Is maybe within an hour from the time it doubles its bulk? Anything past that I'm working with "less than active" starter? 

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

If your starter is 'less than active' or 'past its peak', make dough with it anyway. What you're doing when you make dough is essentially feeding the starter by adding lots of flour and liquid to it. You might have to bulk ferment the dough a bit longer if the starter is less than active but it will eventually colonize the dough.

Try making a bit of the same dough with starters at various stages of 'ready' and see how long it takes the dough to double at room temperature. That will teach you a lot!

netfan's picture
netfan

Good question!  I'm not sure if I'm better off to mix in the starter right after feeding, after 50 % rise, after full rise???