1 week old starter was very alive and now seems to be inactive..
Sourdough starter:
I made a starter using 50g whole wheat, 50g bread flour and 100g water and let it sit covered for 3 days. After three days it became pretty active and I started the feeding process. See image below, but then....
Day 3:
After that I started feeding 100g starter, 25g whole wheat, 25g bread flour and 50g water every 12 hours for the next 4 days and it started doubling or more in size after every feeding after the first few feedings.
Day 5:
On day 7 I used 200g starter and fed with 100g flour (same mix) and 100g water to make starter to make cinnamon rolls. After about 6 hours I used 300g of that starter for the recipe and kept the remaining 100g to feed as normal (50g flour 50g water) but ever since has been very inactive after feedings, only rising a little if at all.
Day 9 (6 hours after feeding) :
QUESTION:
I have continued feeding for the last day (every 12 hours) but doesn’t seem to be doing much. Not sure if I should 1.) keep feeding every 12 hours until it comes back, 2) or let it sit for another 3 days or so and basically start over.
Any advice would be super helpful, thank you so much and let me know if the photos didn't show up in the post.
Thank you!
-Mike
Make a single 100+25+25 feeding (for 12 hours), it should be back.
Thanks Uzbek, I have fed the starter (100+50+50) 3 times already (once every 12 hours for now 36 hours). Are you recommending that I feed it less and that will help the problem?
Yes, it should make it hungrier without starving.
And make sure it is not too warm. 27C is the yeast's preferred temp (works fine but longer if cooler but slows down if warmer)
Your starter was stable for 100+50+50 feeds every 12 hours. You could actually have just fed it the way you were feeding once for 24 hours right after using some for baking, because probably you had for some reason had left less than 100 grams (and did not notice it) so it would have taken longer to consume the regular dose, then you have fed it three times at 12 hours before that starter had an opportunity to consume all, and each time it was getting weaker.
take 10 g starter (it should taste sour). Add 50g water and 50g flour ( it should taste like wet flour) and give it time to rise and peak. Reduce to 10g and repeat the feeding. Watch the starter not the clock.