The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Starter Feed Leniency

windycityloafster's picture
windycityloafster

Starter Feed Leniency

I see a lot of emphasis put on using specific starter build ratios of 1:2:2 or sometimes even really speedy 1:1:1 builds prior to baking. I bake a lot on a daily basis and so often nearly exhaust my starter, oftentimes using all but 20 grams of it, and then feeding it at something like a 1:4:4 ratio and keeping it cool between feedings, usually about 12 hours. It doesn't triple in volume, though I tend to catch it on the younger side and so I don't really know if it would or not, but regardless I feel like observing the starter's maturity through smell and sight is more important than the specific ratios and temperatures that weight is often placed on. These loaves were baked with cool, long-matured starters and they exhibited some pretty wild oven spring. Does anyone have any input on this? Is it really so important for starters to triple and be kept on a diet?

 

Sugarowl's picture
Sugarowl

I only wait for my starter to double, that's what the instructions I've read for it say.In the past I've used a 1:1:1 in the fridge. The fridge slows it down to about 1 or two feeds a week.